2023 Toyota Prius Prime First Drive Review: An Epic Glow-Up
2023 Toyota Prius Prime First Drive Review: An Epic Glow-Up
The Toyota Prius – and the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version that’s based on it – has certainly been what could safely be described as “stylistically challenged” since its inception more than two decades ago. Of course, aerodynamic efficiency is to blame, although that does little to alleviate the sort of self-consciousness that can come with driving such a quirky car.
After years of derision, the hybrid that introduced gas-electric motoring to the masses has reached the fairy-tale ending to its ugly duckling story – not that it’s going anywhere, with new versions of both the conventional and PHEV versions arriving at dealers right about now. More than becoming the swan this automaker’s engineers always knew it was, the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime in particular adds newfound efficiency to its repertoire along with stunning new styling.
AutoTrader.ca Road Test Editor Dan Ilika reviews the plug-in version of Toyota’s iconic hybrid hatchback on a recent drive event. The redesigned exterior is immediately obvious, but what changes will drivers find in the cabin and under the hood?
Read the full review on AutoTrader.ca:
https://www.autotrader.ca/editorial/2…
Content
0.12 -> 2023 Toyota Prius Prime – the plug-in hybrid
of the Prius. The new one, newly introduced
8.58 -> for this year, should be hitting dealers
right about now. And what I can tell you is:
13.56 -> What a glow up! I mean, you guys have seen
the pictures I'm sure. Take a look at it.
18.42 -> Now, this thing looks great. It's one of the
most radical transformations I have ever seen,
24.12 -> the kind of stuff we'd usually reserve for
Kia and Hyundai; those generational changes
28.62 -> that are just so drastic. This one is
right up there and it looks so good.
34.32 -> It's got a really sleek shape, really modern.
37.62 -> That is the key for me, but also that this
feels very mature and refined compared to
44.16 -> the last Prius Prime. Not that that was a bad
car; this one is just better. It feels better
50.34 -> to drive. It's very pleasant from behind the
wheel. There's tons of tech, all of that style.
55.8 -> But we should talk about the powertrain. Now,
58.86 -> there is more net horsepower than
before – quite a bit more actually.
62.28 -> I think it's 220 net horsepower (hp) now versus
121 last time. That is a significant boost and
70.38 -> so is the battery pack's capacity: it
went from 8.8 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to
75.42 -> 13.6 and that also means there is
quite a bit more all-electric range,
81.18 -> although it depends on the trim because the wheel
sizes change quite a bit from one to the next.
87.84 -> So if you go with the entry level trim you get
the smaller wheels and that means you should be
93.66 -> able to cover and an estimated 72 kilometres
between charging the battery, which is quite
100.14 -> a lot for a plug-in hybrid; and then if you go
with the bigger wheels, well, that drops to 64,
105.96 -> which is still a significant increase – I
think the last one could only do 40 km or so.
111.84 -> Now, yeah, it was possible to
over-achieve and I'm sure it is here too;
115.68 -> but I'm just talking about the
official numbers. That is quite a bit
120.6 -> and I've been cruising around here
with nothing but electric power.
124.14 -> It's been very smooth, very serene
and quiet; but I can hit this button,
129.36 -> switch it over into the auto mode so that the
hybrid drive kicks in. It'll use a little bit
136.2 -> more of the gas engine when you poke your foot
into it – there it goes and there this thing goes.
143.4 -> It boogies. It's actually kind of
peppy and it doesn't sound as gruff
148.26 -> and unrefined as the last one. This is just
that much better and so is the interior.
154.32 -> The packaging, it's just great. I really like this
gauge cluster too; it's the same style that you
160.62 -> can get in the Toyota bZ4X, the Subaru Solterra,
and the Lexus RZ. It sits really high up and it
168.84 -> almost negates the need for a head-up display.
Now, there's no head-up display in here, but in
173.76 -> the Lexus RZ you can get one. But you really don't
need one because it puts the gauges very close
179.4 -> to the windshield so you barely have to drop your
eyes to see what's going on there. That is great.
185.4 -> This thing also has Toyota's latest advanced
safety features and it has absolutely everything
191.16 -> the brand could throw at it, including traffic
jam assist. And the way that system works is, it
198 -> will actually take over just about all the vehicle
controls, including steering, up to about 40 km/h
204.42 -> if you are stuck in stop-and-go traffic. And it
uses this little camera down here on the steering
212.4 -> column to keep an eye on you, but I will tell
you this thing is very active. It is constantly
218.7 -> beeping – doesn't matter if you just take your
eyes off the road for a quick second to look down
224.1 -> at the screen. I did turn it off to do this video
because I was worried if I wasn't paying full
229.14 -> attention all the time. It is quite the nanny,
but that's how the traffic jam assist works – and
234.3 -> it'll even let you take your hands off the wheel,
which is pretty cool. Pretty advanced for Toyota.
240.6 -> It really is the most advanced system that the
brand has brought to the North American market.
246.6 -> Now, speaking of coming to market, there are
three trims available. They start at right
252.9 -> around $38,000 before freight and tax. Also don't
forget rebates – those are very important with a
260.64 -> car like this. And then you can get a mid-grade
trim that's about $43,000 before freight and tax;
265.62 -> or the top trim that's something like $47,000
– that's the one I'm driving now. And you know,
273.36 -> it really doesn't feel like that much of
a stretch, especially if you have those
279.3 -> incentives if you live in a province
or territory that you can stack some
283.14 -> rebates on top of the federal one – you're in
really good shape. This thing is a bargain.
288.48 -> It's also the one that Toyota says will sell the
best and expects to move more plug-ins than it
293.94 -> does conventional Prius hybrids. And I get it,
if you can plug this thing in it's pretty great;
299.94 -> and even if you can't, it's pretty great.
You can get right down around 4.5 L/100
305.88 -> km in hybrid drive once that battery
pack is burned up. That's good stuff.
311.64 -> This car is very well done – just one of
those vehicles you click with as soon as
317.58 -> you climb behind the wheel. This really is
an all-new Prius. I hate using that term;
324.18 -> but, man, it just doesn't feel anything
like the last one. I really do like this.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njf3ztQDCZ0