It’s hard to believe sometimes that the Prius made its worldwide debut 15 years ago. It seems like only yesterday that Toyota brought its niche green car across the oceans and took the petroleum-dependent world by storm.

Since, it has been redesigned twice (2003 and 2009), gone from cult hero to mainstream bread-and-butter, and expanded from a single model to a range of branded models, not to mention inspiring Toyota itself along with several other manufacturers to hybridize everything from compact commuter cars to full-size trucks.

Electrifying performance
Despite its leadership in the hybrid arena, Toyota has largely stood by and let others explore the performance end of the market. It’s really in the higher end where this formula has been particularly successful, so it makes sense that the Prius lineup, carrying the less-than-ostentatious Toyota emblem, has not been a playground where the company has explored the potential of hybrid hypercars.

However, a driver’s car doesn’t necessarily have to be worthy of a poster to be worthy of an enthusiast’s driveway. Honda’s CR-Z, for example, demonstrates that there is room in the cheap-but-cheerful end of the spectrum for a hybrid that isn’t hateful to toss around. Its practicality, on the other hand, pales in comparison to that of the bulk of Toyota’s lineup.

Mild medium
While the typical Prius buyer may not care about the lineup’s dynamic shortfalls, there are those who would likely be more inclined to buy one if it were a slightly more worthwhile drive. With the 2016 redesign, Toyota decided it was time to address this shortfall.

The overhaul began with the chassis and suspension. The new Prius rides on the company’s TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform, which is Toyota’s take on a modular platform. Eventually, it will underpin several Toyota and Lexus models, but for now, the Prius is the only beneficiary.

TNGA allowed Prius engineers to deliver quite a few firsts for the 2016 model. For starters, the battery pack now resides beneath the rear seats, freeing up cargo room and flexibility in the rear. Dynamically, this also contributes to a lower center of gravity. It’s also longer, lower and roomier inside, and the roof peak has been moved forward to improve headroom.

With the new packaging also comes a new rear suspension–a double-wishbone unit–which is another first. Previous models featured a twist-beam rear end.

Modified motivation
The 2016 model’s powertrain is also heavily revised. While the power output remains modest (121 horsepower and 106lb-ft of torque from the combined gasoline/electric system), the individual components have been modified for improved packaging and efficiency.

Most notably, all models except the Prius Two now feature a Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) battery, which is lighter (by roughly 30lbs) and more environmentally friendly than the Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery previously employed. Prius Two is still equipped with the NiMH unit.

Toyota claims the two-battery approach allowed them to take advantage of their advanced research with the older chemistry to deliver a similar experience to the new Li-ion unit at a lower cost, making it a budget-friendly component in the cheaper models.

The results? As we mentioned before, this wasn’t done for power. This is a hybrid, after all, and efficiency is the name of the game. The 2016 Prius has been rated at 54 mpg in the city, 50 on the highway and 52 combined. The Two Eco bumps that to 58/53/56. For comparison, the 2015 model was good for 51/48/50, so there are across-the-board improvements.

The revised planetary CVT in the new Prius is also more compact, which opened up enough room in the engine bay that the 12V battery was moved there, further freeing up precious interior room.

Voodoo economics
The Two Eco model is the lightest and most bare bones in the lineup, lacking weight-adding features like a spare tire. The other notable contribution to its improved economy is its wheel/tire setup, which is the most economy-oriented offering in the lineup. While it shares a wheel diameter with the regular Prius Two, its tires boast even lower rolling resistance.

Hustle and flow
So, the new Prius is not a powerhouse, nor is it any lighter or compact than the car it replaces. Can the new chassis and suspension really make up for these shortfalls in the fun-to-drive department?

Yes. Absolutely.

In fact, Toyota was so confident that we’d be impressed by the new Prius’ dynamic performance that they had us drive out to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, where they had set up an autocross course. Even more impressive was the fact that they brought along a 2015 Prius for us to use as a point of reference, allowing us to drive both back-to-back to our heart’s content so that we could feel out the differences.

Usually, when a car has been redesigned and improvements have been made to handling, they’re so minuscule that it takes a particularly keen awareness of suspension response to detect any real-world differences. Not so here. Toyota’s confidence was in no way misplaced.

Just sitting in the 2015 and 2016 back-to-back is enough to highlight a few big changes. First, you sit lower in the new car, which helps dampen the sensations imparted by body roll. The seats themselves also hold better, granting a boost in driver confidence.

Fire it up (Oops, it was already on. Press the button again.) and hit the course, and another big difference is immediately apparent. The steering on the new car is much quicker than it was on the 2015. We could maintain a 9-and-3 hand positions even in the 90-degree turns in the autocross course–not true of the 2015, where shuffle-steering was mandatory. And yes, these changes were apparent from the lowly Prius Two all the way up to the Prius Four Touring model.

Unless you’re pushing it on the street, these differences won’t be as stark, but in a way that is what makes them important. The average buyer may not notice or even care that the new Prius is dynamically superior to the old, but for the rest of us? Well, it’s those subtle things that matter.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Make no mistake, the 2016 Prius is not a performance car. It could not even reasonably be considered a “fun” car in the strictest sense. Rather, it’s a Prius that the average enthusiast won’t hate driving. That’s a huge victory for Toyota, and a refreshing progression for a model that was once anathema to anyone with any affection for the driving experience.

2016 Toyota Prius, from $24,200

As-tested

2016 Toyota Prius Two Eco, $24,700
2016 Toyota Prius Four, $28,650

Exterior photos by Byron Hurd. Interior photos courtesy of Toyota.

Volkswagen’s emissions scandal has again widened, greatly expanded the tally of potentially offending 3.0-liter engines in the US market.

The agency initially focused on the company’s smaller 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill that sparked the fiasco. A follow-up investigation into the larger V6 initially found emissions discrepancies in the 2014-2016 model years, however investigators are now looking back to 2009 models for both engine sizes.

“During a meeting yesterday, VW and Audi officials … told EPA and CARB that the issues raised in the In-Use Compliance letter extend to all 3.0 liter diesel engines from model years 2009 through 2016,” the California Air Resources Board said in a statement. “Based on this information, EPA and CARB will continue to investigate and take all appropriate action under their respective authorities.”

The estimated number of potentially offending V6 vehicles on US roads has consequently jumped from 10,000 to 85,000, marking a nearly ten-fold increase. Models affected could include certain Audi A7, A8 and A8L sedans, along with the Q5, Q7, VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne crossovers.

The company earlier this month denied allegations of a ‘defeat’ system in the larger Audi-engineered powerplant, claiming “no software has been installed in the 3-liter V6 diesel power units to alter emissions characteristics in a forbidden manner.” The statement acknowledged that an unspecified software function “had not been adequately described” in the EPA certification process.

The latest report suggests the non-compliance will require corrective action, rather than paperwork clarification. The company has admitted that hardware refits are under consideration to fix some models, though the four-cylinder engines are expected to require the costliest modifications. A urea-injection system, which significantly slashes nitrogen oxide emissions, came standard with the higher-end V6-powered nameplates but was omitted from most of the less-expensive four-cylinder models, reportedly due to cost considerations.

General Motors has teamed with the US Army to develop and test a prototype Chevrolet Colorado powered by hydrogen.

The experimental pickup will be put through a year of daily use and potential abuse at the Tank Automotive Research Development & Engineering (TARDEC) facility in Warren, Michigan.

“Hydrogen fuel cell technology is important to GM’s advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles,” says GM’s fuel-cell engineering director, Charlie Freese.

The company suggests the technology is quiet and useful in off-road environments, thanks to electric motors’ low-end torque advantages, while the fuel-cell stack can serve as an emergency power generator and a source of water in arid environments.

Despite references to the “extremes of daily military use,” the hydrogen-fueled Colorado is unlikely to be weaponized and shipped overseas to fight ISIS. Instead, the military trials are likely aimed at advancing fuel-cell technology in general and further exploring its potential for light tactical and civilian commercial vehicles.

GM last year announced that its fleet of more than 100 hydrogen-powered Equinox prototypes had surpassed three million miles, gaining plenty of data and feedback from approximately 5,000 different drivers. The company reportedly held the most fuel-cell patents at the time, surpassing even hydrogen-focused Toyota, however it appears to have focused its near-term production ambitions on traditional battery-powered EVs.

General Motors has announced a slight price bump for the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze.

The compact sedan starts at $17,495 (including $875 freight) for the redesigned 2016 edition with a six-speed manual transmission, representing an increase of $450 compared to the previous-generation’s entry-level ‘L’ package.

The vast majority of US buyers will likely opt for a six-speed automatic rather than the row-your-own gearbox. Such preference are only accommodated by the LS trim, which fetches just under $20,000. The top-of-the-line ‘Premier’ edition starts at $23,995.

A new direct-injected 1.4-liter turbocharged engine is more powerful than its predecessor, delivering 153 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque — up 15 ponies and 29 lb-ft of twist.

Despite a larger chassis with two additional inches of rear knee room, the Cruze has shed 250 pounds and now accelerates to 60 mph in approximately eight seconds when equipped with the upgraded turbo powerplant.

The company has not yet announced fuel efficiency figures, though the new engine is expected to deliver at least 40 mpg on the highway. The previous-generation sedan achieved city/highway ratings of up to 28/42 mpg with gasoline or 27/46 mpg with a 2.0-liter diesel mill. The latter engine has been swapped out in favor of a smaller 1.6-liter oil burner for 2016, arriving just in time to take advantage of the Volkswagen Jetta TDI’s fall from grace.

The redesigned Cruze is slated to go on sale by spring 2016.

Hyundai has issued a recall for nearly 305,000 Sonata sedans from the 2011 and 2012 model years.

The company last year spotted a trend in warranty claims related to the brake-pedal stopper pad. Degradation over time can cause problems with the stop-lamp switch, preventing the plunger from retracting when the driver’s foot is lifted off the pedal.

Interference with the switch plunger can cause the brake lights to remain permanently illuminated, preventing following vehicles from receiving proper signaling of brake application.

“Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal,” the recall documents add. “Either condition increases the risk of a crash.”

The 2011 Sonata had been listed in a broad recall two years ago to fix problems with the stop lamp switch itself. Conversely, the earlier glitch had prevented the brake lights from properly illuminating when the pedal was pressed. Aside from the risk of rear-end collisions from following vehicles, the malfunction also prevented drivers from disengaging cruise control via a tap on the pedal.