Toyota Prius Pros And Cons: What To Know When Weighing Your Decision
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The Toyota Prius is an automotive icon that kickstarted the hybrid movement. Today, although the Prius is still with us over the years, it’s hardly the only hybrid option in the market. Even Toyota released a competition to the Prius with the Corolla Hybrid. This begs the question, is the Toyota Prius still worth the money?
While the Prius has proven itself to be an excellent hybrid vehicle, it’s far from perfect. One of the main criticisms about the Prius is that it’s not an energetic car by any means. So you’re better off looking elsewhere if you’re in the market for a speedster.
Are you considering buying a new or used Prius? Then, you’re likely looking for the Toyota Prius’ pros and cons. For today’s post, let’s talk about the benefits and drawbacks of the ol’ reliable Prius so you can make an informed decision. Let’s get to it!
What We Love About the Toyota Prius
Let’s begin this list of the Toyota pros and cons with the things we like. Below are some of the best reasons why a Prius is a sound investment.
Excellent Reliability
Here at CoPilot, we’re big advocates of reliability. Being a Toyota, you’ll know exactly what to expect with the Prius in terms of reliability. The Toyota Prius just works, and it works for a long time.
According to RepairPal, the Prius has a reliability score of 4.0 out of 5.0, an above-average reliability score. In addition, the annual repair cost for a Prius is $408 on average, giving it excellent ownership costs. In comparison, midsize cars have an average repair cost of $526.
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Top-Notch Fuel Economy
With the volatility of fuel prices, consumers are currently subjected to ever-increasing fuel costs with no end in sight. Investing in a hybrid vehicle like the Prius provides a massive relief at the pump. True enough, if the Prius excels at anything, it’s fuel economy – and Toyota always seems to find a way to improve in this area.
The current 2022 Toyota Prius has gas mileage ratings of 58/53/56 (city/highway/combined) mpg for the base model, which is also the most economical. With an 11.3-gallon tank, the base Prius can drive up to a whopping 633 miles with a full tank. The other FWD models and the AWD configuration are slightly less efficient but still offer excellent fuel economy.
Cost-Efficient Hybrid
It’s no surprise that the Prius is most people’s entry point into the hybrid/electric movement. Typical of Toyota vehicles, Prius offers very competitive pricing within reach of many consumers. While the price tag jumps up as you go up a trim or two, the price increases are relatively modest.
The 2022 Prius starts at $25,075, which is generally lower than competing hybrids. For comparison, the 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid retails for $27,350, the 2022 Honda Insight for $25,760, and the 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid for $27,980. It’s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but it should give you an idea that the Prius is one of the most cost-accessible hybrids available.
Good Safety Features
Toyota cars are known to be some of the safest vehicles in the world, and the Prius is no exception. One selling point of the Prius is its collection of safety features. It comes with a comprehensive package of standard safety features such as airbags, a rearview camera, auto-off headlights, rear seat reminder, etc.
In addition, the Prius comes with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, a safety suite that includes driver-assistive technologies like Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Departure Alert, Pre-Collision System, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.
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What We Don’t Like About the Toyota Prius
Of course, you can’t have a list of Toyota Prius’ pros and cons without touching on the negatives.
Lethargic Performance
The Prius’ 1.8L Inline-4 hybrid powertrain fails to deliver a thrilling acceleration. The combination of the aspirated 4-cylinder and electric motor only managed an output of 121 horsepower. Toyota wasn’t too keen on disclosing the Prius’ 0-60 stat, but according to independent tests, the car would take 10.5 seconds to reach 60 mph – not great. The Prius isn’t your best bet if you’re looking for something more energetic.
Cramped Rear Seats
While we’re not expecting the Prius to sit five professional NBA players at the back comfortably, even normal-sized adults will find the rear seats cramped. The 33.4 inches of legroom may be enough for kids and teens, but full-grown adults will not likely have a relaxing time. This drawback will only matter if you regularly have back seat passengers; otherwise, it’s the biggest issue with the Prius.
Lackluster Ride Quality
Although the Prius does offer responsive steering, the overall ride quality can be bland or even stiff in some parts. The Prius tires are clearly designed for fuel economy, not shock absorption. This issue becomes even more pronounced if you drive through rough terrain.
In addition, the Prius has a serious issue with road noise. If you’re someone who can’t stand the wind and engine noises, you’ll likely hate driving this hybrid car. For this reason, we can only recommend the Prius for city driving because the cabin noise becomes an issue at highway speeds.
Should You Buy a Toyota Prius?
That concludes our list of the Toyota Prius pros and cons, so this begs the question: should you buy this hybrid car?
As far as hybrid cars go, the Toyota Prius is one of your top options in terms of fuel economy and reliability. The Prius is an easy recommendation if you’re looking for a solid city slicker that will last you a long time. However, drivers who want a more engaging and energetic ride should probably pass on the Prius. Its poor acceleration and stiff ride quality will likely turn off the more involved drivers.
You should probably avoid the 2010 and 2016 Prius models if you’re buying used due to major mechanical problems and interior accessory issues.
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So you’re in the market for a used vehicle? We’ve gone ahead and prepped some essential questions to ask when buying a used car.
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