2024 Toyota Prius Prime

When I was first introduced to the new 2024 Toyota Prius prime, the representatives from Toyota used words like “exciting” and “fun.” They did this with a twinkle in their eye as they knew that that is not quite with the Prius is known for. The Prius has always been known for being a fuel-efficient hybrid with overly moderated fun - which means that it wasn’t fun at all.

The current generation Toyota Prius is surprisingly fun.

Interior

The interior of the 2024 Prius straddles the line between the Toyotas from the past and a modern design that the brand seems to be moving into. It’s not weird and high-tech looking, but it definitely has some of the plastic charm that Toyota is known for.

My review vehicle for the week was a base model Prius Prime. That means it didn’t have a lot of luxury bells and whistles that are available on the higher trim levels. Regardless, the Prius Prime’s interior is a nice place to spend time, whether you’re sitting in traffic or cruising at speed.

The cloth-trimmed seats are comfortable and I am happy to report that the headrests are not as aggressive as before. Past iterations of the Prius had my head tilting forward a little too much for my comfort. Additionally, my three kids fit in the rear seat without much issue, although one of them uses a full-size child seat, which takes up a lot of the real estate back there.

Cargo space is also plentiful. Toyota says there is 20.3 cubic feet of space with the rear seat folded up and 26.7 when they are folded down. That might not sound like much, but it was enough space to handle all of the gear my family of five could throw in it.

Up front, the buttons on the center console are easy to reach and read as is the infotainment system. However, my only gripe is with the steering wheel, which is looks attractively futuristic, but it gets in the way of the instrument panel no matter how much you adjust it.

Exterior

"’Cool Prius,’ said no one," is cheeky meme that’s been circulating for past the few years, but with this new generation of the Prius, I wouldn’t be surprised if people are actually uttering those two words.  The front headlights are sharp and give the Prius a much more aggressive look than previous iterations. It’s still a very aerodynamic car, so the hood and windshield follow the same line at a steep angle. With all the engineering and design that went into it, the Prius has a 0.27 coefficient of drag, which adds to its fuel efficiency. It also sits low to the ground, which helps it cheat the wind, but makes for a very low-feeling driving experience. Also, the rear end slopes upward and ends in a wedge-like shape, not unlike the Prius models that came before it.

Overall, I would say that this new Prius looks exciting. And while it may take others a couple of generations to agree with me, but I would invite them to compare it to the previous iterations that looked bland or overall futuristic by comparison. After that, they may finally say that this new generation looks "cool."

Driving Characteristics

The 2024 Toyota Prius Prime is not just exciting on the outside, but it’s also quite exciting to drive. Those may be fighting words to most of my contemporaries, but for them, I have my dukes up. Under the Prius Prime’s hood is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that’s mates to a plug-in hybrid system. That means that there is a hybrid mode and an EV mode, which allows the car to travel up to 44 miles using only the electric motor.

The combined system output of the Prius Prime’s drivetrain is 220 horsepower, which is up from 121 horsepower in the 2022 model. For the unaware, 220 horsepower is a good amount of power, despite the car weighing nearly 3,500 pounds. Even with that heft, the Prius Prime gets off the line quickly and passes other cars with ease, thanks in part to the drivetrain’s immediate torque delivery.

Is it a sports car? Definitely not. But it is fun to whip around roundabouts and take on sweeping on-ramps, despite the copious amount of tire squeal. Considering the market segment that the Prius resides in, it’s pretty fun to drive.

The Prius also feels comfortable and confident when driven around town or at highway speeds. Its suspension didn’t get too upset when driving over bumps, dips, and other road imperfections, and it feels stable when passing the occasional semi-trunk on the freeway. It also makes those passes without much drama, thanks to the extra power from the hybrid powertrain.

The Prius Prime also has a few different drivetrain modes that allow it to be driven as a hybrid vehicle (using the gas engine when needed), an EV, which is great for around-town driving. However, you won’t get all 220 horsepower in that mode. There’s also a hybrid/electric charge holding option, which uses the combustion engine to charge the battery. I tended to use that function when driving on the freeway on long trips. That way, I could get to where I  needed to go and have a fully charged battery when I got there.

In addition to those different drivetrain configurations, the Prius Prime also has three different drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but Eco mode dampens the throttle input to save gas, Normal mode feels normal, and Sport mode kicks up the throttle’s responsiveness for more driving excitement.

I would venture a guess that most people who buy this car will drive around in normal mode 90 percent of the time, considering flipping through the different modes may not be ideal.

Safety & Technology

The Toyota Prius Prime comes standard with the brand’s Safety Sense 3.0 system, which is a suite of driver-assist features. It includes features like adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. There’s also a safe-exit assist feature that alerts you before opening the door of any approaching bicycles. Blind-spot indicators on the side mirrors alert you of any traffic in your blind spots while driving, and the rear cross-traffic alert system warns you of any approaching cars to the left or right when backing out of a space.

As for the any in-cabin tech features, there are plenty, but most in the car’s infotainment system. There’s an 8-inch touchscreen to operate the radio, satellite radio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (which are wirelessly connected). The system is attached to a six-speaker sound system, which sounds decent. But audiophiles will certainly want to opt for upgraded trim levels, which have the option for the JBL premium sound system and 12.3-inch touchscreen.

Summary

The base 2024 Toyota Prius Prime SE starts at just under $33,000 and tops out at $39,670 for the top-trim XSE Premium. Even at the entry-level price, the Prius Prime offers plenty of technology and surprising amount of driving fun. It’s also very fuel-efficient, garnering an EPA-rated 53 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway, which drops to 50/47, respectively on the higher trim levels. That equates to around 600 miles of driving on a full tank, which is impressive.

Ultimately, the Toyota Prius Prime will work well as a second car for a family or a primary car for couples. It has enough practicality to do everything you need for your daily commute, and then some. It also now has some exciting looks to back it all up. The public may not have accepted the Prius in the past, but they ought to check out this new one.