A lot has changed in the 10 years since the Toyota Prius went on sale in the U.S., but here’s something that remains the same: For the 2011 model year, the Prius still leads the list of the “Top Ten EPA-Rated Fuel Sippers.”
The Prius first came to the U.S. for the 2001 model year and made an instant impact, thanks to its ability to achieve EPA ratings of 42 mpg city/41 mpg highway/41 mpg combined. But while those numbers are plenty impressive—and would top the EPA’s list even today—the 2011 model has upped the ante to an amazing 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway/50 mpg combined. That’s gives the Toyota an advantage of 10 mpg city/12 mpg highway/11 mpg combined over its next closest competitor in the EPA rankings.
Perhaps even more amazing is that while the Prius has steadily increased its fuel efficiency from generation to generation, it’s also gotten more powerful. The much-lauded previous edition of the Prius relied on 110 combined horsepower from Toyota’s innovative Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, and the 2011 Prius now makes use of 134 hp.
Toyota achieves these kinds of results through its dedication to continuously improving the Prius with the latest advanced technology from around the world. This includes an available sliding-glass moonroof that is packaged with solar panels located over the rear seating area of the 2011 Prius. The panels power a new ventilation system that helps reduce the temperature inside the car when it’s parked in direct sunlight, also reducing the amount of time the air conditioning needs to be run for driver comfort.
And the rest of the Prius package is pretty darned efficient too. As just one example, consider that even though the car is smaller than a compact Honda Civic on the outside, it’s so big on the interior that the EPA rates the Prius as a mid-size vehicle, with room for five occupants.
All this for a base price that starts at just $22,800? It’s no wonder Toyota has sold more than 900,000 Prius models—and counting—in America since it first debuted.
