Best Fuel Efficiency: 2010 Toyota PriusFew cars define efficient travel like the Toyota Prius. And the Prius has been the mpg leader—a title it's earned yet again with its 2010 model. A low (0.25) coefficient of drag is where the efficiency starts, but the real secret is in the refinements to Toyota’s hybrid technique. The 1.5-liter engine has been replaced with a torque-rich 1.8-liter unit that still operates with the late-intake-valveclosing Atkinson cycle. More low-end torque means the engine doesn’t must work as hard. The hybrid technique uses the same planetary continuously variable transmission (CVT) as before, but with a new twist. The main electric motor drive was downsized and produces less torque (153 lb-ft versus 295). But a reduction gearset that connects it to the gearbox allows that motor to spin faster. Consequently, it makes 80 peak hp, 13 over before.
The nickel-metal-hydride battery pack has a more effective cooling technique , which allows peak output to rise from 25 kilowatts to 27. And now, finally, Prius owners can hit an EV button and cruise for about a mile locked in electric drive. On a recent check, the automobile delivered a thrifty 52 mpg in the city—even better than the EPA’s 51-mpg rating.
Toyota’s hybrid technique remains the benchmark. But the tech extends beyond the drivetrain with optional solar ventilation, radar-based cruise control and clever parking. Yet it’s the driving dynamics that make the Toyota appealing to a wider audience. This is the first Prius that’s actually fun to drive.
The nickel-metal-hydride battery pack has a more effective cooling technique , which allows peak output to rise from 25 kilowatts to 27. And now, finally, Prius owners can hit an EV button and cruise for about a mile locked in electric drive. On a recent check, the automobile delivered a thrifty 52 mpg in the city—even better than the EPA’s 51-mpg rating.
Toyota’s hybrid technique remains the benchmark. But the tech extends beyond the drivetrain with optional solar ventilation, radar-based cruise control and clever parking. Yet it’s the driving dynamics that make the Toyota appealing to a wider audience. This is the first Prius that’s actually fun to drive.
Lexus Remote Touch System Wins Technical Innovation Award As automobiles accumulate increasingly advanced electronic functions, how do you control them? Newer systems attempt to access every automotive function with a single-point controller. And every strategy has had drawbacks—except for Lexus’s new Remote Touch.
This haptic method works like a computer mouse: You guide an arrow on the car’s main screen and click a button at the controller’s base with your thumb to make a selection. It offers subtle but effective force feedback to let the operator know when the cursor has crossed to a different function or onto a virtual button. And you can dial in exactly the amount of feedback you need.
This amazing method is the solution we’ve been waiting for. Remote Touch is only available on the Lexus HS250h and RX 350
