by Tessa R. Salazar
There was a time when the pioneering hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle Toyota Prius was so novel that only rich Hollywood celebrities could afford to risk buying it.
But here we are now. It turns out that the Prius wasn’t such a bad purchase after all, as it has (silently) eased its way into being named as among the 50 cars in automotive history to have changed the world.
The Toyota Hybrid System (THS) incorporated in the first-generation Prius in 1997 evolved into the THS II in 2003. Since then, the hybrid system has undergone many refinements as it has been applied to a wide range of Toyota vehicles.
I’ve found out, however, that Toyota’s history with the hybrid system goes way before 1997. The August 2023 issue of Road &Track discusses how the Japanese carmaker started working on gas-turbine hybrids as far back as the 1960s, eventually presenting its work in a special Century prototype in 1975 and a version of the Sports 800 in 1977. That gas-turbine hybrid project continued into the 1980s, when it came out with the Gas Turbine Vehicle (GTV) concept at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show. But the gas-turbine hybrid was eventually deemed unfeasible, so Toyota discontinued work on that technology.
Chris Perkins wrote in his extensive “The Crucial Tech That Made Toyota’s Hybrid Revolution Possible” that in 1993, Toyota began work on what it called its G21 project—a vehicle for the 21st century.
Perkins wrote: “The 1993 Tokyo Motor Show, the first held after Japan’s asset-price bubble burst, placed a heavy emphasis on economical and clean cars. It was a step away from the heady days of twin-turbo Supras and RX-7s, reduced in scale but not ambition. The G21’s team aim was to build an internal combustion car with double the fuel efficiency of a conventional model, and while the initial plan was to create a pure concept car with a hybrid drivetrain, the company soon decided to move forward with a hybrid production car.”
He continued, “The Prius concept of 1995 showed where Toyota was headed, though the car used a very different hybrid system than what ended up in production. It featured a direct-injection four-cylinder paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a single motor-generator unit. Instead of a battery, the Prius concept utilized a capacitor for energy storage—something Toyota revived for the TS030 and TS040 LMP1 cars of the 2010s.
“While the show car was in progress, the G21 team was also hard at work on what would become the production Prius in 1997. The production version of the system ditched the concept’s capacitor for a nickel-metal-hydride battery and did away with the conventional transmission entirely. Instead, Toyota devised a novel system with two motor-generator units.”
We in the Philippines had to wait for a full 12 years for the Prius to make its way to our shores, as it was finally introduced in the local market in 2009. In 2013, the more affordable, smaller and funkier Prius C was launched in the country. We had to wait another 6 years before the hybrid variant of the Corolla Altis was made available in 2019. The other Toyota and Lexus hybrids then came in quick succession: The Lexus HEVs such as the CT 200h, GS 450h, RX 450h, and the LS 600hL; from Toyota, the hybrid versions of the Alphard, Rav4, Yaris Cross, Corolla Cross, Camry and Zenix.
Toyota has had such a solid hold on the hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) market that many owners of Toyota ICEs have told me that they would only risk buying new-energy vehicles (NEVs, of which HEVs and EVs belong) if these were manufactured by Toyota. That’s what’s called the “legacy advantage.”
Francis Samonte, former chair of the Toyota Auto Club, said that he feels people would still lean towards Toyota when it came to buying into hybrid technologies. Samonte said that “with all the horror stories of other carmakers, and several videos of electric cars experiencing spontaneous combustion, I would put my money on a brand which is known for reliability. The Prius is really looking beautiful as well.”
I got curious, and interviewed several Corolla Cross HEV owners whom Francis was kind enough to introduce to me.
Tried and tested platform
Urologist and surgeon Dr. John Paul Mariñas, 40, bought his Corolla Cross GRS because of the “height clearance, with the tried and tested Corolla platform.” Plus, he adds, “The 4th Gen hybrid engine carries with it almost three decades proven technology.”
John was also quite curious to know how fuel efficient the Corolla Cross would be. He also wanted to personally test the hybrid technology.
The good doctor is a hardcore Toyota owner, as he also owns a Yaris and Altis.
Coding exemption a bonus
Jordan Sy, a 44-year-old businessman, wanted to own “a very fuel-efficient vehicle.”
“The (number) coding exemption was just a bonus,” he quipped. And that’s how Jordan’s Corolla Cross Hybrid became his daily drive. So far, his best fuel mileage has been 25km/liter on a mix of highway and city, while his worst was 14km/liter in heavy traffic.
Another businessman, 40-year-old Jerome, said he bought his Corolla Cross HEV “for general use at home either by me or my kids.” His secondary reason: “Coding exemption, so any one of us can use (the car) any day.”
Jerome’s other cars are a Porsche Macan, an Audi RS3 and a GR Yaris. The Macan is his family’s most used car.
‘No headaches, easy maintenance’
John bought his Corolla Cross Hybrid in 2022. So far, it has logged over 38,000 km, with the best fuel consumption of 24 km/liter. He confirms that the technology is, indeed, solid. “So far, there have been no headaches, and it’s easy maintenance, as expected.”
‘Superb’ ride quality
Jordan said that “the ride quality is superb.” He says he also appreciates the “modern amenities and essentials” such as the Toyota Safety Sense, 360-degree camera, and wireless Carplay.
With Toyota’s hybrid technology, Jordan said he has “peace of mind.”
Loving the Sport mode
Jerome’s Corolla Cross has run for a total of over 10,900 kms. His best fuel run was 21 kms/liter, during a trip to Clark in Pampanga Province. Jerome says he loves to drive in Sport mode, “as it gives ample torque and power boost with both the engine and battery working at the same time. You wouldn’t feel it (was a hybrid). It’s a mature and very dependable technology.”
Cheaper over time
Aren’t they worried about the cost of eventually replacing the battery? Jordan replied: “Not so much, as we project that battery cost will go lower over the years.”
So are John and Jerome, with the latter adding, “As long as Toyota is upfront on the cost of eventually replacing the battery, then it should be fine. Plus, given the warranty on the battery, the car will probably be sold and upgraded by then.”
Wish list
Jordan wishes his Corolla Cross had the electronic brake, seat ventilation and power seats. For John, the tire pressure monitoring system would have been much appreciated. Jerome suggests that the Corolla Cross should be fitted with “more upscale materials in the interior to truly separate the vehicle from other hybrid offerings of Toyota.”