NEW HILUX FOR REVEAL AT PLOUGHING

Toyota will unveil the new Hilux at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore from 15-17 September 2026, writes Brian Byrne. Priced from €44,234 excluding VAT, the Hilux features a 2.8L diesel mild-hybrid powertrain, Electric Power Steering, and advanced technology, including a 12.3-inch digital display and Full Range Adaptive Cruise Control.

The Land Cruiser and Proace Max will also be displayed, showcasing Toyota’s range for agricultural and commercial use. 

Visitors can explore KINTO, Toyota’s flexible business leasing solution, at Stand 413, Row 20, Block 3. 

Toyota to sponsor Special Olympics Ireland to May 2028

Toyota has announced a new partnership with Special Olympics Ireland, becoming one of the organisation’s Premier Sponsors until May 2028, writes Trish Whelan. The partnership will see Toyota Ireland support Special Olympics Ireland at both national and local levels. Toyota Ireland has sponsored Special Olympics Ireland since 2003. 

The partnership will support the organisation’s mission to create inclusive communities where people with intellectual disabilities can participate, contribute, and thrive through sport. The Special Olympics Ireland Summer Games 2026 take place from 18-21 June with more than 1,200 athletes across 12 sports taking part. 

Toyota’s 41 dealer network will play a central role in bringing the partnership to life celebrating athletes in their communities, encouraging volunteering, and supporting local clubs. The scale and strength of the network ensures that support for Special Olympics is felt in towns, cities, and communities right across the country. 

Pictured at the announcement of Toyota Ireland’s new partnership with Special Olympics Ireland at Toyota Ireland HQ are: Steve Tormey, CEO of Toyota Ireland; Ed Garavan, Managing Director of Toyota Ireland; Karen Coventry, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland; Dara Kieman, badminton player, and Ayoub Daboub, footballer.

Toyota sponsors Special Olympics Ireland

Toyota Ireland has announced a new partnership with Special Olympics Ireland, becoming one of the organisation’s Premier Sponsors until May 2028, writes Brian Byrne. The sponsorship will support Special Olympics Ireland at both the national and local levels, helping to promote inclusion and celebrate athletes with intellectual disabilities across the country. 

The announcement comes ahead of the Summer Games 2026, which will take place from 18–21 June and bring together more than 1,200 athletes competing in 12 sports.

As part of the partnership, Toyota Ireland will roll out a national radio, digital and digital audio campaign to encourage public support for the Games, while its nationwide dealer network will help activate the sponsorship in communities across Ireland.

The partnership renews a long-standing relationship between Toyota and Special Olympics, dating back to Toyota’s support for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland.

Pictured at the announcement are Karen Coventry, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland, Steve Tormey, CEO of Toyota Ireland, and athletes Ayoub Daboub and Dara Kiernan. 

2025 Land Cruiser review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Toyota’s Land Cruiser is renowned for its superb off-road ability to tackle different types of terrain in the most extreme conditions. The model has sold more than 10 million units worldwide through a few generations since its first production in 1951. Its arrival last year marked the first new Land Cruiser in 15 years in Ireland. 

The new 'Cruiser' blends the iconic retro style that harks back to the Land Cruiser’s classic design heritage with a modernised interior and the latest cutting-edge technology. It is built on a robust body-on-frame platform to provide exceptional off-road performance and rugged durability for even the harshest terrain on the planet. 

Many years ago we had our own special off-road experience with a Land Cruiser on a scary track that was part of the famous Paris-Dakar route high in the hills above Malaga, driving over moon-type landscapes and along a narrow, twisty track hewn from rock and barely the width of the car and with a huge drop down the far side. But the vehicle took it all in its stride. 

This new model is light years ahead of those previous iterations in terms of ability, technology and comfort. It is offered as a seven-seater family car, positioned as a premium SUV, it is ideal - if you can afford the hefty price - for towing horse boxes or caravans, as it can pull up to 3,500kgs, matching the ability of the Toyota Hilux pick-up. It is also available as a two-seat commercial, favoured by farmers, vets, and the self-employed. 

This is a tall, heavy vehicle measuring 4925mm in length, 1925mm in height, 1980mm in width, and with a wheelbase of 2850mm. The passenger version comes with privacy glass, roof rails, large side mirrors with good blind-spot alerts, running boards, mud guards, front and rear parking sensors, a dusk sensor, a large rear window with a wiper, and an electric tailgate. 18-inch wheels help with all-terrain grip and traction. Interior upgrades make the cabin quite luxurious and spacious, while large hand grips on the front and middle rows make getting in and out easier. The large amount of glass and panoramic sunroof help keep the cabin nice and airy despite the dark interior and synthetic black leather upholstery. There are some textured grey inserts on the dash to relieve the look. 

Upgrades include a large multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto integration, which doubles as an excellent reversing camera, and a recessed driver’s digital information display with all the relevant drive info. Comfy front seats have power adjustments and can be heated and ventilated. My seat had lumbar support and could also recline and slide. Features include dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a cool box, two deep cupholders, a mobile phone charging pad, USB-C ports (five in all), big door bins, a decent glovebox, and overhead handgrips. The Mode Selector on the dash lets you drive in Sport, Normal, or Eco modes, while a View button on the central console shows the entire area around the car when parking up. 

There’s generous head and legroom in the rear, which also has its own temperature controls, two small USBs and a power outlet. Both outer seats can be heated and ventilated. A section of the central console, close to the floor, doesn’t impact the middle foot space. The very rear seats are mostly for children or teens. My car had a power tailgate; the glass could open to allow items to be placed inside without opening the tailgate. In a five-seater configuration, the luggage capacity is around 620 litres, reducing to around 120 litres with all seats down, making a flat floor. 

You sit up high and have an unobstructed view out front, thanks to the low dashboard. The area around the gear lever is brilliantly designed, with graphics to guide you through the car’s off-road capabilities. The Land Cruiser has permanent four-wheel drive. The Multi-Terrain Select optimises the suspension and powertrain for different terrains. Use the ‘Crawl Control’ for slowly going up a steep hill or down a steep descent - you let the vehicle do the hard work itself, taking your feet off the brake and the accelerator pedal, and placing your trust in the car. There was also Downhill Assist Control onboard. Power comes from a powerful 2.8 mild-hybrid diesel engine paired with a redesigned turbocharger that delivers 500Nm of torque, and a new eight-speed automatic transmission ensures a smoother, more efficient driving experience, whether on or off-road. It also adds electric power steering, replacing the former hydraulic system, providing better handling off-road. 

My car had Auto Hold, Pre-Collision System, Adaptive Cruise Control, rear parking system with automatic braking, lane departure alert, all part of Toyota Safety Sense. The Driver Monitoring system was annoying in all types of weather, with a ‘Closed Eyes Detected. Look forward’ message on the driver’s screen and a loud alert when my eyes were wide open and fully focused on the road ahead. 

Off-road is where the vehicle feels more at home, with a climbing angle of 42 degrees, a departure angle of 22 degrees, a ground clearance of 205.3mm, and a wading depth of 700mm. A really good feature of the off-road mode is that it lets you view the car’s chassis and see the ground beneath it as you drive over rough terrain. 

 Toyota offers a 3-year/100,000km manufacturer’s warranty. 

The passenger version is priced for a huge €140,830 (VAT @ 41pc doesn’t help!); the commercial is from €69,990.

 

Toyota Aygo X Hybrid arrives

The Toyota Aygo X Hybrid is now available from the brand's Irish dealerships at a starting price of €24,195, writes Brian Byrne. It's the first full hybrid in the A-segment.

Customers who place an order until the end of January can benefit from a €750 Trade-In Booster alongside a competitive 5.9% APR, making Toyota’s first full-hybrid A-segment model available from as little as €217 per month. 

Features include a 9” touchscreen multimedia system, 17” alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning, and a four-speaker audio system. Adaptive Cruise Control is introduced for the first time on the model. 

The Aygo X Hybrid is supported by Toyota’s Hybrid Battery Extended Care Programme, which provides coverage for up to 15 years or 1,000,000 kilometres, subject to an annual Hybrid Health Check at a Toyota dealer.  

Toyota introduces insurance product for Toyota, Lexus owners

Toyota's best seller: Yaris Cross.

Toyota and Lexus have launched a new tailored motor insurance product in the Irish market, writes Brian Byrne. Toyota Insurance Services has developed it in partnership with insurance technology leader Wrisk Europe GmbH.

The product offers comprehensive, competitively priced cover designed exclusively for Toyota and Lexus drivers, including Any Driver Cover, Genuine Toyota Parts, No Claims Bonus Protection, and Vandalism & Uninsured Driver Protection. 

Hybrid and EV drivers also benefit from added protections such as battery, charging cable and wall box cover.

The launch represents a significant expansion of Toyota’s insurance offering, reinforcing the brand's position as Ireland’s best-selling car brand for the fifth year running. 

Toyota revs-up 261 with electrified line-up

Toyota is launching four new models across its latest and existing electrified range, writes Trish Whelan. 

The expanding line-up includes: Toyota bZ (pictured above) now with a range of up to 567kms and arriving here for the end of 2025; C-HR+ the new battery-electric SUV has a range of up to 609kms due in March; RAV4 Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid (here in March) have both received major upgrades from the 2025 models and the plug-in range is up to 100kms; the Aygo X Hybrid is the Japanese carmakers most affordable hybrid model and arrives in January 2026. 

Toyota has launched its 261 offers for Yaris and Yaris Cross, Corolla hatchback/saloon/Touring Sport/Cross, C-HR Hybrid and PHEV variants, all available with Trade in Booster offers and lower APR rates. 

Customers can drive the new range and explore the limited time offers at the Toyota Electrified Event running at dealerships nationwide from 25 October to 8 November.

New Land Cruiser now on sale here

The all-new Toyota Land Cruiser is now on sale in Ireland at a starting price of €57,192 plus VAT, writes Brian Byrne. A longtime popular nameplate with farming, construction and utilities, the Commercial version is a top seller in the segment.

The new vehicle has a design termed by the maker as 'modern-retro' and is the first full model change to the Land Cruiser in 15 years.

Power in the new car comes from a 2.8-litre diesel and the vehicle has a towing capability of 3.5 tonnes.

 

Toyota is top seller in January

Toyota was the best selling car brand in January, with five models in the top ten by nameplates, writes Brian Byrne. It's the fifth year in a row that the brand has held top spot in the most important buying month.

The cars were the Yaris Cross, RAV4, Corolla, Toyota C-HR and Yaris.

The market share of petrol-electric hybrids increased markedly, and in January represented 14.1pc of the total market by powertrain. 

Toyota tops in Ireland four years running

Toyota RAV4 PHEV.

Toyota has made it four years in a row as the top selling car brand in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. The company finished out 2024 with a 14.5pc market share here.

In all, the brand sold 17,521 passenger cars, 4,001 ahead of the nearest rival, and six of their models were in the top 15 best sellers.

Toyota Ireland's best seller was the RAV4 compact SV, available in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain forms. 

New Toyota Land Cruiser debuts at 'The Ploughing'

Toyota Ireland revealed the new Toyota Land Cruiser at The Ploughing Championships this week, writes Trish Whelan. 

The new model, which will be on sale in Toyota dealerships in the coming months, will again be powered by a 2.8 litre turbo diesel engine but now paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and capable of pulling up to three and a half tonnes, just like the brand’s Hilux. Noticeable changes on the interior include a more spacious interior, the Toyota Safety Sense technologies, electric power steering, and adaptive cruise control. 

Toyota also introduced the Corolla Professional Hybrid, (pictured below) and priced from €28,938 excluding VAT. It comes with a 1.8 hybrid engine which the company say is tailor-made for business professionals looking to reduce their carbon footprint. The only hybrid in its commercial category, Corolla Professional will be of interest for architects, surveyors, site managers, and salespeople who will benefit from the low 8pc BIK, better fuel efficiency compared to a conventional vehicle. The interior features two front seats and a spacious rubber lined loading area, and a full height metal bulkhead. Also featured is an 8-inch multimedia display, smartphone integration, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, and heated, height-adjustable seats with driver lumbar support. 

Visitors to the stand on Block 5, row 17, can also view a line-up of Toyota’s passenger cars as well as a number of its commercial vehicles.

 

Chance to win a Toyota C-HR Plug-in Hybrid car

To celebrate two years of Toyota Relax in Ireland, and more than 100,000 customers qualifying for a Relax Warranty since launch, the company is giving away a brand new Toyota C-HR Sport+ Plug-in Hybrid, writes Trish Whelan. 

Toyota Relax automatically activates a new 12-month warranty for anyone who services their Toyota car (up to 10 years old, fewer than 185,000 kms) or LCV within the Toyota network. The competition is open to all Toyota owners who get their vehicle serviced in the Toyota network before 28 February 2025 or who have had their vehicle serviced from 1 March 2024. 

To be in with a chance to win the car, customers must submit an entry on the Toyota Relax website before 28 February 2025. 

Toyota is participating at the National Ploughing Championship taking place this week from today Tuesday 17 to Thursday 19 September in Ratheniska, Co Laois.

 

Toyota bz4x review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

Although deservedly best known for developing effective petrol-hybrid powertrains, which have been rolled out in most of their passenger vehicle lineup, Toyota has nontheless been working on alternatives, writes Brian Byrne. The fuel cell Mirai is one, essentially powered by hydrogen and emissions free. But still really in the pilot marketing stage, not least because in most places there’s not a supply network for the fuel. Then there’s their sole dedicated battery electric model, the bz4x, which I have come to a little late.

Never late than better, mangling an aphorism to the point that it only means what I think and not the gibberish it comes out as. What I should have said was the bz4x has been worth my waiting for. If only because that gave me time to practice rolling out the extremely odd name more easily than it reads. I’ve found the most comfortable way is to use the American pronunciation of ‘z’, ‘zee’, which smoothens the vocal result.

All of which has little to do with the car itself. In size a little smaller in all dimensions than the RAV4 SUV which would be its combustion engine equivalent. With a wheelbase similar to that in the larger Toyota Highlander promising — and giving — really good interior space for a C-segment crossover.

Parked outside my house it looked ... well, imposing. The style of the large wheels helped. A bird of prey look to the headlights. The sloping bonnet is shovel shaped, which sounds crude but looks good. Some impressive sculpting in the profile cleverly mixes curves and angularities. A clean and coherent design at the back is exemplary.

Inside, the cab-forward design provides a deep dashboard space, which is used in the driver instrumentation to give an above the steering wheel view of essential information. The style means no need for a head-up display because the info is already very close to the eye-line of a driver doing what they should do, concentrate on the road ahead.

The centre infotainment screen is what we now expect from Toyota, with sensible graphics and menu management. There are standard and wide screen options depending on grade — needless to say my review car had the larger. My CarPlay preference for navigation Bluetoothed seamlessly. I do miss the rotary knob for radio volume control which Toyota seems to have abandoned in favour of pressing + or - buttons.

The bz4x did surprise me in a couple of ways. Having driven its Subaru twin earlier in the year, I was pleased to find a full-charge range of 418km when I picked up the car. The Subaru’s predicted and actual range had been disappointingly less, possibly because the battery was feeding two motors in their AWD car. Toyota advertises the WLTP rating of 505km for the bx4x, but in my time with it the original 400-odd kilometres estimation proved to be close to real. It’s worth saying here that the WLTP system used in Europe is really not fit for purpose for electric vehicles, while the more restrictive US EPA rating is actually pretty close to real world.

The other surprise was the drive experience. This EV SUV has perhaps the best balance of any in its class that I’ve driven to date. The weight effect of the low battery, usually trumpeted as good for handling but in reality offering sometimes a lumbering feel, didn’t do that latter in the bz4x. It was a most pleasant and a very comfortable car in all the time I drove it.

Toyota may have come late to the full-BEV car business, but typically they used that extra time to get it pretty right. They have a number of other EVs promised in short order under the bz label, so I’m keeping an eye on them with anticipation.

PRICE: From €42,950. WHAT I LIKED: That Toyota, once again, doesn’t disappoint. 

RAV4 hits the big 30

The RAV4 PHEV.

Toyota is celebrating 30 years of the RAV4 crossover-SUV, which since its original launch has sold over 14 million cars globally, writes Brian Byrne. In Ireland, some 31,260 units of the model have been bought, and the car is now in its fifth generation.

As one of the four Toyota models which featured in Ireland's top ten model car sales in the first three months of this year, the RAV4 remains one of the firm favourites of Ireland's motorists.

The third generation of the car was offered with petrol-hybrid powertrains and this is the mainstay power of the RAV4 today. A plug-in hybrid has been available since 2020.

Prices of the RAV4 start at Prices start from €44,540. 

1st generation RAV4.

Trade-in boosters from Toyota for 242 registration

Toyota Ireland is offering up to €1,750 on trade-in boosters across several models, writes Brian Byrne. These are available with the new Toyota C-HR Plug-in Hybrid, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid and the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid .

The best selling car brand in Ireland for the last four years, Toyota is also offering 3.0pc APR on PCP finance. Orders are open on the carmaker's 242 range from local Toyota dealers across the country for July delivery .

Offer examples include C-HR Hybrid starting from €40,520 and Plug-in Hybrid €46,530 both with a trade in booster of €1,750. Other offers include trade in boosters of €750 on the Toyota Yaris Hybrid from €27,805, €1,750 on the Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid from €54,550, as well as €1,500 on the Toyota Corolla Hybrid from €33,310 and Toyota Corolla Touring Sports from €34,875, and €1,000 on the Toyota Corolla Saloon from €34,255. 

Toyota C-HR review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

When I saw the first generation of Toyota's C-HR back in 2017 I said there was an awful lot going on in the styling, writes Brian Byrne. I wondered if it would date well, and how any next generation might differentiate itself. Well, that next generation is here since the turn of the year, and I have some answers.

The first question's answer will always be the customer. And it does seem that the C-HR has consistently gone down well with the people who want something different in their compact crossover. As recently as 2022 it was Toyota Ireland's second best-selling model, a space it has filled several times since launch while otherwise driving along happily in third place. As to what they could do with a new generation, well, the adage of don't fix something that ain't broken still holds. Though with some quite sharper detailing which does take things forward, it's essentially the template as before. The front now has an 'I'm coming to eat you' look that adds a hint of hawkishness to what was the least interesting part of the original's style. 

The C-HR plays in a tough market. Hyundai's Kona and Skoda's Karoq bookend it in dimensions terms and it's also against the Mazda CX-30 and some premium players. Against its in-house best-seller sibling Corolla, the C-HR is a tad shorter but a fair bit wider and higher. With the same platform footprint as before, the interior offers the same good space for four adults, and five if there are younger teens involved.

The dashboard styling is comfortable in familiar Toyota current details, with my review car having the larger 12.3-inch infotainment display that really does offer good space for my preferred Google Maps navigation via CarPlay. The driver instruments cluster has nice bright and unpretentious graphics and, as usual with Toyota, all the labelling of buttons and switches is clear and uncomplicated. Climate control is by rocker switches under the central display, while the electronic transmission selector both looks well and operates cleanly. For me as a driver, the whole space felt good. The steep rake of the back window rather limited rear visibility, but good mirrors and a decent backup camera balanced things out when necessary. 

By saying the finish quality is Toyota, I don't need to say more. My review car was the Sol grade, a couple of rungs up the specifications ladder which included seats finished in a comfortable mix of faux suede and fabric that I suspect has a good deal of recycled material in it. The 19-inch alloys were very good-looking. 

Here in Ireland the C-HR now comes exclusively as a hybrid model, with a choice between 1.8 or 2.0 primary engines ... and there's a recently available plug-in hybrid option which I haven't driven yet. The hybrid is what we're used to from the brand, a CVT automatic taking the power input from petrol or electric as conditions require. Colleagues sometimes sniff at CVT, but I've always liked the system. It's not going to feel sporty but it doesn't need to if it does the job it is supposed to properly. And it does. Toyota claim a combined fuel consumption of 4.8L/100km, and I averaged 4.4L/100km, so I was happy at not being oversold there.

Overall, I'm generally comfortable in a Toyota. This latest C-HR is no exception. Together with loyal customers, they've also managed to adequately answer the only questions I ever had about the model. Can't ask for more.

PRICE: From €40,520. WHAT I LIKED: Confirming yet again Ireland's favourite brand. 

First drive: 2024 Mazda2 Hybrid

It may not be well known in Ireland, but the Mazda2 Hybrid has been selling in the market for about a year now, writes Brian Byrne. If you didn’t notice it, that’s because it is a rebadged Toyota Yaris Hybrid, produced for Mazda by their fellow Japanese brand.

A few tweaks to the design might make it stand out a little more for this year. Mostly at the front where there’s now a proper Mazda shaped grille, and a changed apron design. There have also been some small detail tickles at the rear. And there’s a new Mazda colour, a special shade of blue.

Other than that, the Mazda2 Hybrid is as was, the powertrain the familiar 1.5 3-cylinder petrol mated to an electric motor, offering 115hp in total output and a real frugal fuel consumption. I’ve recently driven a revised version of it away, and as our own family car is a Yaris, it all felt very familiar.

The car is sold alongside the brand’s own Mazda2, and essentially is there to help Mazda meet fleet emissions requirements in Europe while Mazda is introducing electrification across its ranges. Last year some 121 copies of the hybrid were sold in Ireland, slightly more than the standard Mazda2 petrol.

If there are purists out there concerned that it’s not a ‘real’ Mazda, they should look back at a long history of technical and models cooperation down the 100-plus years of the motor industry. A Mazda 121 of the 1990s, for instance, was a rebadged Ford Fiesta. And Ford has in the past sold rebadged Mazda 626s as their own Telstars. All through the American ‘muscle cars’ era, many from sibling brands bore no more differences than badges. Even today, within the Toyota family there are Lexuses that are essentially luxurised versions of the standard cars from the parent. Suzuki sells a Swace wagon that is a rebadged Toyota Corolla Touring. Depending on markets, Dacias can be sold as Renaults and vice versa. And Hyundais and Kias are essentially the same across their models offering, with visual bodywork differences and badging separating them from their shared platforms and motors. The VW Amarok equally is a Ford Ranger in slightly different dress.

As for powertrains, given the high investment and development costs, many competing brands have traditionally combined to share the burden at different times down the decades. In just a couple of very many examples, some Opel diesels were built by BMW, and diesel engines used in Fords and the former PSA Citroen-Peugeots were jointly developed, the same motors simply getting a different name for each. Electric drivetrains are also being shared today, notably between Volkswagen and Ford in the upcoming Explorer from the blue oval carmaker. 

So the current Mazda-Toyota cooperation is nothing unusual. Nor is it anything to sneer at, as both makers have an equal reputation in quality stakes. My recent drive in the Mazda2 Hybrid simply confirmed that, whether you buy your oranges imported from Spain from Dunnes Stores or Supervalu, they are equally sweet under the skin.

Toyota Prius Review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

The first time I saw the Toyota Prius, I thought it one of the least attractive looking cars on our roads but this pioneering hybrid went on to become a world wide hit. 

Fast forward from 1997 to the present day and this fifth generation of the model, exclusively available as a Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), is a world away from that original dull looking car. It is now one of the sleekest, most dynamic lookers on sale here and I believe will attract buyers for its looks alone. It is simply stunning from every angle. The aerodynamically streamlined body style cuts drag and improves efficiency. The car sits 50mm lower than previously and is also significantly wider and shorter. A caveat: we found that the low roofline impacts getting in and out of the car for tall people and also limits rear head and legroom. 

My car, in a vivid Tokyo Gold exterior colour was certainly eye-catching but there are six other more ordinary colours to choose from. The cabin is inviting with a simple, uncluttered dash and clean look. The raked windscreen seems very far forward and I found the size of the rear view mirror mounting and surround - that includes cameras and sensors - takes up so much space on the windscreen that it obstructed my visibility when approaching, and stopped at, traffic lights. Though A-pillar windows and Toyota’s thin A-pillars do aid driver visibility somewhat. 

The dark interior was softened by the mid grey roof lining, and some nice embellished silver trim. Seats in synthetic leather upholstery looked well and proved comfy; the driver’s has lumbar support and two memory seat settings. The main feature is a 12.3-inch multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, navigation, MyT Connected Services, and smart voice assist. The screen has a dark background which shows off the coloured graphics to perfection. Below are a row of buttons for the air con, dual zone climate control, and controls for the front seat heaters/ventilation. A 7-inch driver information display screen is set high and far ahead on the dash almost in the driver’s line of sight. It shows your digital speed and where the power is coming from as well as how many kms are available in the battery. 

The gear drive selector is on the flat of the central console and I found it works well. There are six USB small Type C ports throughout the cabin. Boot space is akin to that of a normal hatchback and there's a tyre repair kit below the floor. 

Power is from a 2.0 petrol engine outputting 223hp, an electric motor and 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The PHEV has a WLTP rated 71kms in electric drive on a single charge which allows many owners to drive in EV mode to and from their workplace. For longer trips, the powertrain switches seamlessly to the petrol-electric hybrid system so you never have to worry about range anxiety. Three drive modes are Eco, Sport and Normal. You can also select EV mode to drive in all-electric mode. Toyota claim a possible fuel consumption figure of 0.7 L/100km (that’s 336mpg!), but in real use my car showed 4.6 L/100km (61mpg) when I returned it to Toyota. 

Safety features included Toyota Safety Sense 3, with a Pre-Collision system with pedestrian and daytime cyclist and motorbike detection, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, front cross traffic alert, a Blind Spot monitor, and rear view camera. 

On the road, this latest Prius is a pleasure to drive. Nice and quiet and super comfy. While it’s not exactly sporty, it can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.8 secs. It also offers a smooth ride and seemed to glide over poor road surfaces. Steering is quite direct. Charging the EV battery takes time as the maximum rate of charge for the battery is just 3.3kW so it’s best to charge at home or at your workplace as you won’t be welcomed at a fast DC public charging station, taking up valuable time for someone waiting to charge their fully electric car. Charging from a domestic socket takes around 6hrs, or 4hrs from a home wallbox. 

Toyota offers a manufacturer’s warranty of 3yrs/100,000km; a hybrid warranty of 5yrs/100,000km for all hybrid components including the hybrid battery; and up to 15yrs/unlimited mileage hybrid battery warranty once the car is serviced with a Toyota Dealer. The Toyota Prius is priced from €46,530. Annual road tax is €140.

 

Toyota Aygo Review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

The Toyota Aygo X, introduced in March 2022, is the Japanese carmaker’s smallest car on sale in Europe replacing the previous Aygo city car. It could be claimed the ‘X’ (pronounced Cross) is actually a new model in itself as there are many differences between both cars. 

Agyo X differs from the previous model as it is built on the platform first introduced with the brand’s new Yaris and more recently with the Yaris Cross hybrid SUV. The car is styled as a mini crossover for city streets but with the design cues of an off-roader with its rugged looks. But an SUV it is not! 

The exterior look of my top spec Limited version was enhanced by special edition colours of green-black with lots of contrasting bright orange accents both inside and out that added a bit of extra spice to the overall look. You can choose your spice from the sharp kick of Chill Red to Tarragon Green, or Ginger Beige. 

At 3.7 metres long, this is a brilliant little motor for navigating city streets, with its tight turning circle, and easily fits into tight urban spaces. Customers can make a personal statement with their car as there are quite a few customising options to choose from. On top of all that, Aygo X is also a fun car to enjoy, putting a smile on my face every morning. I just wanted to get in and drive it. 

The car is longer, wider and taller than the previous iterations of the nameplate. The car's slightly raised driving position makes it easy to get in and out of and also provides decent visibility, helped by the narrow front windscreen pillars. Thickish B-pillars block your side view, though. The interior is cheerful and colourful with strong curves on the dash and door trims. Orange accents appear throughout, even on the piping of the sporty seats which were nice and comfy and offered good support. The driver’s seat gets manual seat adjustments but the front passenger’s seat has no height adjustment setting, not great for tall people. Front seats can be heated. There's fair elbow room up front but there's very little leg room in the rear for an adult seated behind a tall person. Children, though, will have no such bother. Small rear side windows are hinged to open outwards, making the rear a bit claustrophobic for some. 

The boot capacity is 231 litres — which makes it a useful space for more than a few shopping bags, as was the case in the previous Aygo. That suggests the designers opted for more boot space over rear legroom. 

The dash is dominated by the stylish central infotainment screen which starts at 7-inches on the entry-level models but which can be upgraded to 9-inches. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard which allows you to mirror your phone onto the screen for entertainment, navigation and communications. The instrument cluster provides all the information you require. There are physical climate control knobs and buttons. Cubbies include a bucket-type glovebox, two cupholders and good front door bins. There is no front armrest. You’ll find a USB port and a 12-volt power socket in the front — there are none in the rear, just a 12-volt socket. 

On the technology front, Toyota’s Smart Connect seamlessly keeps your phone and car in sync. This feature is only available on the near top Envy grade as is a wireless phone charger. I found the rear view camera worked fine on dull days but the view fades somewhat when reversing in bright sunshine. 

The entry level Pulse trim gets 17-inch alloy wheels, a tyre repair kit, rear view camera; the mid Design spec adds a contrast roof colour, rear privacy glass, a CVT automatic transmission option, and bigger touchscreen, while the Envy adds 18-inch bi-tone alloys, climate control, blue ambient lighting. 

Besides its special exterior paintwork and contrasting black roof, my Limited trim car had orange inserts on its black alloy and front and rear parking sensors. Toyota Safety Sense includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. 

Power is from a 1.0, three-cylinder petrol engine outputting 72hp and 93Nm torque, and mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Toyota claim a combined fuel consumption of 4.8 L/100kms which compares favourably with the 4.5 L/100kms (63mpg) achieved for my week with the car. The little engine takes around 15 seconds to go from 0-100km/h, but it is actually a fun car to drive when you rev up the engine. Besides its city driving credentials, I found the car also works fairly well for long distances. 

Aygo X is produced in Toyota’s manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic and was awarded a four-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in 2022.

 

Motorists moving from diesel

Four in ten motorists are planning to buy a hybrid electric or full electric vehicle their next time around, writes Brian Byrne. That's the indication from a survey commissioned by Toyota Ireland.

The results suggest that 29pc of respondents plan to go for a hybrid electric and 12pc for full EVs, while 22pc will go for petrol and just 15pc will opt for diesel. The balance of respondents are noted as 'unsure'.

The survey was undertaken as part of Toyota Ireland's 'Make the Move' advertising campaign, aimed at encouraging motorists to shift away from diesel cars.

According to Cartell car history specialists, some 1.4 million diesel cars are currently registered in Ireland.