We Drive the Hot New 2023 Toyota Prius | 2023 Toyota Prius TESTED! | Full Review with Test Results
We Drive the Hot New 2023 Toyota Prius | 2023 Toyota Prius TESTED! | Full Review with Test Results
The all-new 2023 Toyota Prius is more powerful, more stylish and … maybe even more cool. In this video, Edmunds’ Brian Wong embarks on a first drive of the 2023 Prius to get initial impressions behind the wheel, then brings it back to our test track for a full instrumented test. So, does the 2023 Prius live up to its new look? Watch the video above to find out!
2023 Toyota Prius review: https://edmu.in/3GfTIIc
Intro 00:00
What’s New 00:52
Interior 02:15
Cargo 05:52
Test Loop 06:33
Driving Impressions 07:22
Test Numbers 10:58
Conclusion 12:23
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Content
0 -> BRIAN WONG: The
2023 Toyota Prius
1.74 -> got an extreme makeover
that changed it
3.6 -> from an ugly
duckling into this--
6.06 -> a hybrid with some actual style.
8.1 -> But just like a book, we don't
judge a car by its cover.
10.59 -> So we're here to find out, does
the new Prius have substance
13.5 -> to back-up that new style?
14.873 -> We'll take you
along with us as we
16.29 -> get acquainted with the
Prius on a first drive.
18.54 -> And then give you a peek
into our ratings process
20.76 -> as I live with the
Prius for a week.
22.44 -> We'll also take it on our
real world testing loop.
24.6 -> So we get our own fuel economy
numbers, very important
27.15 -> for an efficient
vehicle like this.
28.63 -> But first, if you're
enjoying our videos,
30.36 -> please hit those Like
and Subscribe buttons.
32.47 -> And if you now have Prius envy
and you want to sell your car,
35.86 -> head over to
edmunds.com/sellmycar to get
38.4 -> an instant cash offer.
39.585 -> [TRUMPET PLAYING]
41.867 -> What was that?
42.45 -> You want to talk about
the Prius and its history,
44.34 -> and how the new one is to drive?
45.673 ->
48.32 -> The Prius is sort
of the OG hybrid
50.605 -> and it's been
carrying the banner
51.98 -> for fuel efficient
transportation for five
54.14 -> generations now.
54.92 -> All the way from
the early 2000's
57.02 -> into this, the new 2023 version.
59.42 -> And over that time,
there's really
60.86 -> been two constants
in the Prius lineup.
63.02 -> One, very fuel efficient
and two, very, very ugly.
67.28 -> But Toyota is hoping to change
that paradigm with a new Prius,
70.16 -> because this is actually
a very stylish vehicle.
73.16 -> Well, very stylish by
Prius standards, I guess.
75.83 -> And two, it remains
very fuel efficient.
78.59 -> Right now we're in
San Diego gathering
80.36 -> some initial
impressions of the Prius
82.04 -> and we'll get to
drive through a few
83.54 -> of the different trim
levels and try out
85.25 -> both of the front wheel
drive and the all wheel drive
88.04 -> powertrains.
88.82 -> So right now we are in a
limited all wheel drive.
91.67 -> And this is the top of the
three Prius trim levels.
94.19 -> They've dropped the base
L in the new generation.
96.75 -> So the base price of the Prius
has gone up about $2,300.
100.91 -> And one thing that's common
through all three trim levels,
103.61 -> they get big upgrades in
the powertrain department.
106.22 -> So up front, you now have a 2
liter, 4 cylinder engine that
109.67 -> replaces the 1.5
liter 4 cylinder
112.01 -> and you also get a new
lithium ion battery behind me,
115.43 -> underneath the rear seat.
116.57 -> And that battery is lighter
and it can output more energy.
120 -> So these gains, along
with an increase
122.155 -> in power for the
electric motors,
123.53 -> actually increases horsepower
from 121 all the way up
127.64 -> to 194 horsepower in
front wheel drive models
131.18 -> and 196 horsepower in
this, the all wheel drive.
135.17 ->
139.65 -> So we are in a limited model.
141.21 -> This is the top of the
line model for the Prius.
143.4 -> It comes standard with this
large 12.3" touch screen,
146.74 -> but all models also come with
this instrument cluster screen
149.37 -> here that sits on
top of the dash.
151.38 -> The 12.3" screen is
a massive upgrade.
154.29 -> Multimedia system
is easier to use.
156.43 -> It's faster.
157.29 -> Navigation system has
stops that are now
159.33 -> powered by Google so
you're getting the latest
161.28 -> sort of location updates.
162.51 -> There is one weird
thing, though.
163.89 -> With this large screen
here, the volume knob
165.78 -> actually moves all the
way over to the right.
168.1 -> So it's actually much
closer to the passenger.
170.04 -> You can still use this little
knob here on the steering wheel
172.35 -> to change volume, but
from the driver's seat
174.183 -> I can't reach it easily.
175.66 -> A little bit of a knock there.
176.91 -> The big problem, though,
is this instrument cluster.
179.123 -> So the design of
this is basically
180.54 -> identical to what you're
getting in the Toyota
182.457 -> bZ4X, their electric SUV.
184.44 -> And that vehicle, when
they first showed it,
186.342 -> it had instead of
a steering wheel,
187.8 -> a yoke like you would get
in a Tesla Model S Plaid.
190.92 -> But you know,
wheels are actually
192.36 -> better for driving so I'm glad
that there's a steering wheel
194.37 -> here.
194.87 -> The top of it, though,
it really covers up
196.83 -> that instrument cluster.
197.89 -> So when I set this up to where
I like to drive comfortably,
200.61 -> I can't see about
half the screen,
202.228 -> and I can't actually see
how fast that I'm going.
204.27 -> So I have to kind
of make a choice.
205.782 -> Do I want to be
comfortable driving
207.24 -> or do I want to be able
to see the speedometer,
209.07 -> see how the safety
features are all working,
210.903 -> see my fuel economy?
212.1 -> And it's just a compromise that
makes it a bit hard to find
214.98 -> a perfect driving position.
216.84 -> Connectivity features,
great in the new Prius.
219.395 -> No matter what
trim level, you're
220.77 -> getting wireless Android
Auto and Apple CarPlay even
223.35 -> with the smaller 8" screen that
comes standard on LE and XLE
226.72 -> models.
227.22 -> There's also Bluetooth that
can connect two phones at once.
229.75 -> So if you need to swap out
music it's not that hard.
231.96 -> And I also like, up front here,
they've done a very good job
234.69 -> with storage.
235.662 -> So you have this
little cubby here,
237.12 -> but it actually opens up and
reveals a hidden compartment.
240.252 -> And in case you
forget it's hidden,
241.71 -> it says #hiddencompartment
in the bottom of it.
244.71 -> And Toyota has moved the
wireless charging pad from here
247.26 -> over to this little
slot right here.
248.838 -> And the nice thing
is, you can really
250.38 -> only fit a phone in here.
251.422 -> So it's not in the
way of anything else.
253.14 -> There is one
problem, though, when
254.557 -> you have a wireless charging
pad that's enclosed like this
257.19 -> your phone can get quite hot.
258.695 -> So I had my phone in there
for maybe four or five minutes
261.07 -> and when I took it out,
very hot to the touch.
262.99 -> So this is a limited
model, as we said before,
265.59 -> and on the first drive I
got to test out an XLE.
267.96 -> And I actually think that will
be the one that most consumers
270.69 -> will and should buy.
272.19 -> There isn't that much
difference between the XLE
274.193 -> and the Limited.
274.86 -> They actually have the
exact same seat materials,
277.08 -> and it actually still comes
with the wireless charging
279.72 -> pad, heated front seats, and
you can outfit it with a larger
282.54 -> screen if you really wanted.
283.92 -> At a $3,500, roughly, price
difference between the two,
286.71 -> there's not really
as much of a case
288.21 -> to step up to the
Limited for me.
289.8 -> I think the XLE is where
you're going to find the best
292.05 -> mix of value and features.
293.31 -> I like a lot of
what Toyota has done
294.87 -> with the front of this
interior, however,
296.7 -> when you get to the back
things are much less positive.
299.32 -> As you can see, getting in--
300.952 -> a little bit more difficult
than it used to be.
302.91 -> This kind of
low-sloping roofline
304.32 -> means that you really got
to duck your head to make it
306.57 -> in without hitting it.
307.487 -> And the other problem is,
this cuts into the visibility
310.057 -> for your passengers.
310.89 -> So if I'm sitting here
and I look to my left,
312.81 -> I see a lot of ceiling, I
don't see a lot of window.
315.73 -> The back seat for the Prius
is actually very important
318.06 -> because so many Ubers and
taxis and things use them.
321.07 -> So any problems you have back
here, you can normally say,
323.74 -> hey, those are
people in the back.
324.85 -> It doesn't matter to me, but
it's going to matter to you.
327.225 -> Legroom?
327.96 -> Pretty good.
328.46 -> This seat is set up
where I like to drive.
330.21 -> I'm just under 6'
tall and it's actually
331.98 -> grown a bit because the
car is an inch longer.
334.44 -> Where things get worse,
also though, headroom.
337.29 -> So as you can see, my hair
is touching the headliner
340.14 -> and that means that if
I'm sitting straight up
342.15 -> and we hit a bump, my
skull and the headliner
344.4 -> are going to have a quick
reunion and that's not ideal.
347.1 -> Now, the backseat isn't the
only thing that's shrunk.
349.74 -> The cargo area-- that's
also gotten smaller.
352.51 -> So the last generation Prius had
27.4 cubic feet of cargo room
356.94 -> behind the rear seat,
and on this vehicle
359.23 -> it's actually shrunk down
to only 20.3 cubic feet.
362.16 -> And that's a big step down.
363.36 -> In practical terms, what
does that look like?
365.5 -> So Toyota actually
had an old Prius here
368.16 -> for us to try out
the cargo room and I
370.53 -> was able to fit this
set of golf clubs
372.21 -> in there with very
little problem.
373.645 -> So I'm going to try to do the
same thing in the new Prius
376.02 -> and see how it goes.
377.1 -> I try to jam that in there.
379.32 ->
382.51 -> But if we take these out--
because who needs those--
386.4 -> and then it's like a glove.
393.198 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]
397.68 -> So now that we've made
it back to Los Angeles,
399.76 -> it's time to put the Prius
through our Edmunds testing
402.64 -> loop.
403.14 -> So I've just filled it up at
a gas station down the street
405.48 -> from our headquarters
in Santa Monica,
407.063 -> and now I'm going to take
the Prius on a 120 mile loop.
410.048 -> And it goes through a few
different environments.
412.09 -> So some highway driving,
some city driving,
414.023 -> and even some
mountain roads so we
415.44 -> can continue to get better
handling impressions
417.45 -> for the Prius.
418.033 ->
420.96 -> I just finished running
the Edmunds testing
422.762 -> loop in the new Prius and now
I'm back at our headquarters.
425.22 -> I just want to
share one more thing
426.48 -> that we learned about the
new Prius on this loop,
428.522 -> and that is that
I really enjoy how
430.53 -> Toyota has dialed in the
driving aids on the new Prius.
433.68 -> With the adaptive
cruise control on,
435.247 -> the way that it keeps
the car centered
436.83 -> in the lane and both
accelerates and brakes
438.622 -> smoothly, really impressive.
440.28 -> It makes me want to use
that system even more.
444.63 -> On the first drive, we spent
the day in pretty much all wheel
447.6 -> drive versions, but after
driving the front wheel drive
450.15 -> version for a week or
so, some differences
452.55 -> began to emerge, mostly
in initial acceleration.
455.95 -> So that all wheel
drive version has
458.58 -> an extra rear electric motor
that makes about 40 horsepower
461.655 -> and that does make a
difference off the line,
463.53 -> though, this car seems
to quickly catch-up.
465.6 -> So functionally, there's
not a ton of difference,
467.823 -> though you will, again,
in the all wheel drive
469.74 -> get a bit more initial
burst of acceleration.
472.043 -> The all wheel drive
system doesn't
473.46 -> seem to do much for
handling, however.
475.14 -> In the front wheel drive one,
you still have numb steering,
477.6 -> but it feels pretty
good and the car
479.01 -> does a great job of tracking
straight on the highway.
481.08 -> So you're not losing much there.
482.413 -> The only reason to really
get all wheel drive
484.493 -> is, again, if you live in
an area with a lot of rain
486.66 -> or a lot of low
traction situations
488.118 -> and you just want
that extra security.
489.84 -> But for performance, eh,
you can go without it
492.838 -> and save a little bit of money.
494.13 -> One sort of negative
thing that we did notice,
496.05 -> and this might be a little bit
of a theme with the new Prius,
498.93 -> is that the new styling
does kind of cut
502.29 -> away at the car's utility.
503.55 -> And one of those
ways is visibility.
505.68 -> So out behind me there's no more
split liftgate where you have,
509.94 -> you know, a view of above
and below with a spoiler
512.507 -> in the middle.
513.09 -> Now, it's just one view,
but what they don't tell
515.25 -> you is that they basically
just cover at the bottom.
517.417 -> So rear visibility, not as good.
519.539 -> In this Limited model, you can
get a digital rearview mirror,
523.2 -> which, of course,
sort of solves that.
524.79 -> But in the other
models you're just not
526.43 -> going to able to see as
much out the rearview mirror
528.09 -> as you could before.
529.21 -> And the C-pillar over
my right shoulder
531.21 -> here gives you a very big blind
spot over your right side.
534.205 -> One of the important
things about being
535.83 -> able to spend a
week with the car
537.372 -> is that you get a
much better sense
538.83 -> of how the safety
features actually
540.75 -> function in the real world.
542.22 -> And on the '23 Prius there are
two new key safety innovations
546.158 -> that we want to call out.
547.2 -> The first new feature is the
emergency driving stop system.
550.53 -> And this only works
when the adaptive cruise
552.45 -> control is activated.
553.527 -> So what happens is if, let's say
you're on the adaptive cruise
556.11 -> control, you're on the freeway,
something happens to you
558.45 -> and you're unable to
power the vehicle,
560.16 -> instead of it just kind of
driving on and on and on,
563.1 -> it will actually feel when you
stop giving the car inputs,
566.64 -> and eventually bring the car
to a slow and then a stop,
569.64 -> turn on the hazards
and unlock the doors.
571.62 -> It won't actually pull the car
over like some of these systems
574.23 -> do, so you'll still
be in the same lane
575.76 -> that you're traveling in,
but then at least you're
577.843 -> not hurtling down the road with
no one controlling the vehicle.
580.47 -> The second system, and this
will be much more applicable
583.71 -> day-to-day, is the
proactive drive assist.
586.71 -> And this sort of just
functions as gentle reminders.
589.68 -> So let's say you're
on the freeway,
591.24 -> traffic starts to
slow, you'll actually
593.37 -> feel the car begin
to brake very gently
596.04 -> just as a little
bit of a reminder
597.54 -> that traffic ahead of
you might be slowing.
599.76 -> And it can also detect if, like,
you're coming up on a curve
602.28 -> and it'll slow the car
so it gets through it
603.78 -> a little bit smoother.
604.77 -> And it also will flash
these little LEDs
606.78 -> down here if a car in front of
you pulls away at a stoplight.
609.64 -> So if you're on your phone,
don't be on your phone,
612.03 -> but if you are on your phone
they'll give you a little
613.92 -> flash here and you'll know
that cars in front of you
616.14 -> are moving before,
you know, nine people
617.807 -> are honking in your
general direction.
619.39 -> The problem that a
system like this can have
621.27 -> is that if it's too
intrusive, people just
623.85 -> end up shutting it off.
624.84 -> And if people shut
off safety features,
626.67 -> they're not really
safety features at all.
628.42 -> They're just kind of duds.
629.503 -> I also found during
the hundreds of miles
631.41 -> that I covered on the highway
that the adaptive cruise
633.66 -> control and the lane keep
assist work very well.
636.45 -> Toyota has tuned
them in perfectly.
638.11 -> So the car is very smooth when
it both accelerates and brakes,
641.67 -> and the lane keep
assist doesn't ping
643.86 -> pong the Prius between
the lane lines.
646.29 -> It actually tracks
pretty straight
647.79 -> and you'll follow the car
ahead of you quite well.
649.98 -> Now, as you might
be able to tell,
651.45 -> I'm taking the Prius
around our test track
653.55 -> and we had a chance to put
it through our full battery
655.92 -> of testing today.
656.89 -> So let's take a
look at the numbers.
658.545 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]
663.71 -> So our instrumented
tests backs up
665.65 -> what Toyota said, a huge
difference in 0 to 60 times.
669.13 -> If the goal was to
make the Prius more
671.05 -> powerful and a bit more engaging
to drive, mission accomplished.
674.35 -> And Toyota has also
done that without really
676.27 -> sacrificing efficiency,
which is impressive.
678.47 -> So they've added
power to the equation
680.402 -> and you still get roughly
the same fuel economy
682.36 -> as the last generation, which
is a win on both fronts.
685.45 -> In addition to those
powertrain upgrades,
687.47 -> there's also big upgrades
to the suspension.
689.71 -> So new front struts and
a bit of a revised rear,
692.83 -> and what that does is it makes
the Prius not a sporty handler,
696.31 -> but it feels very composed.
698.11 -> The last car, whenever you'd
go over some kind of bump
700.797 -> on the road it would feel
like the car would shake
702.88 -> and it was going to fall apart.
704.2 -> Much more composed now,
very good on the highway
706.96 -> in terms of ride quality.
708.31 -> You don't really feel those
road undulations or road seams,
710.89 -> and it's actually
fairly quiet when you're
712.64 -> going over broken pavement.
714.04 -> Again, a big improvement
over the last Prius.
716.5 -> The only thing
that's problematic
717.94 -> is that $37,000
for this car means
721.09 -> that you could get a Camry
Hybrid or a Sonata Hybrid
723.46 -> for less money and have
a better passenger space.
726.41 -> So if your goal is to
carry maybe four passengers
728.92 -> semi-frequently, look
to those midsize hybrids
731.65 -> and then jump up without paying
any kind of premium for it.
734.26 -> You might not get the same
big screen, or maybe quite
737.108 -> the same refinement
with the powertrain,
738.775 -> but if space is the goal
there are alternatives now.
741.607 -> So you're not stuck
with the Prius.
743.065 ->
745.96 -> Well, it's been a fun
week with the Prius,
747.89 -> but it's time to get
down to business.
749.56 -> After going through the first
drive, living with the car,
752.59 -> and putting it through a
rigorous battery of tests
754.72 -> here at the Edmunds
Test Track, it's
756.4 -> time to unveil the
piece de la resistance--
758.92 -> our Edmunds Test Rating.
760.69 -> But first, for a
little bit of contest--
762.77 -> the last generation Prius
only got a 7.3 rating and that
767.14 -> put it in 9th place on our
Best Hybrids leaderboard,
769.9 -> quite a fall for an icon.
771.55 -> So where does the
new Prius land?
773.95 -> Its improvements in
style, drivability,
776.77 -> and technology mean that its
Edmunds rating jumps to-- drum
780.22 -> roll, please--
781.6 -> 8.0.
782.41 -> And that is good enough for 4th
place on our Hybrid list, now
785.44 -> only just 0.1 points
behind the leaders.
787.93 -> The Prius could have
easily taken the top spot
790.12 -> if its new emphasis on style
didn't impact utility so
793.18 -> negatively with a smaller
cargo area and a smaller
796.09 -> rear passenger space.
797.5 -> And some improvements on
the interior ergonomics
799.78 -> would have also probably
taken it over the top
801.7 -> as well, such as a better
placement for that gauge
804.07 -> cluster.
804.77 -> So after all that we can
safely say, the Prius--
810.51 -> cool-- for somebody.
813.69 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]
817.04 ->
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm8CXLsrNGM