That's the problem. It's practically impossible to get an accurate torque reading off of a dyno due to the complexity of the hybrid system.

 

it also won't pass smog test either.

 

I doubt that's the case. The reason why it feels faster is because of the CVT. You don't waste time shifting and you don't waste time waiting for the engine to get to its power band.

With the CVT, when you gun it, it's max torque from the start.

 

no, you can dyno a hybrid. We've dyno'd a Prius to see what it's putting out in terms of torque since we don't have published numbers.

 

CVT "feels" slower, because it has not gears... acceleration is continious, instead of racing up the rpms...

 

god. if someone could drive me everyday to work in this car i think i'd be in heaven. sitting between 2 people on the train M-F just isn't cutting it. Well, i suppose i'm more green by taking mass transit.

 

yeah I guess I worded it incorrectly. I meant that they MT testers said it didn't feel like x lb-fts and felt like it should be a higher number b/c of the CVT.

i.e. it felt like the car had x lb-ft but the clocks shows it has y lb-fts where y > x.