![]() ![]() ![]() Based on looks and performance, the new Prius Prime is top of class, and with pricing starting at $33,445 (including delivery) it undercuts the competition in the pocketbook as well. Inside it boasts a modern, clean interior and its looks, inside and out, are-improbably-the best in class.Īll 2023 Prius Prime trims come with a full suite of advanced driver assistance and safety features and even the base SE gets full-range adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, options on many competitors. It provides a comfortable ride, plenty of space for the front seat occupants and adequate room in the rear seating area for all but the tallest of passengers. At 181.1 inches overall, the Prime is the longest vehicle in its class. But the Prime leads the tiny class in front legroom and in cargo area when the rear seats aren’t folded away. It also boasts a respectable zero-to-60 time (Toyota estimated) of 6.6 seconds.Ĭompetitors all have more traditionally SUV or wagon-like design than the 2023 Prius Prime, and with that comes more total cargo capacity and better headroom and rear-seat legroom. But the Prius Prime is responsive and fun to drive-a first for a Prius. ![]() Among competitors, the all-wheel drive Mini and Subaru are more sure-footed on wet or slippery surfaces and the Mini PHEV, which is more than a foot shorter (and has a torquier, 221 horsepower hybrid system) is more fun to toss around. That’s an 82% increase over the second-generation Prius Prime and combined with the aerodynamic new body and stiffer suspension elevates the Prime onto a new performance plane– there’s no comparison. John O’Dellįor 2023, the Prius Prime is offered with a single front-wheel drive parallel hybrid powertrain rated at 220 horsepower. For 2023, the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid gets the same exterior as the regular Prius, and that’s a good thing as designers gave Toyota’s long-lived hybrid a glamorous new look for its latest iteration. The Prime is the plug-in hybrid version of the separately reviewed 2023 Prius conventional hybrid, which just might be its toughest competitor. The Prius Prime sits proudly atop the heap with more range, as much or more power and better fuel efficiency. The likeliest competitors for the 2023 Prius Prime are the Kia Niro PHEV, Mini Cooper SE Countryman PHEV and Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid. As with the previous model, the third-generation Prime is available in three trims, renamed SE, XSE and XSE Premium-the “S” in Toyota’s name game indicating this is a “sport” (or at least sporty-ish) model.Ĭompetition in the small PHEV segment is pretty thin, especially as many other automakers are moving away from sedans as quickly as their factories can be retrofitted with SUV assembly lines. The new Prius Prime accomplishes both goals rather admirably with a svelte new coupe-like exterior, improved handling, modern and trendy interior and huge improvements in both power and all-electric range. No longer a mere appliance for those who value efficient transportation over all else, the new Prius Prime has the dual goals of luring younger, trendier buyers to the Toyota brand while not ignoring the core audience of efficiency seekers. The redesigned 2023 Prius Prime remains a five-seat, two-row, compact hatchback, but that description ignores the dramatic improvements bestowed by Toyota designers and engineers charged with making the plug-in hybrid a truly desirable small car.
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