VW puts the Prius to shame...

I don't think it's a valid comparison. That VW is a technology platform that offers some interesting and potentially useful ideas for cars of the future, but as presented it is not practical transportation.

Prius, on the other hand, is probably the best overall solution on the road today. Its position will certainly be usurped, however, as technology moves on. Perhaps the next champion will be another Prius...

...please, that's only another test car. Nothing useful on our roads, nothing buyable, only a trial. We'have seen dozens of this super-futuristic cars, on every automotive fair there are at least one per brand, so they can say: hey look how good we are and what we COULD do (but don't really do because of dozens of other problems to solve) not least the price! Prius IS the present - it's real - we have one and enjoy it every day. This test cars are only pathetic experiments.

Not to mention that the article is five years old, the car is a one-seater, with virtually no luggage space at all.

Ok, so who wants to drive a sobsled with wheels...?