2023 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid excels at fuel economy
Published 8:00 am Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Toyota’s Prius Prime plug-in hybrid sports a sporty new look after a complete redesign for 2023. Its previous all-electric driving range of 25 miles has been increased by more than 50 percent, and combined horsepower is now 220 hp, up by 99 hp over the previous model. Driving dynamics are improved along with the performance boost.
Interior changes include the use of higher-grade materials, and a layout reconfiguration that moves the gear shifter from the dash to the center console, where a shifter belongs. The gauge cluster is transferred from the center dash to an elevated position directly in front of the driver.
There are three trim levels of the 2023 Prius Prime: SE, XSE, and XSE Premium. Pricing starts at $33,445 with the destination charge included.
My tester was an XSE Premium model with $3,027 in optional equipment whose two priciest items were an Advanced Technology Package (advanced park and panoramic view monitor, $1,085) and a solar charging roof, $610.
Prius Prime’s slick aerodynamic design and low center of gravity speak of its newly acquired horsepower boost and refined handling. It’s no race car, but it doesn’t mean to be one.
Fuel economy is foremost. The XSE and XSE Premium models are rated 50 mpg city, 47 mpg highway, and 48 mpg combined. The SE does even better: 53/51/52 mpg.
The plug-in part makes the Prius Prime outstanding, able to travel on electricity alone for up to 39 miles for the XSE and XSE Premium, and even better for the SE: 44 miles.
Prius Prime’s aerodynamic design isn’t without issues. The low sloping roof limits the amount of space available for entering and exiting the car, and taller people who aren’t alert will conk their heads. The low roofline also takes a toll on rear seat headroom, but passengers have plenty of legroom, so it’s not a total squeeze.
The new Prius Prime interior looks upscale, stylish and handsome. And it’s certainly comfortable. My test car, as the top-tier model, had a 12.3-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia system among its standard features in place of the 8-inch version in the other trims. The bigger screen is a boon to visibility and ease of operation. Mercifully, the system isn’t complicated.
If only the same could be said about the gauge cluster. It’s positioned in front of the driver as though it were a head-up display, but without the subtlety. The first time I got into the car, after conking my head, there was a struggle to adjust both the seat and steering wheel into precise positions where the cluster wouldn’t somehow be blocked. And that gauge cluster does a lot of work, with lots of icons in various sizes monitoring lots of stuff in varying degrees of importance. It can be quite a distraction, and I confess to having moved the steering wheel at times to block some of it on purpose.
Practicality has not been overlooked in the Prius Prime. Rear seats flip down easily, leaving a useful cargo area of 26.7 cubic feet. When the seats are upright, cargo capacity is a still useful 20.3 cubic feet.
2023 TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME XSE PREMIUM
Base price, including destination charge: $40,265
Price as driven: $43,292
Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.
