The Toyota Prius was one of the pioneers that helped plant the seeds for the EV revolution that has now swept the U.S. Auto market. But while the Prius impressed the masses with its high fuel economy and advanced green tech, looking stylish was on the back burner, and the first few generations of the Prius looked like rolling doorstops or bland slabs of concrete. Toyota is changing all that with the 2023 Prius, which finally brings eye-catching styling to the fuel-sipping icon.
Sleeker Styling Makes This Prius A Rolling Fashion Statement
Toyota claims that the 2023 Prius will be part of its “Hybrid Reborn strategy, and it appears a vital component of this strategy is a design language that will draw buyers into the showroom. A unified rear lightbar is accented by a prominent black rear spoiler, while the front fascia incorporates new headlights and is decidedly more aggressive looking than before. The new Prius is wider and lower than the outgoing car, but the length has shrunk slightly, allowing the coupe-ish proportions to stand out more.
The interior has also been reworked, and the cabin now adopts what Toyota calls an “Island Architecture” design with the theme focusing on three key areas “surroundings,” “driver module,” and “floating instrument cluster.” These areas are now more visually distinct than before and are not as jarringly different as they were before. The seats also look like they have more bolstering, and it’s clear that the Prius is taking some core DNA from the bZ4X CUV, and the center stack houses a massive infotainment screen. This large screen also appears to be doubling down on relegating more functions within the screen itself, with the only prominent physical control being a small round knob.
Performance That Delivers More Performance For Your Fuel-Saving Dollar
Toyota has made it clear in the past that the Prius is not a track car, and the 2023 Prius continues to abide by this mantra. However, buyers will have more performance than before with the plug-in hybrid version of the Prius being equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s paired with a hybrid drivetrain. The combination produces 220 hp and is capable of launching the PHEV to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Hybrid versions are not as spicy in this regard, but they still make 193 hp which is a noticeable bump up versus the old model.
The all-wheel-drive system has been revamped, too, and now uses a small electric motor that helps deliver better low-traction performance in snowy weather while offering better cornering behavior in sharp turns. Toyota also claims that pure EV range has improved by 50 percent, but we get to wait until Toyota releases official U.S. figures to see the full extent of this improvement in action.
When Can I Buy One?
Toyota didn’t release a formal timetable for when the 2023 Prius will make its way to U.S. shores, but when it arrives, the 2023 Prius will come equipped with the latest version of Toyota’s Safety Sense technology which incorporates a number of driver assistance aides to help improve safety. The Prius’s version will also benefit from updated cameras that help keep tabs on what’s going on front and rear.
Pricing was also not announced either, but look for the 2023 Prius to have a pricing ladder that will bump prices up slightly when compared to the 2022 model though the company will most likely continue its efforts to try and retain the high-value position of the Prius, especially with certain hybrid and PHEV trims.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.