The Toyota Prius will get a nasty rap from lovers. A long time of being a “mom-mobile” and what primarily quantities to the precise reverse of the efficiency automobiles everyone knows and love will do this. So, when the keys landed in our lap, getting previous that was instantly a priority. Now, we’re right here to persuade the remainder of you gearheads that the exact same is feasible. Name it Prius self-help, if you’ll.
That is as a result of, objectively, the Toyota Prius is an effective automobile. It is an affordable automobile. Actually, it is only a automobile, and there is nothing flawed with dependable, quiet, environment friendly, snug transport. That’s till you dig a bit of deeper.
Our Prius was the “Goldilocks” spec – a middling XLE mannequin – which totaled $31,056 after its measly smattering of choices. Whereas it is by no means been a automobile everybody agrees on, the Prius continues to be round nearly 20 years on from once we met the primary iteration for a cause and Toyota has plans to maintain it round even longer.
Exterior: Perform Over Type, At all times
We’re not going to inform you it is a lovely automobile, a shining instance of inexpensive automotive design. However, it’s an efficient mix of kind and performance. The Prius seems satisfactory, positive, however its seems are additionally rooted in its main operate: environment friendly transport of products and folks (and canine).
Take the Prius’s well-known rear window configuration. It is not for everybody, positive, however from inside, you possibly can see additional down the again of the automobile than you ever thought doable, which may be very useful. A lot the identical will be stated of the entrance windscreen, which rakes in such a approach which you could see all that is in entrance of you with unbelievable readability. Once more, the identical will be stated of the facet home windows, that are decrease than you’d count on in a contemporary automobile. That interprets to with the ability to see parking strains.
However you possibly can’t consider the design of the Prius with out contemplating the Corolla Hybrid. The Corolla Hybrid makes use of the identical operating gear and is an identical worth for the same package deal. The Prius’s design instantly turns into a weak level once you issue within the Corolla. It’s, objectively, higher trying by each metric. Like we stated, the Prius seems appetizing till you dig a bit of.
Efficiency: Sufficient Is Okay
As for efficiency, the Prius defines “enough,” managing 121 horsepower from its hybrid 1.8-liter four-pot. It is sufficient. You may nonetheless overtake on the freeway, although you actually will not be staying the lead automobile within the commuter pack for lengthy.
That stated, Toyota manages to make the Prius really feel torquey, regardless of what the numbers say. That is right down to the hybrid system. Choosing “B” on the Prius’s mildly phallic shifter association offers additional brake regen, which nets you an EV-like braking expertise, one thing we discovered helpful in visitors.
However sufficient about efficiency and brake regen. This automobile is about sipping gasoline, and the Prius doth not protest. The EPA says you may handle about 52 mpg, however we snuck that quantity as much as 53.9 mpg with a mixture of metropolis and freeway driving. One might comfortably hit round 570 or so miles of tarmac earlier than the tank lastly ran dry. Frankly, it wasn’t that onerous, and with gasoline as dear as it’s, we have been grateful.
Driving Impressions: All Issues To All Hybrids
As a reminder, the Prius is not any easy machine. The automobile’s hybrid system is advanced, continuously working to eke out the very best gas economic system regardless of your pig-headed driving type. Regardless of that, there is a feeling of simplicity in the way in which the Prius drives. It is quiet, comfortable, and inoffensive on the highway. We must also notice that the Prius is the one compact hybrid to carry AWD to the desk, although our automobile wasn’t geared up with it.
Nonetheless, that does not imply the Prius’s front-driven system did not do its job. It’s going to struggle you the entire approach, however you may get from level A to B with out spending $60 on gasoline. We do want the Prius have been extra keen to make use of a few of that energy, nonetheless. As a lot because the gas economic system is good, it may be irritating ready for the drivetrain to speed up the way in which you want it to.
When you’re settled in on the freeway, the Prius cruises properly. Its trip is smooth and comfy, isolating you from all however the largest potholes. It is quiet, too; highway noise is current just because $31K solely pays for a lot sound deadening. Nonetheless, you needn’t shout at your passengers on the freeway.
Whereas the Prius is greater than able to sitting on the freeway fairly fortunately, do not count on the automobile that will help you do it. Toyota’s adaptive cruise and lane-keep help are sluggish and totalitarian, respectively. Radar cruise refuses to react when a niche emerges in entrance of you, ensuing within the Prius feeding an infinite cycle of being minimize off and slowing itself right down to make room for the automobile that is now in entrance. The lane maintain help will jerk the wheel in your arms, and if something, you may keep between the strains merely since you’re too afraid of what the automobile will do when you do not.
Because of the woeful driver help programming, you are left to pilot a model new 2022 mannequin 12 months automobile with none of these options. Usually, that is the place we would work in a witty transition into the driving dynamics of the Prius, if there have been any.
Steering really feel is a time period in all probability higher used to explain how the faux leather-based wheel feels in your arms (simply superb, by the way in which). The brakes merely work. They don’t seem to be unbelievable, however nor want they be. In case you hit the brake pedal, the automobile will cease. We have talked in regards to the Prius’ unwillingness to speed up and must also notice that switching to the automobile’s “Energy” drive mode does nearly nothing to abate the lazy pedal response. So far as we are able to inform, the remainder of the motive force modes do not do a lot, both.
Regular mode, after all, should not. EV mode will nearly at all times kick you out and activate the gasoline engine, putting you firmly again the place you began: in Regular mode. Lastly, Eco mode will completely neuter what throttle response you had left, main you to place the rattling factor again in Regular mode and simply reasonable the gasoline your self.
This will likely sound like we hated the Prius, however there’s one thing to be stated for a automobile you possibly can simply get in and drive. Do not fuss with something, and the Prius holds its personal. Simply do not look too deep.
Inside: If It Ain’t Broke…
Now, herein lies our greatest concern. The fundamental structure of the Prius’ cabin hasn’t modified because the days of Adam and Eve, and in some methods, it exhibits. Toyota desperately must replace the Prius’ infotainment and shows. These now really feel very, very previous for 2022. Everybody has harped on this older Toyota infotainment system earlier than, so we’ll spare you most of it.
Merely put, it is previous, clunky, and sluggish. Its sole saving grace is that each Android Auto and Apple Carplay operate on it. Thanks to those two methods, the infotainment system manages to hold in there, as long as you do not have a look at an Elantra Hybrid, which fully outshines the Prius’s cabin in some ways.
That is additionally true of the Prius’s middle show and gauges. These shows look previous, and it is time for an replace. Nonetheless, these shows are helpful, displaying something you may need, together with vary figures, consumption, and a plethora of different choices. However once more, so does the competitors. Toyota’s unwillingness to carry up to date tech into its interiors continues to work towards the model right here.
The remainder of the inside and cargo house works to redeem the woeful previous infotainment and cluster, which has now been up to date on Prime fashions. The seats are comfortable and enticing, and the identical will be stated of the rear. As well as, the controls are very simple to establish and use, and the inside feels utilitarian, powerful, and simplistic consequently.
Storage is the place this cabin shines, nonetheless. The hatch is a gaping maw of practicality, and there is at all times an additional loop for a cargo internet helpful. That was additionally one of many solely choices on our Prius. A $495 package deal bagged us the cargo internet, all-season ground mats, and a first-aid package. Additionally specced on our loaner have been door edge guards ($25), which we fortunately did not want.
Storage within the cabin is way the identical story. The middle console is not very giant, however its size means it is vitally usable. There are all of the cupholders on the earth as nicely, with 4 up entrance and two in again. Toyota put effort into making the Prius usable in almost each state of affairs.
Verdict & Value: A Hybrid Icon Struggling For Relevance
On the finish of all of it, the important thing to having fun with the Prius as an fanatic entails a bit of self-help. Casting apart notions of velocity and standing does wonders for the psyche, and it is satisfying to drive a automobile that does not care what anybody thinks of it. BUT. When you cease evaluating the Prius in a vacuum, cracks emerge. Toyota sells a Corolla Hybrid with an identical gas economic system and powertrain figures, in addition to higher seems and infotainment. There’s additionally the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, which is a completely fashionable automobile for nearly the identical cash ($24,100 MSRP). Nonetheless, the Prius does nonetheless maintain that huge hatch as a bonus over each.
So, when you want that hatch house, the reply is clear. You may should put up with the automobile’s infotainment and driver help to have the ability to haul extra. Regardless of how sincere and humble the Prius is and at all times will likely be, the competitors has caught up. Toyota just isn’t the one hybrid participant within the recreation anymore, and this automobile exhibits that Toyota wants to acknowledge that rapidly.