Christopher Jackson

Odds are you’re either skeptical or very interested.  Like the MINI (only nerdier) Toyta’s Prius is expanding to become a full line of distinctive vehicles, and that family begins, naturally, with a larger, cargo-friendly version.  The Prius v is, at heart, a Prius station wagon.

The Prius comprised 53% of the United States hybrid market last year, according to Toyota.  It outsells every other U.S. hybrid combined, in other words.  And with gas prices still creeping ever upward, the market for fuel-efficient vehicles continues to grow.   The “v” stands for “versatility” according to Toyota, though the five-door hatchback Prius would seem to be plenty versatile enough.  There’s always a need for more cargo space, though, so the Prius v is longer and wider than the original.  It doesn’t look it at a glance, but the Prius v is large enough to compete with cars like the Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon, Honda CR-V and Ford Escape Hybrid.  It’s also considerably more efficient than any non-hybrid SUV or crossover. More >