Vacationers who have been pleasantly taking in the sun in a remote corner of the world for many, many months may be shocked by the announcement, but to everyone else, the fact has been increasingly clear for a while: the auto industry isn’t doing very well. From bankruptcies to dealership troubles, halts in production and other major upsets, automakers around the world are suffering in a market impacted by a population that simply can’t prioritize cars –especially not inefficient ones– while they conduct their own personal battles with the global economic downturn. But one noteworthy exception is Toyota (TM), which has its hybrid vehicle, the Prius, to thank for much of the relative success it is experiencing.

The Prius was recently released in its third generation, an advance that had been spawning hot contention and speculation over the aesthetic this vehicle would have, as well as the new features that would be included.  Shown to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in January this year, the Prius had already picked up over forty thousand pre-orders, and has been experiencing a surge of interest from consumers as it begins shipping and selling the vehicles. With a base price of twenty-two thousand, the new Prius remains affordable for many, though it’s the famous fifty miles per gallon fuel efficiency that makes most buyers melt.

The look and feel of the Prius has largely been streamlined with some aerodynamic benefit, as well as a more appealing aspect in the face of criticism about earlier models that some found unattractive. But there’s much more in the new Prius than a quick glance can convey. A new moon roof features solar panels that power an intelligent ventilation system, able to keep passengers and cargo comfortable in all weather extremes. A smart viewing panel puts operation information at eye-level, reducing the need for taking one’s eyes off the road. Add heated seats, lane following assistance, and a new “EV” driving mode capable of carrying the car for up to a mile without any gas consumption, and the Prius is looking primed to give green car consumers just the thing for which they’ve been clamoring.

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