Green Car Journal has closely followed the evolution of the Toyota Prius since our early hands-on experience at Toyota’s Arizona Proving Grounds in mid-1997. Here, we piloted a Toyota Corona test mule powered by an exotic gas-electric powerplant concept that was unlike anything we had driven before. Little did we know that this test car’s Toyota Hybrid System would make its way in production form to the automaker’s all-new Prius, a model that debuted later that year at COP 3, the third United Nations climate conference. This is where the landmark Kyoto Protocol international treaty was adopted to mitigate greenhouse gases and climate change.
The Prius was there to make a statement that Toyota recognized the environmental challenges ahead and was prepared to lead. Prius sales began in Japan in 1997 and expanded worldwide in 2000. The rest is history. In the 27 years since the Prius was introduced, this hybrid has stayed true to its original mission as a model of high efficiency and low carbon emissions. It has shape-shifted over time, starting out as a quirky subcompact sedan and then morphing into a hatchback with a distinctive and easily-recognizable profile.
All-New Toyota Prius Prime
Now in its all-new fifth generation, Toyota’s Prius is a true game changer presenting as a wondrous liftback with a whole new outlook that far transcends eco consciousness, though that is still the core of its being. Today’s Prius is now sleek and visually compelling, extraordinarily fuel efficient at up to 57 combined mpg, and delivers surprising levels of performance for an eco-champion priced at just $27,950.
For an additional five grand the model’s plug-in hybrid variant, Prius Prime, features all this along with a more powerful 13 kWh lithium-ion battery that brings an EPA estimated 45 miles of electric driving and up to 600 miles of overall range. Along with its admirable EPA estimated 52 combined mpg as a hybrid, Prime achieves up to 127 MPGe when running on its batteries.
Electric When You Need It
Prius Prime’s considerable battery electric range makes it the ideal electric vehicle for a great many who wish to drive zero emission every day, but also want the ability to tackle longer trips seamlessly. This characteristic, and so many others that elevate the model above its peers, distinguished Toyota’s Prius Prime as Green Car Journal’s 2024 Green Car of the Year®.
Performance in a traditional sense, like quick acceleration and impressive driving dynamics, has never been expected of a Prius. That wasn’t its mission. This changes in a big way with the new Prius presenting as a driver’s car, a model that speaks to car enthusiasts who value appealing style and a fun-to-drive nature alongside environmental performance. The new Prius Prime’s 220 system horsepower, delivered by a 2.0-liter engine and 161 hp electric motor-generator, changes the performance equation with nearly 100 more horsepower and a third greater torque than the previous generation Prime. That extra power is a big deal and drivers will appreciate Prius Prime’s surprising ability to sprint from 0-60 mph in just 6.6 seconds.
Toyota Prius Prime Profile
Greater performance aside, the most noticeable change in the new Prius is clearly its attention-grabbing, smoothly sculpted design. We know this first-hand. Over the past few months, we’ve spent significant time behind the wheel of an uplevel ($39,670) Prius Prime XSE long-term test vehicle equipped with this model’s full complement of advanced electronics and a cabin smartly upholstered in leatherlike SofTex. Inevitably, we get looks, questions, and overt signs of appreciation from a great diversity of people during our drives, many of them drivers of earlier Prius models and others who simply love the car’s forward-leaning and distinctive look.
We get it. The new Prius exudes a sporty appearance with its low roofline and sweeping aerodynamic profile, lending homage to the Prius of old while transforming its look into something more compelling. Once attention moves beyond the car’s most noticeable and eye-catching feature, there’s plenty inside to appreciate as well. Here, one finds a comfortable and functional cabin featuring a pleasing balance of tech, comfort, and style, with a distinctive instrument panel design that takes its cues from Toyota’s bZ4X electric car.
We’ll be sharing our experiences of daily life with the Prius Prime in the months ahead, and no doubt, more stories of interactions with others who find the all-new Prius as compelling as we do.