Ever seen a Toyota Prius on the roads of Dubai or any other Emirates before? I’ve only ever seen three for sale and one of the new fourth generation models on the back of a recovery. Never actually seen one driving around. With that said, it could all change, as the Prius is officially for sale in the UAE. It’s time to head to your nearest Toyota showroom and pick up the world’s most iconic hybrid.
It’s hard to believe Toyota Prius’s have been driving around the world for almost 20 years, and only now, is it being sold here! First showcased back in November at the Dubai International Motor Show, UAE residents were exposed to a radically redesigned Prius. Leaving a lasting impression on most, with its sharp lines, it still retains old features. In case you haven’t seen previous generations, here’s a peek at all four side by side.
Inspired by the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota Mirai, modern styling isn’t exclusive to the exterior. Inside seating is available for five passengers, large heads-up display, navigation options, Bluetooth pairing and more. Best of all, there is wireless charging, no need for cables. Need to tow your quad bike to Big Red? No worries, as the 2016 Toyota Prius can do the job.
Showcased in a new coat of red paint known as Hypersonic Red, Toyota has improved and re-worked the 1.8-litre four cylinder Atkinson equipped petrol engine for better fuel economy, power and trimmed off a few kilos, although no information about 0-100 time, top speed or horsepower has been revealed.
Why has the Prius been so popular for so long? Toyota equipped the iconic vehicle with an interesting mechanism similar to ones found in a Formula One car. No need to plug it in, just by applying the brakes. Kinetic energy is stored and can be used later instead of consuming petrol. There are three ways to drive, only using petrol, only using the stored energy or a mix of both, for the best mileage. Pretty ingenious! But wait, there’s more, but it could take some time to explain.
Advanced safety features have been implemented. Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert used to alert the driver if any vehicles on either side whilst changing lanes, Tyre Pressure Warning System monitoring each wheel to detect low pressure. Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Assist and ABS are all thrown in too.
Prices start at AED 89,000 for Dynamic model’s and Iconic variants are for sale at AED 97,900. We haven’t got any Toyota Prius models for sale online, however, we do have plenty of new Toyota and used Toyota for sale in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
