Vehicle Type: Compact hybrid or plug-in hybrid hatchback.
Price Range: $27,450 - $35,865, excluding a destination fee of $1,095.
Powertrain: A 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a lithium-ion battery and front-wheel-drive (FWD) is standard, and an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is optional.
Video Review:
What’s New for 2023?
The 2023 Toyota Prius has been completely redesigned and it brings the vehicle into its fifth generation, offering fresh new styling, tech, increased power output, and better fuel economy. Toyota's standard comprehensive drive assistance features have also been updated in the new Prius.
What’s Good?
- Great fuel economy
- New Styling
- More powerful engine yet still gets excellent MPGs
What’s Bad?
- Big price bump over previous generation
- Smaller inside than earlier models
- Compromised rearward vision
Would we buy one? Yes! The fifth-generation Prius is the strongest and most efficient to date.
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See more 2023 Toyota Prius Photos.
Overview:
The 2023 Toyota Prius is a compact hybrid hatchback, ushering in the fifth generation of Toyota's flagship hybrid vehicle. The new Prius model made its North American debut at the 2022 LA Auto Show and took the automotive world by storm with its crisp new styling.
This redesigned Prius hopes to appeal to a broader consumer base with an increased focus on exterior design, power, fuel economy, and advanced tech. Toyota built the 2023 Prius to appeal to the typical Prius consumer and to attract new buyers to the hybrid vehicle market. The 2023 Prius offers a sporty design, outfitted with the strongest and most fuel-efficient powertrain ever offered in a Prius.
Competitors in the segment include the Honda Accord Hybrid, Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Kia Niro, and Toyota Corolla Hybrid. While these are all viable alternatives to the 2023 Prius, only some of the leading competitors can match Toyota's new model in fuel economy or horsepower.
New for the 2023 model year, Toyota outfits the Prius with fresh contemporary styling, advanced in-car technology, more power than ever, and excellent fuel economy. The new Prius utilizes a 13.6 kWh battery, improving the outgoing battery's power output by 5 kWh, which should translate into a further electric range than current models.
The 2023 Toyota Prius is offered in three trim levels, the base LE, XLE, and Limited. All trim levels are available with an AWD drivetrain and utilize the same 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack. Toyota has replaced all the old nickel-metal-hydride battery packs used in previous Prius model years, replacing them with lithium-ion technology.
Overall Score: 4/5 stars
Driving Experience: 3.5/5 stars
The new powertrain outfitted to the Prius is the most efficient yet. In our hands-on testing, we also found the newer model to be sportier and more fun to drive than the outgoing model. Much of that has to do with the big power bump this generation gets over its predecessors. The new powertrain produces around 194 horsepower, up from the 121 horsepower produced by previous Prius powertrain systems.
The 2023 Prius provides a light driving thrill with a tighter suspension, more direct steering feel, and increased engine performance. Handling and ride comfort are geared toward sport rather than luxury.
Our only complaint about this model's driving experience was that the engine still drones loudly when you push it hard for acceleration.
Safety Features: 3.5/5 stars
Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has crash-tested the 2023 Toyota Prius.
However, the new Prius comes equipped with the latest version of the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including upgrades to the pre-collision system, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control features. Safety is increased with the addition of Toyota's new Proactive Driving Assist, which provides braking and steering support utilizing the Prius' camera and radar systems.
Toyota's Safety Sense suite also includes pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and
Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.
Standard on all new Prius trims is a new front and rear parking-assist feature with automatic braking. A 360-degree camera system and hands-free parallel parking are available on range-topping models. With the recent uptick in catalytic converter thefts, Toyota is now offering a steel shield as a dealer-installed accessory.
Value: 4/5 stars
The Toyota Prius used to be a one-of-a-kind vehicle. Still, many other automakers have now developed competitive alternatives. With a starting price of $27,450 before destination charges, the 2023 Toyota Prius is pricier than its competitors, as well as the earlier version of the Prius.
Toyota's Corolla Hybrid starts at $24,400 and just about matches the Prius in miles-per-gallon (mpg) but falls short of the Prius' newfound power figures.
But the new Prius' price bump isn't for naught: its newfound swiftness, high-end features, and unique curb appeal more than makeup for the price difference found between rivals. For consumers seeking a Limited trim on their 2023 Toyota Prius, be prepared to spend closer to $40,000, still, a considerable value compared to fully-loaded variants of competing vehicles in the class.
Tech Features: 3.5/5 stars
For the Prius' fifth generation, Toyota has introduced a driver information display placed in front of the driver instead of being included in the vehicle's center console unit display. We found the repositioning of the display helpful, but we were put off by the fact that Toyota crams too much information into too small a display.
Lower trims may underwhelming for some buyers, as they lack power seats and offer a smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen, six USB-c ports, and an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) as standard equipment.
Higher trim levels, such as the Limited and XLE Premium models, offer a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a power liftgate and an optional digital rearview mirror.
Standard tech features continue on the Limited grade 2023 Toyota Prius' to offer a JBL Premium Audio System with eight speakers, an eight-way power driver's seat with driver memory, and a digital key.
A Qi wireless charger is standard in all XLE grade Prius' and up, offering enough space to comfortably fit and charge an iPhone 13 Pro Max. The 2023 Toyota Prius will support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across all trim levels and have an optional in-car Wi-Fi system.
Practicality: 3/5 stars
The newly designed Prius compromises practicality for design; built with a lower roofline, the new Prius is down on rear-seat headroom versus the earlier version. Still, we found six-foot-plus adults could fit back there with minimal discomfort.
The Prius retains its hatchback design, allowing 20 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats in the XLE and Limited models and 24 cubic feet of space in the LE model. With the new design, however, the Prius loses three cubic feet of cargo capacity, making it less practical than older Prius models.
The new Prius is less aerodynamic, longer, wider, and lower than previous generations. Passenger rear legroom has increased by an inch, but front and rear passengers forfeit headroom.
Styling & Design: 5/5 stars
The fifth-generation Prius has captured the attention many thanks to its its completely redesigned, sleek exterior and interior styling. Toyota retains the Prius' iconic teardrop shape but now offers smooth side surfacing, elegant detailing, and athletic styling.
The front end of the 2023 Prius features scooped-out headlights with a C-shape LED accent light. The rear of the newly designed Prius features a full-width LED taillight strip. Toyota lowered the Prius' entire stance and made it an inch wider, promoting a sportier look to match a more refined powertrain.
The interior of the new Prius echoes the exterior redesign. The dashboard offers a clean and modern appearance, and overall ground clearance has been raised from 0.5 inches to 0.7 inches, a difference consumers feel with steep driveways.
Overall, we feel that this Prius now punches way above its weight in terms of the style; this looks like a Prius from five years from now and it will have many passersby wondering aloud what kind of car it is.
Fuel Efficiency: 4.5/5 stars
The 2023 Toyota Prius Hybrid is outfitted with a 2.0-liter engine producing 194 horsepower and an FWD drivetrain, accelerating the Prius from 0-60 in 7.2 seconds.
In the standard configuration, with 17-inch wheels, Toyota promises an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) combined rating of 57 mpg (57 in city driving and 56 on the highway).
XLE and Limited FWD models are rated at 52 MPG all around (city/highway/combined).
Naturally, AWD models give up some ground, but not much, in terms of fuel economy. The base LE in AWD guise gets 53/54/54 MPG (city/highway/combined), while the XLE and Limited AWD versions are rated at 49/50/49 MPG (city/highway/combined).
The Prius' standard lithium-ion battery pack is stored under the rear seats. The electric motor adds 111 horsepower to the gasoline engine's power production.
What we love about this new generation is that despite its significant power gains, it doesn't make any meaningful sacrifices in terms of efficiency.
The Prius' main competitors, the Honda Insight and Hyundai Ioniq, have been discounted, leaving the Kia Niro as the new Prius' competition as they are both offered in hybrid and plug-in hybrid form. The Prius bests the Kia Niro EPA estimated mpg in all formats, including the Prime Plug-In Hybrid.
What’s it Going to Cost Me?
The 2023 Toyota Prius starts at a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $27,450, plus a destination charge of $1,095 for the FWD LE model. The LE model starts the 2023 Toyota Prius lineup offering 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, an 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system, six USB-C charging ports, and a six-speaker audio system. The LE model also has Toyota's Safety Sense 3.0 advanced driver aids, such as blind-spot warnings, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist.
The XLE trim is the one we'd opt for as this level adds 19-inch wheels, keyless entry and start, rear seat cupholders, heated front seats, Toyota's SofTex synthetic leather upholstery, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and rain-sensing wipers. We'd then add to these standard features the optional 12.3-inch screen (a reasonable $735) and the $1,000 fixed-glass roof. m
The XLE trim starts at $30,895 before destination charges and offers much more than the base LE model for only a few thousand more dollars.
The top-of-the-line Limited trim level offers, as standard, all of the XLE trim level's standard and optional features. Toyota adds a standard power liftgate, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, driver seat memory, and an eight-speaker JBL sound system to the Limited model. These features can be purchased as standard equipment on the Limited model of the 2023 Toyota Prius, starting at $34,465. Additional features that can be added to the Limited trim include heated rear seats, an automated parking system, a digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system.
For consumers in the market for a compact hybrid, we recommend the AWD XLE trim level of the 2023 Toyota Prius. The XLE offers the benefits of Toyota's advanced technology, power, and style progression. Suppose you consider adding optional features to the XLE model. In that case, however, the Limited model may be a better buy and save you money in the long run.
Toyota combats the age-old stereotype that the Prius is a slow, ugly, boring car by introducing the all-new and fully-redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime.
