The automotive giant Toyota seems to be slowly but surely catching up with the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) trend. In the United States, about one-quarter of Toyota sales are BEV-related, taking into account battery, hybrids, plug-ins, and fuel cell vehicles. Some say Toyota should have acted sooner and more aggressively toward full electrification. And with good reason too. Toyota’s electrification plans can still be seen as conservative and not in line with the speed at which the market is moving, and new EV companies are gaining ground.
One cannot, however, fault Toyota for how ahead of its time it was when it first released the original Toyota Prius back in 1997. The first generation ended its run with 123,000 units sold, and it was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, effectively paving the way in the industry for future electric cars. The Toyota Prius Hybrid wasn’t without its faults, but it found a successful niche despite them. Like any successful model, the Prius kept evolving through its generations and finally, the all-new 2023 Toyota Prius became one of the best hybrids in the market.
The 2023 Prius Hybrid Is The Best Looking Yet
The 2023 Toyota Prius Hybrid is a good-looking car. Its design took a more modern-day approach and the hybrid blends well with other modern cars on the road today. This alone already put the 2023 Toyota Prius a step above its predecessors since the design was never really a strong point for older generations of the Prius. The current design evokes emotions not usually related to owning or driving a Prius, and it’s unquestionably one of the many aspects Toyota brought to the new Prius to make it stand out. Some people won’t buy a car if they think it’s ugly, and for a lot of potential buyers, that was the case for the Prius of the past. With this coupe-inspired design, clean, aerodynamic, and sleek lines, Toyota finally took care of this issue.
When it first debuted in 1997, the Prius paired a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor and had a total output of 72 horsepower and 85 pound-feet of torque. Needless to say, performance wasn’t its strong suit. That improved slowly over its next iterations, but only now with this all-new generation, the 2023 Prius performance got to a point where most would consider it good. The current 2023 Toyota Prius 0-60 MPH time is 7.2 seconds for the FWD powertrain and a flat 7.0 seconds for the AWD version according to Toyota. The car now combines a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder ICE with an electric motor making it an everyday car that not only looks good, but is also fuel efficient with a fuel economy of up to 57 mpg, and won’t clog up the passing lane anymore. Toyota claims the total net output of this hybrid drivetrain is 194 horsepower for FWD models and 196 horsepower for the on-demand AWD trim. Fuel capacity is 11.3 gallons, so one can expect the range to be around the 600-mile figure.
Despite Improvements, The Price Hasn't Changed Much For The 2023 Prius
Starting MSRP for the 2023 Toyota Prius Hybrid has gone up a few hundred dollars from the outgoing model. It comes in at $27,450 and up to $35,865 for the top trim, the AWD Limited. At that price range, customers have quite a few good and different options of cars or even SUVs or crossovers to choose from. It’s not exactly a bargain, but the car should make those who opt to buy it satisfied enough as the Prius delivers on what they are looking for. An eco-friendly car that is comfortable, good-looking, and reliable as expected of any Toyota, and that does not compromise on performance. Toyota placed a few Easter eggs like the silhouette or the name of the car on the 2023 Prius to encourage people to look for them, giving them a chance to admire the attention and care given to every detail. There’s even a hidden compartment in the center console with the hashtag #hiddencompartment 3D printed in it. These Easter eggs help highlight the Prius' fun and light-hearted nature.
The 2023 Toyota Prius Has An Spacious Interior And Comfort
The instrument panel is located behind and above the steering wheel, an interesting touch previous Prius owners are already familiar with, and that is also seen on some other cars like the Peugeot 208. The center infotainment system features an eight-inch screen as standard on the entry-level trims, with an optional 12.3-inch on mid-range trims. This bigger screen comes standard on the top-of-the-line, Limited, and Limited AWD trim. The interior of the Prius is roomy and the Hybrid has 23.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity for the LE trims and 20.3 cubic feet for the XLE and Limited trims. The spacious interior is accentuated by the optional panoramic glass roof that offers individual shades for the back and front seats. The top trims come with this roof as standard.
Reliability Was Always Something You Could Count On With The Prius
Over the years the Toyota Prius Hybrid has proven its reliability, and it is expected that it will last a good 250,000 miles if maintained properly. Overall, the Prius has had no major issues over its history and there is no reason to expect it will be different from its current and best-yet generation. This is the best Prius Toyota has come up with up until now. The only issue is the market has changed a lot since it was first introduced more than 20 years ago, back in July 2000 in the USA, and there are now a lot of different options in terms of BEVs, PHEVs, and other sustainable eco-friendly cars and even ICE vehicles that are still viable and cheaper. On a final note, it’s important to make a distinction about the Prius. The 2023 Toyota Prius is a pure hybrid, however, there is also a plug-in option available with a total output of 220 horsepower. This PHEV is the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime. The Prius Prime has an estimated all-electric driving range of 44 miles and charging times that take about 11 hours on a 120V outlet or 4 hours on a 240V one.