Prius aging like fine wine
The new Prius is impressively good. Introduced last year to universal acclaim, the model has evolved a proven powertrain with best-yet technology and refinement — and even some long-overdue flair.
Offered in straight-hybrid and plug-in hybrid ‘Prime’ models, the new Prius is every bit the Canadian Car of the Year it was awarded for 2024.
The new Toyota Prius deploys Toyota’s excellent new driver-assistance systems and infotainment setup, and introduces a new step for the suite.
Now standard across Prius models are adaptive cruise control, steady lane-keeping and lane-follow assists, blindspot alerts, and particularly perceptive cross-traffic and pedestrian-detection alerts and intervention.
Particularly welcome is a gracefully integrated automatic deceleration function, which seamlessly eases into regenerative braking when a leading vehicle slows.
This feature can be disabled, but earns and deserves driver trust by its seamless integration and natural-feeling response.
The function never feels like it is taking control from the driver, but simply helping them achieve a steadier drive.
Also standard is a new Traffic Jam Assist, which accommodates hands-off, eyes-up driving in highway traffic below 40 km/h.
Driver monitoring is unintrusive but plenty communicative, pinging gently if eyes are seen wandering down or if the driver starts to slouch too lazily. Like the native navigation system, this system requires an active subscription.
Navigation is a highlight within Toyota’s new infotainment experience, first launched in the new 2022 Tundra.
Clean, smooth, responsive, and effectively controlled with voice commands, this system is a welcome sight on the home screen — as long as you keep paying for your subscription.
Let that lapse, however, and you’ll be reminded to subscribe to your vehicle’s default screen function at every startup. Classy, that.
COCKPIT AURA
Assistance and other core functions are all controlled with steering-mounted controls. Two large panels of hard buttons flank the steering airbag cover, with clear markings and layouts that look confusing but fall quickly within natural reach once a driver gets acquainted.
It’s a driver-focused setup that feels particularly jet-like, yet without any of the tryingto-be-cool pretense we’d usually see in something more overtly trying to evoke that feeling.
The cockpit aura continues, however, with a unique instrument cluster stretched far ahead of the driver. Positioned higher and farther than usual, the cluster sits in the lower peripheral rather than all the way down within a hood as in typical vehicles.
This carries an indirect benefit too: by positioning this readout so near the driver’s usual field of view, this cluster precludes any need for a headup display (HUD) — and thus avoids the cost and complexity of integrating such a secondary display.
Also appreciated is the cluster’s minimal cost to lowlight visibility. Black pixels are indeed black, blending seamlessly with the bezel but also avoiding the usual bright-black Lcd-light-pollution phenomenon that has for so long impeded vision on dark roads.
Unfortunately, the cluster’s small overall size and distance carry one key disappointment: a busy and at times confusing readout.
The Prius crams a lot of information into a very small screen, and while drivers can minimize menu views with the top-left steering-wheel button, even the reduced ‘core’ readout is dense with acronyms and indicators.
Seating is broad and should prove accessible for a range of body types, though shoppers should note that the new design’s sleek teardrop profile reduces both front- and rear headroom.
A glass roof with separate front- and rear sun shades helps to open this space visually, as does the extension of quarter glass well forward into the base of the A-pillars.
Front-side glass is acoustically laminated, a nice premium touch that also affords some smash resistance over traditional single-pane windows. Rear windows are single-pane, and don’t feel as free and open due to the car’s rising beltline.
Drivers will discover that this beltline and the car’s broad rear pillars severely limit rearquarter visibility and render those standard blind-spot alerts essential for confident lane-changes; likewise, the rear window bottoms out at boot-lid-crease pinched at the aft peak of that beltline and feels distinctly restrictive.
Rear visibility may be Lamborghini bad, but it has its place. Thanks to these and other structural reinforcements, the new Prius and Prius Prime demonstrate impressive crash-test results.
The new-generation Prius has earned an IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick+’ rating and also performs well in updated test routines designed to simulate impacts from today’s larger SUVS.
IMPRESSIVE EFFICIENCY
Both Prius models post impressive economy figures and best-yet power output. Both the Prius and Prius Prime swap the previous generation’s 1.8L for a larger 2.0L four-cylinder engine, with power now rated at 192 horsepower for the standard model and 220 hp for the Prius Prime PHEV.
There’s only so much room to improve over the previous generation’s impressive economy figures down in the 5s, but the new models make incremental steps here too.
The 2024 Toyota Prius Prime’s NRCAN fuel economy
figures are listed at 4.4 L/100 (53 mpg) city, 4.6 L/100 km (51 mpg) highway, and 4.5 L/100 km (52 mpg) combined.
The standard 2024 Toyota Prius’ NRCAN fuel economy figures are listed at 4.8 L/100 (49 mpg) city, 4.7 L/100 km (50 mpg) highway, and 4.8 L/100 km (49 mpg) combined.
The new Prius Prime stretches its plug-in perks with a larger 13.6-kwh battery than the previous generation’s 8.8-kwh pack, now claiming a 50-plus-percent increase in electric-mode range.
Full charge can be reached overnight through a basic 120volt wall outlet, from which a 72-kilometre (44-mi) electric range is claimed before the gasoline engine kicks in and the car reverts to standard hybrid operation.
Note that the Prius Prime can be driven economically without ever plugging in, but that the all-electric-driving benefit of that larger plug-in battery (and price premium) will be largely wasted under such use.
Driven in temperatures as low as -10ºc (14ºf) through a week of testing, cold temperatures and climate-control use reduced the car’s displayed range to figures around 60 km (37 mi) — less of a reduction than typically anticipated in such temperatures.
Averaging electricity consumption of between 17-19 kwh/100 km across a variety of driving conditions, these calculations proved consistently accurate in all but the most enthusiastic drives.
FRESH NEW STYLING
Styling is a major discussion point around the new Prius, mainly because it finally offers something of the sort. Personally, I argue that we oughtn’t confuse not ugly anymore for hot-sexy, as some colleagues have so frothily intimated in their coverage.
The new Prius simply looks fine in the way that a Model 3 looks fine: it’s a handsome, cohesive appliance, and that’s all it has to be. Seriously, please, guys: y’all don’t have to yas qween everything. Be cool.
A fresh face on the street, however, the car currently attracts a surprising amount of attention from pedestrians and other motorists. This will presumably fade as the attractive economy and broad merit inevitably lead to thousands of cab-fleet deployments, but like the early days of the Ioniq 5, it’s fun for the moment.
Through all of this, the new Prius has turned from hippy punchline to something surprisingly desirable. It’s been a quiet glow-up, but well-earned and certainly deserved.
Toyota has assembled an attractive and compelling product here, and while its $39-50k price range isn’t cheap, it’s still within the realm of attainability.
PRICING AND COMPETITORS
The 2024 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime models are priced beyond the ‘affordable’ bracket, but fortunately not by too much.
The 2024 Toyota Prius stickers from Canadian base MSRPS from $39,510 to $45,650 including destination. U.S. Pricing ranges from $29,045 to $36,060.
The 2024 Toyota Prius stickers from Canadian base MSRPS from $41,410 to $50,165 including destination. U.S. Pricing ranges from $34,070 to $40,765.
The unit tested here is a topof-the-line 2024 Toyota Prius Prime XSE, with an as-tested price of $50,165.
Although the Prius is priced beyond many shoppers’ (advisable) budgets, the series’ technological trickle-down means that you can find its benefits and fuel savings elsewhere in the Toyota lineup.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is available from $28,550 and employs the previous-generation Prius’ 1.8L hybrid setup for a Driving-confirmed combined fuel economy rating of 4.7 L/100 km (50 mpg).
This model also enjoys Toyota’s tidy new infotainment system, as well as the same core safety- and assistance benefits including that slick traffic-responsive regenerative deceleration.
This is a highly recommended alternative, and indeed a strong value proposition even if you can afford something fancier.
For those with larger, less adventurous styling tastes, the hybrid-only 2025 Toyota Camry sedan ranges from $36,160 to $46,810, and splits the difference between the Prius models’ efficiency ratings with a 4.6 L/100 km combined in FWD models.
The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid falls between the Corolla Hybrid and the mighty Prius, with economy rated at similar figures of 4.8 L/100 city, 4.5 highway, and 4.7 combined (50 mpg).
The 2024 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid comes in one Canadian trim from a base MSRP of $32,274. Tragically, however, it still looks like that.
More attractively styled is the Honda Accord Hybrid, priced across a Prius-primecomparable range of $43,330 to $46,830.
The Accord Hybrid’s torquey powertrain has been enthusiastically reviewed, though its small 1.3-kwh hybrid battery and fuel economy figures aren’t quite what you’ll see in even the base Prius; 2024 Accord Hybrid economy is rated at 5.0 L/100 km city, 5.7 highway, and 5.3 combined (44 mpg).