Detroit Auto Show 2011: Prius turned into a brand with new models

Prius PHV, Prius, Prius c, Prius v (from upper LHC clockwise)

Prius is no longer a car, but a brand, as Toyota unveiled a set of Priuses at the Detroit Auto Show 2011 on Monday. All told, four models shared the spotlight, the traditional hybrid; a plug-in version of the hybrid expected in 2012; the Prius v, and the Prius c, where c is for city and the car targets singles and young couples with a more compact model.

The Prius v answers the call of those who wanted a version with larger carrying capacity. With a shape similar to the Toyota Matrix, the v has 60 percent more cargo room than the standard Prius. The EPA is going to classify the v as a midsize station wagon, but Toyota says that does not do the car justice.

Power is provided by the same 1.8 liter gasoline engine driving the regular Prius (along with the electric motor). Toyota's estimates for the v are 40MPG overall, which won't get it into California's HOV lanes, but is better than others in its class. The car is expected to arrive in late summer.

Meanwhile, the Prius c is designed to be a fun car for the young set, smaller than a standard Prius, and with the highest mileage of any non-plug-in hybrid. The c is expected to debut sometime around this month in 2012.

The plug-in Prius is expected in 1H2012 on the East and West Coasts, and additional markets the following year. The car will charge in 3 hours on a standard 110v outlet, and in half the time with a 220v outlet (like for your clothes dryer). The PHV, as they are calling it, has a range of 13 miles on battery power alone.

Test of Prius with 206,000 miles on it shows 5 percent MPG drop

For those who wonder how well an older Toyota Prius holds up, including its batteries, the answer is: pretty well. Consumer Reports took a 2002 Prius for a test drive, running it through the same paces it did when it tested a new 2001 model with 2,000 miles on it 10 years before.

The results were good. Not only did the mileage hold up (highway mileage of 46.3 MPG vs. 48.6 MPG originally, and overall mileage of 40.4 MPG vs. 40.6 MPG), the batteries were tested, and were not worn down. That's a good thing as they would cost $2,300 to $2,500 to replace, the magazine said.

In addition, performance numbers didn't change much. 0-60 numbers were 12.7 seconds for the new 2001 Prius, and 13.1 seconds for the 2006 Prius with 206,000 miles on it. In the 1/4 mile, the new Prius took 19.3 seconds, with 19.4 seconds for the used model.

Obviously, this isn't the exact same Prius, and also, it's a pretty small sample size.  But this test does indicate that there's a decent chance your Prius will hold up if you take care of it.

It's true, as Prius owners know, that replacing the tires with a different brand or model tire can significantly affect mileage and performance on the Prius. Consumer Reports didn't indicate if the tires differed from the original model.