SECTOR Compact MPV  PRICE €30,000 – €38,000  FUEL 4.1 – 4.4l/100km CO2 96 – 101g/km

Three generations into the Prius’s life cycle and hybrid technology has grown from a niche to one which is firmly established in business and retail markets worldwide. The Prius itself has matured too, becoming a tall, coupe-like car that’s refined and stable, if not particularly exciting to drive.

So if you consider the Prius for its rational benefits, of practicality, reliability and efficiency without the diesel fumes to hurt its green credentials, then the seven-seat Prius+ offers no real surprises. It’s an oversized Prius, with larger load space, extra headroom and a couple of extra seats which fold away into the boot floor. It’s also a little slower as a result.

Diesel engines make up the majority share of European MPV sales, where torque and fuel efficiency make moving heavy loads easier. This makes the Prius+ a unique proposition with its hybrid drive, bringing seven-seat practicality down to double-digit CO2 emissions for models with smaller wheels, expected to be the biggest-sellers in most markets.

It also makes this a very attractive fleet proposition – low in tax and fuel consumption, yet high in the typical Toyota reliability. But to really make a dent in this segment, it has to offer both the capaciousness of an MPV and the technology-rich, environmental friendliness of the Prius hatchback. Globally, the large Prius is sold in two forms, which are essentially the same car. The Prius V, sold in America and alongside the Prius+ in Japan, is the same vehicle with a nickel metal hydride battery under the boot floor. Prius+ has a lighter, but more than twice as expensive, lithium ion battery in the centre console between the two front seats, which leaves space for a third row in the boot.

This has left some evidence of packaging differences. There’s only space for a DVD case in the centre console of the Prius+, and the boot floor is high, level with the top of the bumper, with a small compartment underneath the rearmost section. Presumably this is redundant space where the Prius V has some of its battery.The Prius V isn’t coming to Europe, though. Toyota decided the Prius+ filled a gap, despite being outsold by the cheaper five-seater in Japan. Moving the battery into the centre console has left loads of cabin space, too, with plentiful of head and leg room in the middle row and individually-adjustable seats to make baby seats and broad shoulders easier to fit inside.

But the third row is for children and emergencies only. The raked roofline – carried across from the Prius – offers little headroom, and the middle row doesn’t return to its previous position after tipping forward for access. Slide the middle row forward completely and there’s just enough room for two adults in the back, but the sloping foot well doesn’t offer a very comfortable seating position.It is a flexible car though. All except the driver’s seat can be folded flat with a simple button, and although none are removable this does create a sizeable, level load area. With loads of legroom in the middle row you could almost view this as a more luxurious Prius with estate-like load capacity and the useful option of some emergency-use seating when needed.

Toyota is predicting European sales of around 18,000 units in its first full year, against 40,000 for the hatchback. This offers a tax-conscious, eco-friendly motoring option for large families. But, rather like the first generation Prius, it’s a step towards what should become a more refined, capable product in forthcoming generations.

Verdict

Cleverly packaged Prius+ will enjoy its biggest demand among Prius owners wanting to upscale without defecting to a non-hybrid powertrain.