As electric vehicles continue to move deeper into the automotive landscape, it’s easy to forget crossbreed. They’re like the middle child of the car world – stuck somewhere between an internal combustion past and an EV future. Well, fifth generation Toyota Prius wants you to know that crossbreed still here, still relevant and better than ever. The Prius 2023 launched with a new look, more power, more premium feel and sportier driving characteristics. It’s also the most powerful Prius and, depending on how you designate it, the most fuel-efficient Prius ever. It is enough to pull Prius – a car that has been sold in the US since 2001 – returns to relevance. This is how Toyota did it.
Full disclosure: Toyota took me to Del Mar, California, put me in a luxury hotel for two nights, and provided me with plenty of food during my stay, all just so I could drive my new 2023 Prius.
Toyota Prius 2023: More Powerful and More Economical
Toyota is going down the “have your cake and eat it too” route with the fifth-generation Prius. Toyota says the new car – as long as you opt for the base “LE” trim with smaller wheels – can achieve a combined 57 mpg, thanks in part to a slippery 0.27 drag coefficient. (For reference, the best you can do with a base model Prius 2022 is 52 mpg combined, according to EPA; even the Prius Eco maxes out at 56 mpg combined.) Of course, overall fuel economy drops as you add options or opt for an all-wheel drive box: Top XLE and Limited AWD models get a Toyota – 49 mpg combined estimates and official EPA numbers are yet to be finalized.
Despite the improvement in fuel efficiency, there is no penalty in performance. In fact, one of the biggest upgrades with the new Prius is power. The hybrid powertrain produces a total of 194 hp in front-wheel drive or 196 hp in all-wheel drive. The 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine (up from 1.8 liters) produces 150 hp on its own. The new and improved engine works almost silently in the background. If you turn up the radio a little, you might think this is an all-electric car.
The engine combined with the 110-horsepower electric motor system (an increase of more than 40 horsepower compared to the fourth-generation car) drives the front wheels; All-wheel drive models have a second electric motor in the rear. All of that adds up to enough power to move a slight reverse from 0 to 60 in a fixed 7 seconds as estimated by the manufacturer in all-wheel drive mode. For reference, the previous car accelerates to 60 in a leisurely 9.8 seconds, according to Toyota.
Toyota Prius 2023: Interior and Technology
If you’ve ever sat inside a previous-generation Prius, you know it’s an ergonomic design, not particularly comfortable or luxurious. Like everything else with the 2023 Prius, Toyota has changed that too.
In keeping with tradition, the Prius 2023 feels very open and airy. Toyota has removed the tall and narrow center screen, replacing it with a larger, more horizontal screen. The interior of the new Prius feels almost like a Lexus. It’s classy, but very well thought out. The chairs were nice, providing plenty of support for my ruined back and aching knees. Every button and knob is in exactly where you’d expect it to be – with the exception of the volume knob, which is on the passenger side of the 12.3-inch central display and can be slightly reached for the driver. Another curious thing is the location of the instrument cluster. Unlike previous Priuss, the speedometer has moved from the center of the dashboard to just in front of the driver, but pushed quite far forward, almost like a display on the windshield. wind. During my testing, I noticed that the steering wheel sometimes blocks large portions of the device screen, so before buying one of these, actually sit on it to make sure the lines of sight suitable for you.
The infotainment system is almost as standard as possible, but very easy to use. Menus and features are never more than a few taps away, and the screen’s placement never takes your eyes off the road. Over-the-air updates will keep it feeling newer for longer.
While front seat occupants may feel cool, the same cannot be said for rear seat passengers. At 6’1″, I can’t sit comfortably in the back of the car unless I take my head off. For short trips I’m sure it’ll be fine, but I don’t want to spend any long time going back there. The roof shape of the new Prius works well visually, but at the expense of rear headroom. The company says rear headroom currently stands at 36.4 inches. That’s a full inch down from the 2022 model and not a move by Toyota.
Driving Toyota Prius 2023
“Prius” and “fun” are never really words that go hand in hand. The Prius has always been a great way to get where you have to go. Merely do. The new car also works, but it adds some dynamics that were missing from previous cars.
Toyota brought a current generation Prius to this launch event and I was able to test drive it with the brand new 2023 model. The difference in driving dynamics is day and night. The new car has flat corners and inspires confidence enough to let you push the hybrid much harder than the old one. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that the 2023 Prius is a canyon carver, but if you find yourself on a twisty road, you should have no trouble.
That’s all well and good, but the real meat and potatoes of driving a Prius is commuting on the highway and running errands in town. I’m happy to report that the fifth-generation Prius is an almighty star when things go back to normal. It’s quiet, delivering a smooth and comfortable ride no matter what type of road you’re on, thanks in part to the roughly 2 inches longer wheelbase. The MacPherson front suspension and multi-link rear suspension ensure that every collision is subject to a single response. There’s no bouncy motion like you get in the fourth-generation car, but the new Prius isn’t too stiff either. In short, the trip was perfect for this vehicle.
Toyota Prius 2023 shines
The 2023 Prius is 2 inches lower, 1 inch wider and 1 inch longer than the old model. Combine that with the wheels being pushed further in the corners, the roof top being pushed back and some really interesting cuts in the sheet metal, and you get a very striking package. The split rear window – a Prius staple since the second generation – is gone. Honestly, this affects the rear view a bit, but hey, style has to be style.
In fact, the 2023 Prius stands out so much that at one point while I was driving it, a man in a bright red Dodge Viper nearly broke his neck when he saw me. When you place the last-gen Prius next to the all-new 2023 model, the contrast is even stronger.
In fact, at Toyota’s launch event, the previous-generation Prius was mildly criticized by one of Toyota’s own engineers. He says that, overall, every Prius is a beautiful car… with the fourth generation being the only exception. You can’t win it all, but Toyota fixed the situation and then some with this all-new model. The aggressive styling is a sign that Toyota is aiming the new Prius squarely at younger buyers. I think it was a hit.
Toyota Prius 2023: Price, trim and final thoughts
The base model 2023 Prius LE with front-wheel drive starts at $28,545 (including $1,095 for destination), up $1,165 from 2022 (Toyota decided to scrap the old base model Prius L. ). The XLE and Limited start at $31,990 and $35,560, respectively. All-wheel drive can be added to any trim for $1,400. As standard, you get LED daytime running lights and exterior LED taillights, 17-inch wheels, 6-way fabric seats, single-zone climate control, six USB-C chargers, an 8-inch center display. inches. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on all models, and includes radar cruise control with stop and start as well as pedestrian avoidance. As you increase the trim level, you can add conveniences like a digital key fob, a larger central display, heated and cooled seats, 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof and LED headlights.
Expected Prius 2023 to start arriving in dealerships around January; The Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, with 220 horsepower and a solar roof, will be available in the spring of 2023.
Toyota has been a bit behind on EV sales, but the company clearly thinks there’s room and desire for a new hybrid. Prius 2023 has all the elements to be able to prove Toyota right about the middle child of the automotive world.
