Toyota Prius Review & Prices

The Toyota Prius is probably the car most people think of when you say 'hybrid'. The Prius can definitely be credited with popularising the idea of a hybrid, but the latest model is more than just an evolution of what’s come before. In fact, it might just be the first Prius that you actually want to buy, rather than something you buy simply because the numbers make sense.

It’s a bit like the evolution of Android phones - initially, people bought them with their heads, but now there are many desirable and stylish models out there and you can buy one with your heart too.

Other popular plug-in hybrid models you might also consider include the Kia Niro or Hyundai Kona PHEVs, plus plug-in hybrid versions of normal hatchbacks such as the Peugeot 308 Hybrid.

Previous Priuses have been a bit dowdy or, in the case of the last one, just outright ugly. The new car is a real looker, though. The roof now slopes down gracefully towards the rear of the car, and the wheels are pushed right out to either end - this makes the new Prius look a lot more athletic. 

Next to the Corolla, which is Toyota’s existing hybrid family hatchback, the Prius looks like a futuristic concept car - an impression helped by the stylish front and glitzy rear light bar.

Inside, it’s rather more conventional, but there are some interesting features here too. The driver information is presented on a high-set screen that you look at over the steering wheel, rather than through it. This means you don’t have to take your eyes so far off the road to check your speed.

There’s a big touchscreen infotainment system and a swathe of physical switchgear for climate control and on the steering wheel - thankfully, Toyota has resisted turning the Prius into an all-screen techfest.

Much to the chagrin of the private hire industry, though, the Prius’s interior doesn’t actually have a huge amount of space - while front seat passengers are well catered-for, the rear has very little headroom due to the sloping roofline.

Of course, the most important thing about the Prius is its hybrid powertrain, and here Toyota doesn’t disappoint. In the UK we’ll get only the Prius plug-in hybrid, which gets a more powerful engine than any Prius yet - with 223hp.

That means the combination of 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor can push the Prius from 0-62mph in just 6.8 seconds, which is genuinely rapid. Yet a big-capacity battery offers up to 53 miles of all-electric range, and the overall official fuel economy is an unbelievable 564.9mpg.

While that figure doesn’t mean much - plug-in hybrids are very sensitive to the type of journeys undertaken - the official emissions figure of just 11g/km of CO2 puts the Prius in a very low company car tax bracket.

If you can’t wait for the new Toyota Prius, check out our deals on other Toyotas here, or our pick of the best hybrid cars here. You can also get a deal on a great used Toyota Prius, or other used Toyotas. And remember that when the time comes to move on, Carwow can even help you sell your car.

The Prius kicks off at just over £37,000 for a model in Design trim, which gets 17-inch wheels with aerodynamic wheel covers, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and dual-zone climate control. That’s about the same as a mid-spec Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid with which the Prius competes on equipment, though the Toyota is quite a bit more powerful.

Opt up to the £39,995 Excel model and you get 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustment, a digital rear-view mirror and a powered tailgate.