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Review: 2023 Toyota Prius Prime
The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime is all new and more stylish than any version of the model before it. Fox News Digital Autos Editor Gary Gastelu reviews.
Toyota has been getting criticized from some quarters recently for not moving fast enough to become an all-electric automaker like some of its rivals, but it has reasons.
The company thinks hybrids are a more affordable way to reduce greenhouse gases and stretch battery supplies farther since many of them can be made with the same number of cells needed for just one EV.
It does have one of those on sale now called the bZ4X, however, and is ramping up its efforts in the zero-emissions space as it keeps rolling out the hybrid hits.
There are a total of 20 of them on sale in the U.S. across the Toyota and Lexus brands today, including the latest version of the granddaddy of them all — the Prius.
I heard one child ask his father excitedly, “Is that a Prius!? Wow!” The youths are into it.
The Prius Prime has a 220-horsepower plug-in hybrid drivetrain. (Fox News Digital)
The design is actually less aerodynamically efficient than the previous generation, which was a very odd duck optimized to reduce drag at all costs. But it’s improved appeal can’t be denied. The wide-body wedge shape has been inspiring custom car builders to modify it into mean-looking street machines, and Toyota has even released a teaser image suggesting a performance or racing version is in the works.
Toyota is teasing a performance version of the Prius. (Toyota)
The Prius is available as a standard hybrid or the plug-in Prius Prime that we tested. Prices for the Prius Prime range from $33,445 to $40,265, depending on the trim. Since it’s made in Japan, it doesn’t qualify for any federal electric vehicle purchase tax credits, but they can be incorporated into a lease.
The cabin is roomy enough for four 6-foot passengers to fit comfortably, but the hair of passengers in the rear may be brushing the headliner, and they don’t get their own air vents. The dashboard has a large touchscreen display for the infotainment system but also a lot of physical buttons and toggles for many primary controls.
The Prius Prime has a digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system. (Toyota)
The oddest thing about the interior is the digital instrument cluster, which is in a pod high on the dashboard. This makes it difficult not to block at least part of it with the steering wheel. The wheel feels like it’s from a luxury car, however, and the interior is of good quality overall.
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The Prius Prime is available with a 185-watt solar roof. (Fox News Digital)
It only provides one or two kilowatts per sunny day, enough for about 3-6 miles of driving, but over the course of a few years it could pay for itself, as long as you remember to park it outside.
The compact four-door has room for four 6-foot passengers. (Toyota)
You’ll want as many miles worth of power as you can get because the Prius Prime is as smooth and sporty as it looks. The ride comfort and handling are excellent, and the hybrid power provides a good dose of fun. It’s also quiet and eats up the miles, especially with the standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 package’s lane-tracing adaptive cruise control engaged.
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Base price: $33,445
As tested: $40,875
Type: 5-passenger, front-wheel-drive 4-door hatchback
Transmission: CVT automatic
MPG: 48 combined
Range: 39 miles
