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Toyota has delivered proof positive that not only can the new full hybrid Prius meet its official fuel consumption figures, it can do even better.

Results from its participation in the FleetWorld MPG Marathon, Britain’s leading independent test of fuel economy, show Prius sipping petrol at a rate of 84.05mpg, 16 per cent better than the official combined cycle figure of 72.4mpg.

This exceptional tally was achieved by the driving team of Andrew Andersz and Richard Seymour, who piloted the Prius over a 350-mile route made up of the kind of roads encountered by ordinary motorists every day. The real-world driving conditions showed beyond doubt that Prius can deliver excellent economy on the open road, as well as in urban areas where its ability to run on electric motor power alone comes into play.

New Prius, which went on sale in the summer, is not only exceptionally fuel efficient, it also achieves the lowest CO2 emissions of any family car, at just 89g/km. At the same time it is more powerful than its predecessor, thanks to a new, highly efficient 1.8-litre petrol engine in its Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. Improved aerodynamics also play a key role in its cleaner and more fuel-frugal performance, with its drag coefficient trimmed to a best-in-class 0.25.

The MPG Marathon, which took place over two days last week (30 September and 1 October), also saw the Toyota iQ and Yaris models in action and both outperforming their official consumption figures. The one-litre petrol iQ finished with an average 78.69mpg and the 1.4 D-4D diesel Yaris achieved 86.18mpg, both cars much smaller than Prius, highlighting the unique abilities of the world’s best selling hybrid.