The hybrid vehicle landscape is changing rapidly. The Prius lineup received a Prius AWD-e The all-wheel drive and plug-in hybrid Prius Prime are much better in the current and upcoming versions, but it’s still a smaller family, with Prius C and Prius V it’s along time.
Furthermore, direct aviation efficiency rivals like the Chevy Volt and Honda Clarity are just dust in the wind. Even the Hyundai Ioniq that looked like the Prius’ worst nightmare when it came out fought and moved on, giving way to a new wave. Sub-brand Ioniq EV.
Meanwhile, hybrids are becoming the preferred way to get a gas-powered car—the one with the best mileage and lowest cost of ownership, and often the best driving.
Not sure exactly where the Prius is headed—and right before the next generation Toyota Prius 2023‘ launch — I scheduled some time with the upcoming Prius last month. My 2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade starts at $29,445, with some of the wheels painted black for a sharper look, and has a final price of just $31,056.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
That’s already a great sticker price for the frugal. And keeping an eye on its biggest asset, which is gas mileage, I wanted to find out where this efficiency icon stands today.
Reviewing a gas-saving champion
At first, I just wanted to drive the Prius as a commuter car. That means nearly 100 miles of mixed travel conditions in Normal, from suburban stops and rides to some backcountry, as well as 30 miles of faster-moving highway driving, up to 75 mph or more—even including fast-moving rushes in Power mode. The Prius reported an average of 55 mpg.
Then I switched to Eco mode but kept the climate control running as normal and drove the Prius on my 53-mile round-trip—a journey that included a 700-foot elevation change and the end result. roughly equal mix of sub-65 mph freeways, suburban boulevards, and semi-rural uphill roads. I’ve done several hybrids in this loop, and this time I saw the highest numbers I’ve ever seen on it: over 65 mpg, according to the odometer—with outside temperatures still at 60 and the lowest. is 70.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
In the end, keeping it in Eco mode, I made two different trips that took me through the Portland metro area, purposefully swerving on swanky streets and away from fast-moving freeways. Over these 69 miles, I averaged 61 mpg.
Running the Prius in Eco no longer exaggerates the rubber band feel of the hybrid system; it’s now a mode where most drivers will be fine in traffic and it mostly smooths out the accelerator inputs.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
strength
This generation of Prius feels mature, refined and even a bit sporty, in a way that previous generations of Prius did not. Ride quality is excellent. Steering is smooth and precise, while the car feels agile in moderate turns and is stable at over 75 mph, which is typical for some of the above journeys. American highway. Thanks to what has to be a great aerodynamic job, mileage doesn’t seem to drop as soon as you get past 65 or 70 mph, as in many other hybrids. Cargo versatility is also excellent, with a flat cargo floor that makes packing difficult.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
Weaknesses
Some of my questions have to do with how the car performs below 20 mph — a bit of a surprise, since I consider the Prius a city car. On winding roads, the steering wheel doesn’t center correctly or tell you where it is, so twisting the steering wheel is more of an adventure in most vehicles. Also, there’s not much torque out of straight lines or out of lower-speed corners. Power mode did improve the feeling of cornering, but it didn’t help the 121hp Prius take off any quicker from a stop. Also, the cabin is very spacious, and while rear-seat space is fine to get in, the door trim makes it hard for taller people like me to get in — or fit a child seat, as I tested.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
confused
The styling of the current Prius stands out as distinctive when it first hit the market for the 2016 model year, and the current mode of automotive design doesn’t make it seem any less attractive. Yes, its form is somehow both aerodynamically efficient and characteristic, but with its fighter-style tail wing, heavily creased flanks and sharp expressive nose, it doesn’t. must be a refined expression—or a beautiful car at the fastest glance.
Buy Toyota Prius 2022
GCR . Lesson
Many may be a bit disappointed that the just-revealed 2023 Prius doesn’t go any further in showcasing Toyota’s technological prowess, or it simply doesn’t run entirely on electricity. While it’s too early to analyze that here, our time with a very good but clearly flawed outgoing model serves as a reminder that Toyota has continued to grow with Prius is not plugged in — the way apartment dwellers on a limited budget. will definitely appreciate.
The price is right, and the mileage is incredible. But to set a template for the future of the car? It passed that torch with it.
