Toyota Prius C

On the inside too, the Prius C takes a lot of inspiration from its sedan counterpart, albeit with some more conventional touches.

The four-spoke steering wheel has a large-sized centre boss which looks rather awkward in isolation. The centrally placed instrument console has been inspired from that of the Prius sedan and looks cool when it shows the data on move.

The centre console has a very busy design, with the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system taking the centre stage. The system does get a nice and premium looking piano black finish around it, however, the system itself looks pretty dated. The buttons for automatic climate control below the infotainment system looks quite odd, thanks to a sharp uprising line which extends all the way to the AC vent at the right corner. In terms of space, the Prius C is practical enough to seat five adults with comfort, with a decent amount of boot space on board as well.

Just like its sedan version, the Prius C comes with a lot of visual drama as far as exterior styling is concerned, though with a bit of dilution. And just like its sedan counterpart, it is not designed to impress everyone out there, as the extrovert styling might take some time to get used to.

At the front, the Toyota Prius C gets simply styled pair of headlamps, which do come with projector units but lack the modern trend of daytime running LEDs. At the centre sits a hexagonal grille with rounded edges, a blue colored Toyota logo at the middle top to depict that it’s a hybrid car, and two sharp edges at its lower ends. The vertical turn indicators and round fog lamps below them at the corners of the front bumper complete the front fascia.

The side profile of the Toyota Prius C, however, lacks some visual drama of the front, and comes with a simple design with rounded glass areas and flared wheel arches. However, things take a drastic turn again at the rear, with the Prius C getting large vertical lamps with outer rounded edges, a roof spoiler, and a rectangular and flat rear windscreen.

The Prius C might be smaller than its sedan version, but still, it inherits the comfortable ride quality and decent handling from the latter. The Prius C gets Macpherson strut type with stabilizer at the front and a torsion beam type at the rear, which is tuned on a softer side for plush ride quality. However, there are a couple of areas, where the Prius C could have done better. While the car lacks the presence of disc brakes at the rear, the small 15-inch wheels do rob some of the spirited characters of the Prius C.

Powering the Prius C is the same hybrid powertrain from the Prius sedan, which is a combination of a 1.5-litre four cylinder VVT petrol engine and a sealed nickel-metal hydride battery, along with a permanent magnet synchronous motor. Mated to a CVT gearbox, the engine, in conjunction, has the capacity to produce a maximum power output of 99 PS and a peak torque output of 169 Nm.

The Prius C is equipped with all the essential safety features, such as seven airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability control, traction control, and hill start assist system.

To sum it up, the Prius C, just like its sedan version, makes up a case as a lifestyle product, with a love-it-or-hate-it appeal. The overall exterior and interior styling might take some time to get used to, but anyway, its extrovert essence in overall design to make it a stand-out product. And finally, the proven hybrid powertrain from the Prius sedan is strong and capable enough to seal the deal in favor of the Prius C without any doubt.