MOUNT AIRY, N.C., April 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Increasingly, Mount Airy Toyota sales reps have been receiving questions from confused buyers interested in the 2015 Prius Models. "There are so many new models with a number of new features; customers are having a hard time sifting through the information. We decided to review the cars to give consumers more detailed information," says Jorge Martin, GM of the North Carolina Toyota Dealership.
For more than a decade, Toyota's Prius has come in one model only. But as sales of the highly marketable hybrid have risen, so has the demand for a variety in models. Recently Toyota acquiesced to consumer demand and put out two new models in conjunction with the original, proving this hybrid hoopla to be more than just a fad--in fact, it's become a way of life.
The first thing to notice among the array of differences in the three models is the exterior's shape and size. The largest, the 2015 Prius V, is similar in shape to a modern station wagon, allowing more room for cargo and family members. Its taller exterior gives plenty of headroom, space to stretch. The standard 2015 Prius, now considered the mid-sized version, is not as tall as the V, and it maintains the arching sloped shape from its genesis in 2004. The smallest of the hybrids, the 2015 Prius C, looks more like a hatchback than the other two. More compact, it loses some of the extra space the other two hold, yet it's still more spacious than most other compact cars.
The interiors of all three vary slightly (the C has a floor-mounted gear selector, and is the only one with circular vents), but the size is what really differentiates them: The V provides 34.9 cubic feet, the standard offers 21.6 cubic feet, and the C has 17.1 cubic feet. There are other unique aspects to each, but the size is absolutely the most crucial when deciding what's best for you.
Under the hood, the three models have two different types of engines. Naturally, the smallest engine comes with the Prius C: a 1.5-liter hybrid 4-cylinder with 99 horsepower that saves tremendously on gas, and does well for power--considering it is a hybrid 4-cyliner engine. The standard Prius and the Prius V come with a 1.8-liter hybrid 4-cylinder engine that contains 134 horsepower. The extra horsepower in this engine absolutely can be felt right away, while it also does a great job at saving money at the pump.
What it comes down to when deciding on the perfect Prius is the test drive. Customers get a distinctly different feeling in each vehicle. Mount Airy Toyota has a special test drive service. Call in advance and they will have all three models waiting at the door for their customers to sample. "No matter which model they select, all of our Prius customers report that they save money on these high-end hybrids," says Martin.