Throw away what you assume concerning the Toyota Prius, the ur-hybrid that was briefly Silicon Valley’s most tech-forward automobile earlier than it was supplanted by Tesla and different electrical automobiles.
The 2023 Toyota Prius, which fits on sale early subsequent 12 months, is a stunner. The modern, wedge-shaped type wasn’t straightforward to realize while preserving the Prius’ mpg, however the firm’s engineers and designers pulled it off. On high of the brand new form, it’s significantly sooner, has a extra standard inside, and maintains the identical placing gas economic system, EPA-rated at as much as 57 mpg mixed for some variations.
It’s a startling correction for Toyota, whose final technology of Prius, launched in 2016, was—to place it mildly—a controversial design. Reviewers described its assortment of traces, accents, question-mark-shaped vertical taillights, and different stylistic prospers with phrases like unlucky or regrettable or simply plain hideous.
In early December, we drove two variations of the brand new 2023 Prius and rode in a 3rd throughout a media drive held exterior San Diego. We got here away impressed; Toyota has stored the normal Prius gas effectivity however improved efficiency, security options, and most of all, the appears.
Wait, THIS is a Prius?
To our eyes, the form is beautiful. It produced rapturous awe amongst those that noticed the near-simultaneous Prius debuts held in Japan and Los Angeles in mid-November, however it wasn’t clear the automobile itself would look pretty much as good as pictures taken from rigorously chosen digital camera angles. It does.
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
Toyota’s major purpose was to provide a wind-cheating form that minimizes aerodynamic drag. A pure wedge form is as shut as designers can get to best, whereas nonetheless making a automobile that meets lighting, security, and automobile necessities. Many have tried, some with not-entirely-successful outcomes; contemplate the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan, as an example.
The 2023 Prius has a remarkably low nostril, just like the final technology, however now a hood that rises right into a windshield virtually on the similar angle. The graceful arc continues over the roof, down the tailgate, and ends abruptly at a Kamm tail with easy, skinny, horizontal lights sweeping from nook to nook. There’s no extra break up rear window, a Prius hallmark for 3 generations, and the rear door deal with is hidden within the roof pillar trim (a la C-HR) with a button inside to launch the electrical latch earlier than you pull the door open.
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
Once we first noticed it, the 2023 Prius delivered to thoughts designs like Bertone’s 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero concept, the 1975 Princess from British Leyland, even the late, lamented Chevrolet Volt. We expect it’s higher trying than any of them, with a very nicely resolved rear finish.
Inside, actuality returns: it’s nonetheless a Prius, with a set of sunshine and darkish gray and black vinyl, plastic, and material inside supplies. There’s a spherical energy button on all however the LE trim, and a standard drive selector on the console. And in its fifth technology, the Prius has a standard instrument cluster behind the steering wheel—although far ahead on the base of the raked windshield. No extra strips of combined monochrome and coloration icons, numbers, and graphs!
Peppier and lighter
On the highway, the brand new Prius is undeniably peppier than any earlier technology. Its 2.0-liter inline-4 engine is bigger than final 12 months’s Prius engine, and the 2 motor-generators have greater output scores—though the lithium-ion battery stands at a decrease capability of 0.9 kilowatt-hours. On-demand all-wheel drive is on the market as an choice on all three trim ranges; it provides greater than 100 kilos to general weight. Altogether, the mixed powertrain is rated at 194 or 196 hp (for front- and all-wheel-drive variations respectively), absolutely 60 % greater than the 121 hp of final 12 months’s mannequin.
Toyota quotes 0-to-60-mph acceleration instances of seven.2 seconds for the bottom mannequin and seven.0 seconds if the optionally available on-demand all-wheel drive is fitted. That’s two and a half seconds faster than the earlier technology’s 9.8 seconds. We drove largely in Regular mode, and examined the faster however noisier Sport mode and the remarkably inoffensive Eco mode. We is likely to be tempted to go away it in Eco mode—which we’ve stated about only a few hybrids ever—and simply drive it arduous.
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
Not like the final Prius, we discerned little distinction in on-road habits between FWD and AWD fashions. However we’ll anticipate snowy climate to see if the additional traction is extra evident.
Whereas no Prius is more likely to be as lithe and keen to interact with twisty mountain roads as, say, a Mazda 3, the low peak of the brand new 2023 mannequin makes it rewarding to toss via turns—to a sure diploma. Most consumers might not do this; as an alternative, they’ll expertise a predictable, flat-turning automobile that’s straightforward to hustle via city and suburban site visitors, and does high quality on highways as nicely.
Behind the wheel, the 2023 Prius controls will probably be acquainted to homeowners of any current Toyotas. The steering wheel has the standard buttons for voice management of telephone calls and audio choice, cruise management, and toggling via the multi-information show on the cluster. The middle touchscreen seems to be similar, or shut, to different current Toyota hybrids—which means this can be a Prius most drivers might get in and function with out steering on the previously quirky controls.
Tooling across the city, suburban, and nation roads of San Diego, with just a few fast freeway blasts, we had been startled to discover a sprint meter exhibiting “EV Driving Ratios” of fifty to 70 %. We didn’t “hypermile” or pay a lot consideration to the powertrain; we simply drove the Prius as you’ll any passenger automobile. It’s clear the usual Prius, not even the plug-in mannequin, can spend much more time in electrical mode than it used to. That’s factor.
Comfy seats, top quality anticipated
Regardless of its excessive windshield rake, getting out and in of the Prius entrance seats wasn’t that arduous—not all the time the case in different automobiles with equally laid-back screens. The entrance seats of the 2023 Prius are comfy and supportive, although reporters north of 6 ft tall needed to decrease the motive force’s seat so far as it might go to get enough headroom. Rear-seat leg and shoulder room was enough, however passengers sit nearer to the ground than beforehand, which will not be best for some. The perforated “Softex” vinyl seat materials of the XLE and Restricted fashions regarded suitably upscale; no cloth-trimmed LE base fashions had been obtainable to check.
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
Toyota has labored significantly arduous on decreasing noise, vibration, and harshness from the powertrain, the tires, and wind flowing over the physique. For the primary time in any Prius, we weren’t capable of discover the engine switching on underneath most circumstances—a outstanding achievement in a automobile with a value beginning barely under $30,000. Beneath arduous acceleration, certain, the engine noise rose to a muted roar and stayed there. However this was essentially the most soothing by far of any technology of Prius we’ve examined.
With a descending window line within the entrance doorways, entrance and aspect outward imaginative and prescient is great. The nostril drops so steeply that even a 6-foot driver can’t see the entrance of the automobile—simply the highway instantly forward. On the rear, the dearth of the previous two-part tailgate glass wasn’t as a lot of a loss as we anticipated. There’s enough, if not lavish, imaginative and prescient out the rear, although the three-quarters views are predictably obstructed by thick pillars and a rising window line. Nonetheless not as dangerous as your common compact SUV, although …
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
Cargo capability is listed as 20.3 cubic ft with the rear seat up, however no determine was obtainable for quantity when it’s folded down. Our early-production automobiles, with VINs beginning round 000100, had been largely nicely put-together and defect-free. One had barely extra wind noise than one other, however we’ve each confidence Toyota’s ordinary consideration to high quality will make sure the fashions rolling into sellers from the Japanese plant that provides all of them could have fastened that downside.
Bundle of energetic security options
The 2023 Prius comes commonplace with the newest 3.0 model of what’s known as Toyota Security Sense, a bundle of superior driver-assist methods that features adaptive cruise management, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automated excessive beams, road-sign detection, and energetic lane management. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert can be commonplace.
Non-obligatory or commonplace options, relying on trim stage, embody front- and rear parking help with automated braking, a 360-degree digital camera view, and an Superior Park system that lets the automobile park itself in parallel or back-in house. Neither the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) nor the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) has but rated the 2023 Prius for crash security. Toyota says it expects excessive scores from each.
Three trims, from 49 to 57 mpg mixed
Each trim stage and optionally available all-wheel drive issue into fuel-economy scores for the 2023 Prius. They vary from 49 to 57 mpg mixed, for the Restricted AWD and base LE front-wheel-drive fashions. With an 11.3-gallon gas tank, cautious drivers ought to rise up to 500 miles of vary from sure fashions underneath sure situations. Common (87 octane) gasoline is advisable.
The 2023 Toyota Prius is available in three trim ranges: base LE, mid-grade XLE, and high Restricted. All fashions have LED daytime working lights and tail lights, an energetic grille shutter, 60-40 break up folding rear seat backs, energy home windows with automated up/down, six USB-C cost ports (no earlier USB variations, although), a shark-fin roof antenna, and a cargo tonneau cowl.
2023 Toyota Prius XLE
The LE has 17-inch metal wheels with plastic wheel covers, manually adjustable seats, and an 8-inch touchscreen show. XLE fashions step as much as 19-inch alloy wheels plus rain-sensing wipers, energy adjustable driver’s seats, heated entrance seats, proximity keys, and push-button begin.
The highest Restricted trim provides an influence rear liftgate, heated and ventilated entrance seats with reminiscence settings, a regular glass roof and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen (each optionally available on the XLE). Costs begin at $28,545 (together with the necessary supply payment of $1,095) for the bottom LE mannequin with front-wheel drive, and step as much as $36,960 for a Restricted AWD model. Choices like a digital rear-view mirror can push the highest sticker value towards $40,000.
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Toyota offered airfare, lodging, and meals to allow Inexperienced Automotive Stories to carry you this first-person drive report.
