Marque hails award winner

The new iteration of the Toyota Prius, which is now available here as a Signature Class near-new used vehicle, has seen off 70 competitors to be voted 2024 World Car Design of the Year.

Mark Young, Toyota NZ’s vice-president of value-chain optimisation, says the model continues to lead the way in hybrid technology and design.

“It’s an honour for the Prius to be recognised. The World Car Design of the Year is the latest of 24 automotive industry awards and accolades for the new generation.

“Our design and engineering teams reimagined what this iconic hybrid could be. We are thrilled the jury was equally captivated by the stunning design.”

The new-generation Prius looks like a sports car with its sharply styled front and rear, big alloys, low-profile tyres and technology. The leather, heated seats provide “supreme comfort”.

Powered by a 1.8 or two-litre petrol hybrid engine, it seats five comfortably. It showcases a sleek design featuring horizontal tail-lights and a “windswept” shape emphasised by a low roof and angled windscreen.

Young says: “With the new Prius, new-generation C-HR and our all-new BEV, the bZ4X, you can see Toyota’s design language evolving.

“All three new models are characterised by a defining hammerhead shape to the front and feature slim headlight units that emphasise the cars’ strong stance.”

Inside, drivers can experience the future with an advanced digital dashboard and user-friendly multimedia entertainment system. 

The steering wheel keeps control at the fingertips with a push-button start-stop adding convenience. Drivers can choose a driving style with EV mode and selectable drive modes.