Sunnyside Toyota

The newest member of the Prius family, expected this October, is the Prius v wagon. That's with the letter "v," not to be confused with the Prius V trim line, which used a Roman numeral but will now be spelled out as "Five." Got that?

Recently, we posted a blog about vehicles that offered both practicality and good fuel economy. After brief drives in several Prius v's during a local press event, our first impressions are that it could well be a star of such a list. The v is a little larger in every way than the familiar Prius hatchback. It's six inches longer (with a three-inch longer wheelbase), 3.3 inches taller, and about an inch wider. This translates into more passenger volume (+3.5 cubic feet) and almost 60 percent more cargo space. Toyota claims the Prius v measures out at 34.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 67.3 with them down, compared with the Prius hatch's 21.6 and 39.6. With that kind of interior room, the v would be a thrifty alternative to a small SUV, if you don't need all-wheel drive and an elevated ride height.

Even with the larger body, Toyota is quoting some impressive EPA fuel-economy figures: 44 (city), 40 (highway), and 42 (combined). In contrast, the EPA estimates for the hatchback are 51/48/50; we got 44 mpg overall in our real-world tests. The best we've gotten from a similar sized wagon or small SUV is 36 mpg for the diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI with a manual transmission and 26 mpg for the Ford Escape Hybrid with AWD. The best from conventional, gasoline-powered vehicles is 24 mpg for the Mazda5 microvan, Subaru Outback wagon, and Subaru Forester SUV with manual. Or, for around $47,000, the Toyota Highland Hybrid delivers three-row seating and 27 mpg overall. Great fuel economy, but a high price.

The v feels a lot like the standard Prius on the road. A Toyota spokesperson said that the wagon even provides similar acceleration because its added weight is compensated for with lower final-drive gearing, which provides a little quicker takeoff from a start. The mechanicals are very similar in both cars, and there's the usual assortment of drive modes, including normal, sport, eco, and EV, which lets you go for about a mile using only electric power. The v uses a new proximity notification system that emits an unobtrusive sound when the car is in EV mode to warn pedestrians of its presence.

As with the hatch, the v will be available in three trim levels, the Two, Three, and Five. (No Four for now.) All versions will have Toyota's new Entune infotainment system, which links with a compatible cell phone to provide access to various "cloud" services, including weather, sports, and stock info, as well as Pandora Internet radio and Bing destination search. Those that opt for the Five trim line will also be able to add on an Advanced Technology Package, which will include such electronic goodies as Safety Connect (Toyota's answer to OnStar), adaptive cruise control, pre-collision system, panoramic moonroof (with lightweight multi-layer resin panels instead of glass), and an Advanced Parking Guidance System, which can provide hands-free parallel parking .

Inside, you'll be greeted with a new dash design. While the basic configuration is the same, with the gauge cluster located high in the center of the dash, the shifter has been downsized and moved onto the dash, the start button has been moved higher, there's a new multifunction climate-control knob, and some controls have been relocated.

While pricing hasn't been announced yet, Toyota said it will be a "little higher" than the hatchback's MSRP. Meanwhile, two more members of the growing Prius family will debut in 2012: a plug-in Prius and a small car based on the Prius C concept car.