First Look: The 2023 Toyota Prius
For 2023, Toyota is giving the Prius hybrid and the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid an impressive makeover inside and out. Gone are the angular exterior and double-digit 0 to 60 mph times, replaced by a streamlined look and plenty of power. A plethora of advanced safety and driver assistance features come standard, too.
Aside from fuel efficiency, practicality was always the selling point of the Prius. We’re not sure how a lowered roofline will affect cargo space and headroom, but we’re glad to see the new car addresses complaints about the prior version with more power and a relatively straightforward interior design. The updates might not be enough to sway buyers away from SUVs, but they sure promise a better Prius.
An 8-inch multimedia touchscreen is standard but a larger 12.3-inch screen is available. For comparison, the previous generation’s screen options were slightly smaller, at 7 inches and 11.6 inches. Imitation leather upholstery (Toyota calls it SofTex) is available, as are heated and ventilated seats, a wireless phone charger, a digital key, a JBL audio system and a fixed-glass sunroof.
The new look walks back the angry-faced look that the hybrid has sported since 2016. Instead, the new model is smooth and sleek with a sharklike nose and an optional panoramic sunroof that blends into the hatchback’s rear glass.
The rear door handles are hidden at the back of the rear window glass, a design choice that we didn’t appreciate on the Toyota CH-R because rear passengers may need to be coached on their operation. The last thing you need when you’re picking up your in-laws at the airport is to have to teach an introductory seminar on door opening.
The tech in the Prius Prime also gets a generous boost thanks to a long list of standard and available advanced driver aids. Every Prius Prime comes with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 suite of updated safety systems, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams and something Toyota calls Proactive Driving Assist. In a nutshell, the system uses the Prime’s cameras and radar to anticipate driver inputs and will gently brake the Prime into curves and help maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. It will also gently steer the Prime to help avoid obstacles.
A new lithium-ion battery pack promises to notably improve the Prius Prime’s electric driving range from its outgoing 25 miles of EPA-rated range to just shy of 40 miles. Adding a charge to the Prius Prime’s battery ought to be easier than ever, too, thanks to roof-mounted solar panels that recharge the pack when the car’s parked. Take the Prius Prime out for a drive and those solar panels send power to accessory items, such as the air-conditioning system. Alas, these solar panels are not available on the lower-end SE and XSE trims. When relying on both its electric motors and four-cylinder engine for motivation, the 2023 Prius Prime ought to meet or exceed the 2022 model’s EPA combined fuel-economy figure of 54 mpg, as well as its overall rating of 133 MPGe. For more information about the Prius Prime’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
