MOTORING
TOYOTA HYBRIDS: IT’S A LOVE THING
oyota hybrids have come a long way since 2000
when the technology debuted in the UK in a
single model, a quirky little four-door saloon.
Today hybrids are part of the mainstream and
no manufacturer offers more choice than Toyota,
with six different models in its line-up.
Toyota has launched a new media campaign that
demonstrates how hybrid power is not just about
fuel and emissions efficiency, but also a smoother
and more enjoyable driving experience. Under the
banner Fall in Love with Driving Again, it
emphasises the relaxing quality of a hybrid
powertrain.
It isn’t just an advertising pitch: to prove its
point, Toyota put its theory to the test, filming 30
drivers over 120 hours as they negotiated some of
Europe’s busiest roads, first in a non-hybrid, then
in a Toyota hybrid vehicle.
The experiment, monitored by Professor
Jonathan Freeman, Managing Director of i2 media
research in the Department of Psychology at
Goldsmiths University London, produced an
overwhelmingly positive response, with 80 per cent
of those taking part reporting that they felt less
stressed, frustrated and angry when at the wheel of
a Toyota hybrid.
Their experiences are revealed in a series of short
films that are being released on YouTube as part of
the campaign; the first, featuring drivers in Rome,
can be seen here.
At the same time as Toyota hybrid power has
become more efficient and refined, it has been
applied to an ever wider range of vehicles, ranging
from superminis to fully flexible seven-seat MPVs,
T
answering the motoring needs of more and more
motorists.
Today’s Toyota hybrid line-up begins with Yaris
Hybrid, the world’s first hybrid supermini. Thanks
to clever packaging, there’s just as much room
inside for passengers and their luggage as in a petrol
or diesel Yaris. Featuring a 1.5-litre petrol engine
engineered for efficient performance, it com