Few other cars can give you the environmental 'feel good' of Toyota's Prius. The 1.5 VVT-i hybrid is the world's first mass-produced hybrid car, and it runs solely on battery power at times. That's a great achievement and it makes this a car you would buy for reaons other than performance, looks style etc.

Toyota's only competition is from the Honda Insight which is more enjoyable to drive but has two seats and runs only with a combination of petrol and electricity.

The Prius automatic is a four- or five seater which moves slowly and silently on emission-free battery power into parking spaces, rather like a milk float.Technology restraints produce a car incapable of reaching 100mph, which is highly unusual, but there is decent and practical boot space. The Insight has a long but shallow load area above the battery compartment. Both the Prius and Insight automatically make choices for you between petrol and electric power, with the battery charged as you drive. They also have facia displays packed with information.

Toyota have every reason to be confident a smattering of people will want a Prius for its economy of 61.4mpg around town and ‘1,000% better carbon dioxide emissions’ than rivals like the Ford Focus and Renault Megane. Prius has been on sale in Japan since 1997 and sales top 40,000. It's a thick-waisted car with a lot more comfort and modernity than some have suggested.

In time, all cars are likely to be hybrids or, more likely, run on advanced new technologies. Prius is a stepping stone between the fossil fuels which have powered cars for more than a century, and this is an intriguing future. Toyota has judged the time is right to offer the car in Europe and staff at Irish dealerships have been trained to look after this unusual vehicle.

Automatic transmission (via a facia-mounted lever) does nothing to add sparkle to the performance but it keeps the area clear between driver and front passenger as does the foot-brake, chosen instead of a conventional hand-brake. Standard features on the Prius include anti-lock brakes, twin airbags, air conditioning, power steering and electric windows.

BUMPER TO BUMPER: Toyota Prius 1.5 VVT-i hybrid: Bodyshell/drivetrain: 4315mm by 1695mm 4dr; 1497cc, 71bhp, 16-valve double overhead camshaft engine and 44bhp electric motor together drive front wheels through four-speed automatic transmission. Performance/economy: top speed 99mph, 0-62mph in 13.4 seconds (Toyota performance). Official fuel figures (laboratory simulation): city 61.4mpg, country 55.4mpg, combined 57.6mpg. Fuel tank 50 litres.