MPVs

Toyota Prius+ 1.8 VVTi T4

Green Awards 2012: MPVs winner

Opting for a seven-seat MPV often means being lumbered with poor fuel consumption and high CO2 emissions, but not if you go for a Toyota Prius+.

It uses an updated version of the standard Prius’s petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, which gives an official CO2 emissions figure of just 96g/km for the entry-level T4 model.

Average fuel economy is 68.9mpg; in our True MPG tests the Prius+ performed well, averaging 54.6mpg. That’s better than the standard Prius, and any other seven-seat MPV we’ve tested so far.

As well as giving the Prius+ green credentials that no other seven-seat MPV can match, such low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions make the Prius+ cheap to run as a company car and mean that you don’t pay any road tax.

The Prius+ is as practical as a good MPV should be, too. Clever packaging means there’s space for five adults to sit in comfort. Each of the middle row seats slides, folds and reclines individually, so you can share out space between the second- and third-row seats. The boot is a good size in five-seat mode, too. It’s a shame the interior is so grey and drab, but it’s airy and feels built to last.

Although it’s not as much fun as a Ford S-Max, the Prius+ is effortless to drive, thanks to its light steering, easy manoeuvrability and automatic gearbox. Good visibility means that it’s very easy to park, too. Performance is reasonable, and the Prius+ can run at low speeds on emissions-free electric power for short periods.

At £26,195 the Prius+ 1.8 VVTi T4 isn’t cheap, but it’s well equipped, with a panoramic roof, climate control, four electric windows and Bluetooth as standard. There’s also the reassurance of Toyota’s five-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Read the full Toyota Prius+ review