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The Toyota Prius is one of the most efficient hybrids on the planet, often returning more than 50 miles per gallon in both city and highway driving. In 2009 Toyota wanted to go further, revealing the first plug-in Prius concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The third-generation vehicle exploded in sales, cementing the extra battery Prius, leading now to the second iteration of the Prius Prime. However, efficiency is no longer the only driving force.
The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime is 2-inches lower, 1-inch wider and 1-inch longer than the previous vehicle and has a hip point that's almost 1-inch lower. The traction battery was moved lower under the rear seat, giving the Prime a low center of gravity and a more planted feeling on the road.
As opposed to previous Prius vehicles, the fifth-generation model leans heavily on style with new, wide LED headlights and taillights, a steeply raked windshield and flat rear. That leads to a manufacturer estimated 52 miles per gallon in hybrid mode, but many buyers won't even need it.
The battery is bigger that before now offering 44 miles of all electric range before the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine kicks on. That engine delivers 150 horsepower and combined with the electric motors total system output is now 220 horsepower, a 50-percent increase over the last model. It now gets to 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds, a 40-percent improvement. The lithium-ion battery has 13.6 kilowatt of power and can be recharged at home or at a Level 2 charger.
The Prius has gone from an underpowered wind cheater to a real head turner in both sport and design.
The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime comes in SE, XSE and XSE Premium grades in just five colors: Wind Chill Pearl, Cutting Edge, Guardian Gray, Black or Supersonic Red. The SE comes equipped with 17-inch wheels, six USB ports and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The XSE adds 19-inch wheels, clear taillights, power seats, wireless charging and parking assist. The bigger 12.3-inch infotainment screen is available.
The top XSE Premium model comes standard with the bigger screen, a JBL premium audio system, glass roof, power rear door and a few other features. Automatic parking, rear seat heat, panoramic view monitor and a solar glass roof are optional.
With new corner radar sensors, the Prius Prime comes standard with advanced safety features like Lane Change Assist, Front Cross Traffic Alert, Advanced Park and Traffic Jam Assist. Lane Change Assist watches blind spots when changing lanes. Advanced Park can steer and brake the vehicle into a chosen spot.
Traffic Jam Assist is a hands-free, eyes-up driver assist system that works at speeds up to 25 miles per hour, providing acceleration, braking and hands-free steering control under active supervision of the driver.
To make TJA work, the Prius Prime has a driver attention monitor on the steering wheel hub that tracks where the driver's head is pointing. It's similar to the system that Ford and GM have on their respective Blue Cruise and Super Cruise systems, but this one was extremely sensitive, beeping annoyingly almost any time the driver wasn't facing perfectly forward. Add that to the front cross traffic alert beeps and the Prius is always communicating something.
On the roads in southern California the comfortable cabin and soft seats in the Prius absorbed almost every pothole it encountered. The suspension is stiffer than the previous model, with Toyota leaning on style and sportiness instead of only economy, but the company said it's made to feel like the standard model, though it weighs more.
The synthetic leather seats in the XSE Premium feature red patches to match the red on the dashboard. Forward visibility is excellent out of the massive front window. However, the rear window is small so the backup camera helps.
The front seat area is roomy and airy with the glass roof. The Prius Prime has storage spaces in the door and in the center. As expected most of the surfaces are textured rubber and plastic. The sunroof shades are a little flimsy and are sometime difficult to retract, but the rows of buttons and switches in the center stack are well marked and easy to use.
The 12.3-inch screen on this upgraded worked perfectly with wireless Apple CarPlay connected. The graphics are crisp and switching menus is quick. The physical volume knob is placed on the far, right side of the screen, which makes it a little hard to reach depending on driver position.
The Prius Prime's main screen is set back from the comically small steering wheel. It's extremely busy showing speed, range, and safety features, and there's no good way to position the steering wheel to keep it all in view. Adjusted down gives a clear view, but the wheel is in the driver's lap.
The extra horsepower over last year is a boon while driving this vehicle, which no longer feels annoyingly slow. With the electric boost the Prime can get up to and hang on to expressway speeds. Even passing maneuvers are now painless. With a little grit on the road, the Prime will spin a wheel on hard accelerations.
With both the engine and electric motors kicking, it does push some sound into the cabin. The Prime's engine has a continuously variable transmission, meaning when a driver plants their foot the revolutions per minute (rpms) jump up and stay until the desired speed is reached.
There's little steering feel, even with the bigger wheels, but the Prius generally goes where it's pointed. The suspension makes for a comfortable road no matter the surface. Even big potholes are muted from the driver's seat. The brakes have good initial bite, but don't feel progressive as the pedal gets closer to the floor. It takes getting used to.
The plug-in 2023 Toyota Prius Prime starts at $32,350 and the XSE Premium is $39,170. That is more than the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid ($24,550), but the Elantra doesn't have a plug nor an all-electric range. The Honda Insight is no longer on sale. Most of the Prime's competition comes from the small SUVs like the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid plug-in ($37,500) and the Kia Niro plug-in. They both have all-electric ranges of 33 miles.
The 2023 Prius Prime prides itself on its 44-mile electric range, noting that the average American drives about 39 miles a day and would rarely need to put gas in it. If a buyer wants height, and a little more space, the SUVs will work. For those that want a little more sport, a little more range and a lot more style, the Toyota Prius Prime is a shockingly good option, even for those that like to drive.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is a Newsweek Autos managing editor based in Detroit. His focus is reporting on the auto industry. He has covered ... Read more