Driving the original Toyota Prius: how does it compare to the latest one? 

Hybrid cars are very common these days, with pretty much every manufacturer offering some sort of electrification to boost their car’s efficiency. While the Honda Insight was technically the first petrol-electric hybrid to launch in Europe, the Toyota Prius is the one we all remember.

When you think of the Toyota Prius, you probably picture the second-generation model. This is the one made famous for all the wrong reasons back in the early 2000s by a farmer called Jeremy Clarkson.

He was quite rude about the Mk2 Prius on Top Gear, and as a result it became hated among petrolheads for years. The Mk1 Prius on the other hand is largely forgotten about, but it’s actually a very important car for Toyota. We’ve been driving a mint-condition example which Toyota keeps tucked away in its press garage to see how it stacks up in 2025.

Mk1 Toyota Prius: the stats

The first ever Toyota Prius was revealed at the 1997 Tokyo Motor show, and it went on sale in Europe in 2000. Powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to an electric motor, it produced around 110hp.

Its only direct competitor at the time was the Honda Insight, but that car was more expensive to buy and less practical than the Prius on account of only having two doors.

The Prius’s main selling point though was its low running costs. Toyota claimed it would return nearly 60mpg on average, making it more economical than the most popular diesel cars of the early 2000s.

Driving the Mk1 Toyota Prius: how does it compare to the latest one?

So how does the first ever Prius perform in 2025? Quite well, as it turns out. Around town the hybrid system is still smooth and refined, seamlessly switching between the electric motor and the engine as and when needed.

As you might expect it’s not quite as quiet inside as a modern car, you do get quite a lot of wind and road noise in the cabin. The CVT gearbox also makes a pronounced groan when you call upon all 110hp.

We also had a go in the latest Prius for a back-to-back comparison, and you can immediately feel similarities in the way they drive. The latest car feels like an evolution of the original, taking all the main characteristics and improving them. It’s quieter, more refined and more comfortable over bumps, making it an easier car to live with day-to-day.

The main difference between these two cars is that the new one is a plug-in hybrid, whereas the Mk1 is self-charging. This essentially means the latest car has a much larger battery and can complete significant distances on electric power alone, while the Mk1 can only shuffle along in traffic before the petrol engine kicks in.

Mk1 Toyota Prius: interior and practicality

Where these two cars differ most, as you’d expect, is inside. The Mk1 Prius is 25 years old now, and it feels like it once you step into the cabin.

It may seem dated now, but back in 2000 this would’ve been cutting-edge. You get a digital driver’s display mounted high-up in the centre of the dashboard, a feature common to all Prius models until the latest one, and it even had a touchscreen.

We take touchscreens for granted these days, but 25 years ago they were pretty much unheard of in a car. Admittedly, its functionality is pretty limited. It’ll show you the average fuel economy – we managed almost 50mpg during our time with the car – and you have an energy monitor which shows you what the engine and electric motors are doing at that precise moment.

In terms of practicality the Mk1 Prius is decent, but not perfect. Drivers over six feet may wish for some extra legroom, but there is a good amount of space in the back seats. Speaking of seats, the Mk1 Prius has some fantastically noughties velour chairs which are super comfortable.

This was the only Prius to get a saloon boot, and there is quite a large box back there containing the hybrid batteries. The latest model is packaged much better, with a flat floor and a handy hatchback tailgate.

You don’t need us to tell you that the new Toyota Prius feels much more modern inside than the Mk1, it’s amazing how far we’ve come in 25 years. You feel cocooned in this cabin with its high centre console, and all the tech in here is bang up-to-date. The Mk1 does have one advantage though, and that’s visibility.

You get a fantastic view out of the Mk1 thanks to the vast glass area. The new car’s sloping roofline and sporty styling means you really do have to rely on the cameras when parking.

Mk1 Toyota Prius: the verdict

Pretty much all hybrid cars on sale today owe themselves in some way to the original Toyota Prius. It was miles ahead of its time when it first launched, and it’s been a mainstay of the Toyota range for a quarter of a century.

These days the Prius is a very common sight on the road, most of them used as taxis due to their low running costs and bulletproof reputation for reliability. Finding cars with over half a million miles on the clock is pretty common.

The first Prius is one of the most significant cars launched in the 21st century, and with the 2030 ban on the sale of pure petrol and diesel cars looming, hybrids are more important now than ever before.

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