► Toyota Prius now plug-in hybrid only
► Sleek new look, punchier performance
► Two models offered, from £37,315
The new Toyota Prius wasn’t originally destined for the UK, but a quick U-turn from the UK suits means the fifth-generation hybrid is now available in the UK. More premium in look and feel, the new Prius goes more upmarket than its ancestors.
Toyota hopes it’ll sell more than the 563 models the previous car did in 2022, but it doesn’t need to too much. Instead the volume will now fall to the Corolla, which is already performing well in the business car market. With that in mind, the Prius can aim for an altogether different segment.
To find out just how good the new Prius is, we drove it at length – and even took it to Le Mans with us. Around 600 miles and 14 hours later, keep reading for our full verdict.
Should you buy a Toyota Prius? The Prius is no longer just a highly efficient run around. Improved styling and comfort mean it’s now a solid all-rounder.
At a glance
Pros: Effortlessly refined, smooth performance, excellent efficiency, future car styling
Cons: Interior lacks wow factor, small model range, punchy pricing
What’s new
Pretty much everything. By pushing the peak of the roof towards the rear of the car and lowering it significantly, a far more athletic shape has been created. It’s not as aerodynamic as it looks – the drag co-efficient is 0.27 – but certainly cuts a dash. Large 19-inch wheels and a stretched wheelbase complete the look, distancing it from the Uber fodder we’re familiar with. Of course, the car we drove to Le Mans also features Toyota’s GR livery, making it a little more unique.
Underneath is the second-gen Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), in this case the fresh GA-C platform. It’s stiffer and lighter than the old car’s bodyshell, while the fuel tank and hybrid battery have been moved to lower the centre of gravity.
The Prius benefits from Toyota’s third generation plug-in hybrid system. Offered with a hefty 13.6kWh, it will drive up to 53 miles (claimed) on batteries, which should cover most people’s commutes. As a hybrid, it produces CO2 emissions rating of 12g/km (with 17in wheels) – the lowest yet for a Prius. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also a new 2.0-litre petrol engine with more power and greater efficiency.
What are the specs?
The headline here is that overall power is up by an eyebrow raising 99bhp, for a total system output of 220bhp (150bhp for the 2.0-litre engine and 161bhp for the motor). This drops the 0-62mph time to a sprightly 6.8-seconds, yet it’s still good for a claimed a sci-fi-like 564.9mpg on the WLTP test cycle – not really feasible in real-world driving.
That new battery is 50% denser than the old car’s lower capacity pack using fewer cells – meaning it takes up less space. After a rather sluggish four-hour recharge thanks to a slow 3.3kW maximum charge rate. This is off the pace, considering an increasing number of rival PHEVs are now offering CCS charging. It’s the biggest downside of what is otherwise an excellent hybrid drivetrain.
What about the interior?
The new Prius costs a fair bit more than the previous one at near £40,000 but jump in the cabin and you’ll see where most of the money has gone. The fit and finish is good, and Toyota has used a range of materials that nicely straddle the line between robust and luxurious.
There’s a large sharp touchscreen taking care of infotainment duties, and the UI is both clear and easy to read when you want to use it. Most of the time though, we used Apple CarPlay, which connected without issues throughout our time with the car. That’s more than we can say for some…
Toyota doesn’t force you to use the touchscreen all the time, though: There are a heap of physical controls on the dash, controlling everything from the A/C to the Prius’ much-needed ventilated seats. The steering wheel also gets its fair share of buttons, all executed with simple-to-use buttons rather than the more common haptic or capacitive nonsense.
A big digital display is perched high on the dash in Peugeot iCockpit style for speed, hybrid info and everything else a driver might want. It’s sharp and easy to control via the steering wheel while its positioning keeps your eyes closer to the road.
Space up front is unlikely to be an issue, partially because you’re sat so much lower than before. Legroom in the back is fine for a car of this size, with the roofline predictably limiting rear headroom. If Toyota wanted to put minicabbers off, they’ve succeeded.
Put it all together and it’s an interior that focuses on usability and comfort rather than tech and ‘bold design’.
How does it drive?
Much better than you think. If you’re expecting instant EV-style acceleration, you might be slightly disappointed, but the Prius has a good amount of poke. The power comes in a gentle and linear fashion, but it’s more than enough for urban use and holds its own on motorways and B-roads too.
It’ll occasionally moo at you, but most of the time the new Prius sounds acceptable and does what you ask for it. This is still not a sports car, but there’s more to it than the previous car.
The new suspension set-up is more than up to the task, with direct, precise steering that makes stringing together a few corners a far more pleasant experience. There isn’t much lean even when you’re exploring the generous grip levels, so a B road blast isn’t the pointless exercise you might expect.
Bigger 19-inch wheels and a more handling oriented setup does mean it’s firmer than before, if not uncomfortably so thanks to supple damping. The good news is that it deals with the worst that the UK road network can throw at it with, with mid-corner potholes felt and heard, but certainly not throwing you off-course.
As is the case with all of the firm’s TNGA-underpinned models, the Prius puts in a poised performance. There isn’t much lean even when you’re exploring the generous grip levels, so a B road blast isn’t the pointless exercise you might expect. It’s unlikely you’ll be whooping with delight, but the new found agility and cross-country pace makes it reasonably entertaining, and surprisingly effective at covering ground quickly.
It even sounds less annoying than before. In most situations the engine’s note will still be rising slightly by the time you’ve finished accelerating, and it sounds a little rortier than before. Hitting motorway speeds from a standstill as quickly as possible will get the engine holding revs unnaturally as before, but we can live with that, and it can be undone by a quick tickle of the accelerator pedal.
Bigger 19-inch wheels and a more handling oriented setup does mean it’s firmer than before, if not uncomfortably so thanks to supple damping. The good news is that it deals with the worst that the UK road network can throw at it with, with mid-corner potholes felt and heard, but certainly not throwing you off-course.
Before you buy
Two trim levels, Design and Excel, are offered with just the one powertrain. Prices range from £37k to £39k, and as with all Toyotas, it comes with the firm’s ‘Relax’ warranty which covers the car for up to 10 years, as long as you stick to the main dealer network.
That puts it in among plug-in hybrid rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Octavia, Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra. But the Toyota is a more refined experience than all of them, and makes more of a design statement in exchange for a certain amount of practicality in the rear.
Verdict
The Prius is back, not as we knew it. With the Corolla taking up its taxi mantle, the Prius is now free to go upmarket and does so with impressive results. It looks great inside and out, is good to drive, devilishly efficient and even reasonably quick. It’ll eat up motorways across the continent with solid mpg (we got around 52mpg) and it even packs in features like ventilated seats and wireless charging.