New Car Review of the 2006 Toyota Prius Compact Economy Hybrid Fuel Sedan

Description: Compact Economy
Hybrid Fuel Sedan
Base MSRP Range: Not Yet Available
Invoice Price Range: Not Yet Available
Where built: Not Yet Available

Toyota of Japan -- Supported by global production facilities including multiple engine and assembly plants in the United States and Canada -- supplies a slew of products to the North American market.

In this extensive model mix is a hybrid gas-electric four-door sedan called Prius that earns significantly high fuel economy marks because it packs into its futuristic shell not one but two motors.

There's a thrifty but conventional 1.5-liter four-cylinder plant aboard that operates on gasoline plus a battery-powered electric motor. Toyota's high-voltage and high-torque Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) system controls all energy produced by the two plants and sends it directly to the front wheels in infinitely variable measures through an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT).

This year Toyota capitalizes on the success of its HSD hybrid design in Prius by applying the concept to the Highlander crossover SUV.