2012 Toyota Prius v Two 5dr Wagon Two (CVT) Continuously Variable Automatic

Because it's 230 pounds heavier than the sedan, the Prius v loses 8 miles per gallon, as the EPA rating drops down to 44/40 mpg City/Highway from 51/48, on 91 octane fuel.It also loses some acceleration performance, again because of the weight.The v goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10.4 seconds, the sedan in 9.8 seconds.Those are not impressive numbers.

So the new Prius v is slower and more thirsty than the sedan, and is expected to cost about $4000 more.What you gain is family functionality.Prius v is 6 inches longer than the Prius sedan, 3.3 inches higher, and 1.1 inches wider, on the same track.

The Prius v is a handsome vehicle, resembling a swoopy small minivan, not unlike the Mazda5, or maybe like a big Honda Fit without the sharp edges.The nose sweeps sharply up to the A pillars and roof, about as wind-slicing as they come.The coefficient of drag is 0.29, very sleek for a an SUV-like vehicle.Toyota engineers paid careful aerodynamic attention to the bumpers, corners and roofline, as well as rocker panels, mirrors, wheels and wheelcovers, and it shows.

There are a number of battery cooling improvements to the Synergy Drive system for 2012 in the v.Some of these upgrades weren't even in the Lexus CT200h introduced for 2011, which might be considered the upscale Prius v.

With 34.3 cubic feet, the Prius v offers more cargo space than 80 percent of the compact SUVs and mid-size wagons on the market.The rear seats slide back for legroom, or forward to increase cargo space; they also recline, and there's an optional panoramic roof for sky-watching.The front seat folds flat, like the Honda Fit or Jeep Patriot.With that extra 3.3 inches of height and long rear doors, it's very easy to climb in and out of the back.

Standard equipment will leave you wanting for very little in the cabin, but if you want the nice SofTex leather-like seats, heated in front, you have to jump all the way up to a Prius v Five, the fully loaded model.The standard Prius v seats are fabric, and not very sporty or rugged.

Floor rigidity has been added to the v, which helps reduce interior noise, but it's still surprisingly buzzy in the cabin, mostly engine noise but also road noise.On the console, there's one simple HVAC dial, plus climate controls on the steering wheel.There are two gloveboxes, one of which rattled.The navigation system didn't fail during our drive, after we got used to its system of entering search words for the destination, something different.

In addition to Normal mode, there are three selectable modes: EV, or all-electric, with a very limited distance at 25 mph or less (if there's enough juice in the battery), most useful for underground parking garages; ECO, which minimizes fuel consumption by reducing the throttle opening and restricting the air conditioning; and Power for full acceleration.It automatically switches from ECO to Power when you step on the gas enough to need it.It needs it a lot.

The v uses the same CVT transaxle as the sedan.It's functional but boring.Around town you're not aware the CVT is there, which is how they're supposed to work.

The v handles and corners well, much like the Lexus CT200h.The Prius v is easier to drive around town than the sedan, with this nimbleness and especially its good visibility.Unfortunately the ride doesn't match the handling.The damping feels quite firm, so you feel every bump, and it's soon irritating.We found the same flaws in the Prius sedan: road noise and rough ride.It seems to be a Prius thing.Fuel economy good.Noise, vibration and harshness not so good.

All Prius v models use a 98-horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle gas engine with an 80-hp electric motor utilizing a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, with the hybrid power mated to a CVT, or continuously variable transaxle.The combined horsepower is 134, and combined torque 105 pound-feet.

Prius v Two comes standard with fabric seats, 6-way adjustable driver seat, 60/40 split sliding reclining fold-down rear seat, fold-flat front passenger seat, under-floor cargo storage area, tonneau cover, automatic climate control with dust and pollen filters, two 12-volt power outlets, five cupholders, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with controls, cruise control, 6-inch touch-screen with backup camera, six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with USB port and iPod connectivity, voice recognition, full power, digital instrumentation, EV/Eco/Power modes, projector-beam halogen headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels with wheel covers, LED taillamps and brake lights, power heated folding sideview mirrors, UV reduction glass windshield, and rear spoiler with LED brake light.

The Prius v Three adds Navigation with Entune multi-media music and information app, SiriusXM HD radio, and hands-free phone capability.

The Prius v Five adds 17-inch alloy wheels, SofTex leather-like upholstery, heated front seats, automatic halogen projector headlamps, foglamps, Smart Key system, and HomeLink.

The optional Advanced Technology Package ($5,580) upgrades to voice-activated navigation, eight-speaker JBL audio, satellite radio, Advanced Parking Guidance System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, panoramic view moonroof, Pre-Collision system, Safety Connect with emergency assistance, stolen vehicle locator, roadside assistance and automatic collision notification, tilt/telescoping steering wheel.

Safety features includes Toyota's Star Safety System, encompassing Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Active Traction Control, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, Brake Assist, and Smart Stop Technology; seven airbags; whiplash-lessening seats, tire pressure monitor, LATCH child seat system, and hill start assist.We recommend the optional Safety Connect system.

The headlamps are sharp narrow triangles, flying away from the nose over thin vertical parking lamps, accenting an attractive front end.The nose sweeps sharply up to the A pillars and roof, about as wind-slicing as they come.At the rear, there's a standard spoiler that dips a bit at the exit of the roofline, and the wheels look great.

The coefficient of drag is 0.29, compared to the sedan's 0.25, but 0.29 is terrific for any SUV-like vehicle.Toyota engineers paid careful aerodynamic attention to the bumpers, corners, rocker panels, mirrors, wheels and wheelcovers, and especially the roofline, and it all shows.

If the only reason you haven't bought a Prius is because it looks like a jellybean, you've lost your excuse.Now it looks like a real car.

The rear seats recline 45 degrees, so with the optional panoramic roof passengers can watch the clouds.Passenger volume is 3.5 cubic feet greater than the sedan, with shoulder and hip room both increased nicely.Rear door openings are wide and door panels concave, for more passenger room.With that extra 3.3 inches of height and long rear doors, it's very easy to climb in and out of the back.

Standard equipment (see above) will leave you wanting for very little in the cabin, but if you want the nice SofTex leather-like seats, heated in front, you have to jump all the way up to a Prius v Five, which is a bunch more money.But those seats are lovely; real leather is going away and mostly won't be missed because the synthetics are so good (and SofTex weighs half as much as leather).

The standard seats are fabric, but not very sporty or rugged.They were gray and rather fuddy-duddy, also not so comfortable, with pressure points that weren't right for us.

Prius v's digital display on the 6-inch screen adds color compared to the Prius sedan, although much of the information remains primarily for amusement; that is, you just don't need it.It's fun to watch for a while, but soon you forget about where the power is going and coming from at any given moment, and just drive.Besides, there's too much glare on the instrument panel, so you can't always see the color displays.But visibility is good out all the windows, front and back.

This whole optional Entune connectivity thing is uncharted territory that the v is leading the way into.It will integrate everything your smart phone knows, download apps to entertain you, offer you enough music (700 radio stations for starters) to hear for the rest of your life, do internet searches, read your email and texts to you, and astral project you to the moon when you finally freak out and want peace and solitude.

We find it distracting, no matter what the manufacturers claim.For example, Toyota says with Entune, you'll be able to find what's playing on the movies, find a theater, and buy tickets while you're driving into the city (on a crowded freeway).Without being distracted from your driving.Please.If you just pull over, all features will be available.

The v leads the way in another area, that of energy-efficient sound systems.The optional Green Edge system by JBL is 4 pounds lighter and uses 80 percent less power.You'll be seeing more of this.Any time you can throw out 4 pounds of wiring and use less juice it's good.

On the console, there's one simple HVAC dial, plus climate controls on the steering wheel.There are two gloveboxes, one of which rattled on our car.The optional panoramic roof uses a new type of resin making it lighter, and it's thermal, reflecting light and keeping the interior warmer in winter.The navigation system didn't fail during our drive, after we got used to its system of entering search words for the destination, something different.

Floor rigidity has been added to the v, which helps reduce interior noise, but it's still surprisingly buzzy in the cabin, mostly engine noise but also road noise.The good news is the JBL sound system is great, so you just play it loud.

The EPA mileage for the v is 44 city, 40 highway for a combined 42, or 8 mpg less than the sedan.We got less than that during our five-hour drive, an average of 38.4 mpg, not doing any leadfooting, and keeping it in the Normal driving mode.In order to perk up the acceleration, the rear-end ratio was changed from 3.27 in the sedan to 3.71 in the v, and that doesn't help fuel mileage because the wheels and engine turn more revolutions.Curiously, when we tested the Prius sedan we got a few miles higher than the EPA estimate; with the v we got a few less.Same driver.

In addition to Normal mode, there are three selectable modes: EV, or all-electric, with a very limited distance at 25 mph or less (if there's enough juice in the battery), most useful for underground parking garages; ECO, which minimizes fuel consumption by reducing the throttle opening and restricting the air conditioning; and Power for full acceleration.It automatically switches from ECO to Power when you step on the gas enough to need it.It needs it a lot.

The v uses the same CVT transaxle as the sedan.It's functional enough, but sure is boring.When you accelerate hard and the engine kicks into Power mode, it can be abrupt, like a transmission kick-down, as the CVT also winds up.But driving more casually, you're not aware the CVT is there, which is how they're supposed to work.

There are a number of battery cooling improvements to the Synergy Drive system in the v.Some of these upgrades aren't even in the Lexus CT200H introduced last year, which might be considered the upscale Prius v.

The v handles and corners well, much like the Lexus CT200H.It's easier to drive around town than the sedan, with this nimbleness and especially its good visibility.The front suspension components have been upgraded, and there are different front strut mounts.

Unfortunately the ride doesn't match the handling.The damping feels quite firm, so you can feel every bump, and it's soon irritating.We should mention these were pre-production models at the introduction, and shock tuning might be changed by the time the v makes it into showrooms.

But probably not.We found the same flaws in the Prius sedan: road noise and rough ride.It seems to be a Prius thing.

There's also electronic Pitch and Bounce control, intending to prevent that up-and-down porpoising motion.We found a short stretch on the road that might cause a car to porpoise, and the Prius v … porpoised, a little bit.Who knows, maybe it would have been more without the electronic pitch control.

We already mentioned the engine buzz, but we mention it again here because it's so prominent under full throttle.Our notes say the engine sounds unsophisticated.As original and needed as the Prius v might be, when you have a nearly $30,000 car that's slow and loud, you have to wonder if it's worth it.

Sam Moses filed this NewCarTestDrive.com report from the Pacific Northwest.