We love it when automakers shake things up. Well, not always. We’re not too sure about the Tesla Cybertruck, to be honest. But when you take a mainstream model and turn the tables, for sure. And that’s just what happened with the Toyota Prius.
Yes, the Prius. The poster child for a cleaner, greener future has now become a Sports Illustrated Swimwear model. So, is Toyota brilliant, or did they lose the plot completely? Let’s find out.
Head-turning Looks
One look is all it took (hey, that would make a great song!) to show this is something special. We got loads of second glances, questions, and thumbs ups – mostly before folks new it was a Prius. For a vehicle that was known to be sensible and utilitarian, it’s a huge change.
Dimensionally, the new P is 2 inches shorter, 1 inch wider and 1-inch longer, but it’s so much more than that.
Up front is ultra-aggressive, with slim, angled LED headlights that dip down over a lowered grille. The grille below that has a metallic finish, and it looks very shark like. Steer clear!
While we like the front, the profile is all kinds of swanky, with a steeply raked windshield, a tight greenhouse, and fender flares that ride high up into the shoulders of the design. 19-inch alloys fill out the wheel wells and look big and serious.
The roofline sweeps back as aggressively as the front, and yes this is real hatchback – they didn’t completely throw away utility! Looking at the lines, this goes way beyond aero into lush auto design. If we told people this was the latest Alfa Romeo or Lotus, they would have believed it.
The rearview follows the sleek front looks, with a horizontal LED bar spanning the width of the back, while P R I U S is spelled out in big block letters. This is big and bold and proud. Yes, a Prius to lust after. Amazing!
The Sportsman’s Lodge
Inside is equally thrilling, with a definite sporty bent.
The interior looks sleek, with a wide horizontal feel. You do feel that you slip on down into the seats, but once you’re there, it’s surprisingly comfortable. The driver enjoys an 8-way power seat with lumbar, and Toyota says the seat bottoms have been redesigned for added comfort. Those in the back will notice things are a bit tight on headroom – you can thank that aggressively swept-back roofline for that.
It’s not all bad news, the hatchback design gives easy access to the cargo bay, and folding down the rear seats gives a surprising amount of space. Low slung, sexy, but still practical!
Back to the driver’s seat, like the bZ4X EV, the Prius serves up a raised gauge display that you view above the top of the steering rim – kind of a mix between a traditional gauge and a head-up display. The panel itself is quick and easy to read with a 7-inch digital display that’s bright and clear. The design pushes the steering wheel a bit low, but we think it really suits the sportiness of the new look, you feel like you’re sitting in a low-slung sports coupe.
Adding to the vibe, you’ve got a thick leather-wrapped wheel and a stubby shift lever sprouting out of the center console – much better than the old dash-mounted ones in previous Prius models.
Sitting proud in the center console is a 12.3-inch info-tainment display, (an 8-inch one is standard), and we like the wide-aspect horizontal layout, with plenty of screen space to serve up your favorite apps. Another plus, just say “Hey Toyota” and you can access a bunch of the info-tainment features by voice.
That wide design makes us wonder why the volume knob is way over on the right side of the screen – a bit of a reach – but we’re thankful Toyota gives us one anyway. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto should please just about everyone. We also liked the little pocket that gives you wireless charging – it takes up so little space. Brilliant design.
More smart design, the climate control panel is below the screen, with easy to reach push buttons – much better than making you fish around on the info-tainment screen!
A Driving Revolution
The drive is as exhilarating as the design.
When we recently tested the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid we were very impressed. Well, the less powerful regular Prime still has plenty to excite.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder hybrid that provides an impressive 194 horsepower through the front wheels. (An AWD model bumps that to 196 hp). This is the same engine in the Corolla Cross hybrid, and we liked it there and we like it here.
Feeding through a CVT transmission acceleration is much stronger than any previous Prius, and it hits 60 mph in about 7 seconds– over 3 seconds faster than the last model. Not only does it feel quick thanks to the low seating position, it really is quick and keeping up with and zipping around traffic is easy. All that and MPG is still phenomenal with a combined mpg rating of 52! This is the hybrid promise come true, great fuel economy with strong performance. We love it.
But our affection doesn’t stop there. With the lower body and hunkered down chassis, the handling is great fun, too. Steering is responsive and there’s plenty of grip from those big wheels and tires. Where the old model was tipsy and really didn’t want to be pushed, the new Prius likes to gobble up corners, stays flat in the turns, and the ride is well controlled. This is a fun vehicle to drive.
Toyota continues to improve brake feel with their hybrid models, and they work a treat here. Our only exception was a bit of grabbiness first thing in the morning. Not sure what that was about, but once the car warmed up, it was no problem.
Is it a Penny Pincher Too?
You might think Toyota is going to raise the price to the rafters with the new model, but that’s not the case. Hey, it’s a Toyota, and a Prius to boot! The line up starts with the LE model at $27,950. With the sleek looks and 57/56 estimated MPG it’s a tremendous value that should be cheap to keep.
Our tester was the mid-level XLE front wheel drive model, starting at $31,095. We think the upgrades are well worth the step up. Our tester also wore a nice selection of options, including 12.3-inch multimedia ($735), Special Paint ($425), Fixed glass roof ($1,000), door edge guards and sill protectors ($405), Dash Cam ($375), Quick Charge Cable ($70), First Aid Kit ($25) and another $307 in additional accessories. Add in $1,095 on Delivery, and we rang the bell at $35,532.
Competitors would include the all-new 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid, at around $33,300. It should be a little more powerful and a little less efficient (49 mpg combined isn’t bad). It’s less sleek and sporty than the Prius, but still a handsome little beast. Stay tuned for a review soon. We also think the Elantra Hybrid is a strong choice at $30,600 with similar economy to the Civic, and loads of features, but it’s way down on power compared to the Prius and Honda with just 139 horsepower.
Gorgeous looks, a sporty drive and excellent efficiency – the 2024 Toyota Prius is a win-win-win!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.