Overview & Reviews

The Toyota Prius has long been America's most popular hybrid vehicle thanks to its high fuel economy, reasonably affordable pricing and practical nature. Now Toyota has expanded the Prius family with the Prius V wagon. Aimed at families, the Toyota Prius V is based on the regular Prius hatchback but offers considerably more cargo capacity.

Basically, the Toyota Prius V is a Prius with a longer, wider and taller body, paired with the same gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain as its smaller sibling. While the Prius V is slightly less fuel-efficient than the original and no more fun to drive, the added practicality is considerable. Hybrid shoppers looking for a vehicle that's as environmentally friendly as it is functional will likely be quite pleased with the Prius V.

Current Toyota Prius V
The Toyota Prius V is a four-door wagon that's offered in three different trim levels dubbed Two, Three and Five. All are powered by the same gasoline-electric hybrid system, which pairs a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) for a total output of 134 horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is excellent for a vehicle this size, with an EPA-estimated 44 mpg city/40 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined.

Standard feature highlights for the Two trim level include 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry/ignition, automatic climate control, a fold-flat front passenger seat, sliding and reclining 60/40 split-folding rear seats, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system. The Three adds a rearview camera, a navigation system and Toyota's Entune smartphone integration system. The Five gets 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, upgraded upholstery and heated front seats. Optional for the Three and Five are a panoramic sunroof, while only the Five can be had with adaptive cruise control, an automated parking system, upgraded navigation, a premium sound system and a pre-collision safety system.

Behind the wheel, the Toyota Prius V drives much like the original, which is to say the ride quality is smooth, handling is predictable if unexciting and the steering has a light touch that makes for easy maneuvering at slow speeds. A Power mode makes for better acceleration in demanding situations like passing or climbing a hill, while an Eco mode helps maximize fuel economy, albeit with a noticeable drop in performance.

Inside, the Prius V's controls are large and easy to use. Sadly, taller drivers still have to contend with a steering wheel that's placed too far away. There's a telescoping column, but it doesn't extend nearly far enough. And as with the standard Prius, the Prius V's cabin design is plainer and less ambitious than you'll find in other wagons. Materials quality is spotty; some of the plastics are nicely grained, but others look cheap. Fortunately the Toyota Prius V excels as a wagon. The passenger-friendly rear seats slide fore and aft and recline for greater comfort. With the rear seats folded, the spacious 67-cubic-foot cargo hold (along with the fold-flat front passenger seat) provides SUV-like utility.

Used Toyota Prius V Models
Since its debut in 2012, the Toyota Prius V has remained essentially unchanged.

User Reviews:

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  Great Family car except... - 2013 Toyota Prius v
  By txpriusvowner - March 18 - 4:37 pm

  Great overall design and gas mileage for a family vehicle.

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  The most versatile high MPG hybrid - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By jcihak - January 26 - 7:21 am

  When we went looking for a car that got both high real MPG and had good utility, we had few choices. It was either a sacrifice of MPG or cargo space. The Prius Vs only competition is the C-Max, but in the real world the V gets better mileage and has a lot more cargo room. . Although the Prius V is not a standout car, its the one that met all our needs, and left us pleasantly surprised. . We got the Model 5 with the 17" wheels. It handles much better than any Prius I ever drove before. I think the trade-off is a big turning radius and expensive tires. However, the big tires do not seem to hurt mpg. . The engine is noisy when pressed, but still manages even on long highway hills.

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  Wonderful car desperate for console re-design - 2014 Toyota Prius v
  By DN Word - January 4 - 7:25 am

  If you want a sporty and responsive car that uses less gas than a lot of others and is great fun to drive, this is a car to consider seriously. I am very glad I bought this car, even though I can never exceed 46 mpg regardless of where I happen to be driving (mountains, freeway, city). I would happily give it five stars if it werent for the climate controls, digital displays and virtually useless navigation (for which I paid well over a grand.) I dont even mind that rear window visibility is a little awkward because the backup camera is so wonderful. And the storage area is larger than it appears, even though you will have to move anything you have in there to change a tire, but how often, really, does that happen? And what car, these days, is any different in that respect? That fifth star is missing because of the center console and digital displays. Want to see your odometer reading? You must toggle through mind-boggling displays hunting for it. And I have yet to figure out how to get the front window defogger to adequately function. Maybe its not functioning at all? The heating and cooling are stupidly hard to operate (dangerous even, if you consider you are usually driving when you want to adjust them), and not very effective, but maybe thats because I havent yet learned to operate them after more than a year of reading the monster manual. For years, Toyota made a simple three-dial control that was so intuitive and really gave you what you wanted in the way of heating or cooling. Guess that went away with the speedometer dial that could be seen in peripheral vision, rather than the despised digital speedometer, which must be read, and more frequently, since the engine makes so little sound to indicate variations in acceleration. Too bad Toyota made a five-star car and equipped it with a 2-star interior console.

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  EXCELLENT Fuel Mileage - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By gregff - September 30 - 5:49 am

  I drive 55 miles one way to work. 5 days a week. I bought the car Oct 19th 2013 and as of 3/15/13 have over 15000 miles. Most of the driving is up and down hills, none are big but all are long grades. About 10 miles is flat. I am averaging 40-41MPG. Ride is excellent road noise is not a problem. Only Complaint I have is the Rear speakers do not have any volume. Dealer has looked at it and says ALL Prius V have the same issue, no fix.

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  Great Mileage - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By sidelinedude - September 13 - 9:24 am

  Bought the car because we are downsizing in our lives. Went from a Silverado HD pickup getting 16 mpg to the Prius V to get the great mileage & have some room for hauling stuff. It fits the bill on both counts. Currently averaging 45 mpg & have gotten as high as 54 mpg. Pretty good ride for a small car. The fit & finish are excellent as is expected from Toyota. I would sacrifice a couple of mpgs for electric adjustable seats & a more adjustable steering wheel. Toyota really dropped the ball on driver comfort with the V. Would also like to be able to adjust the Smart Key locking features without having to take it to the dealer. Overall, the car has met our expectations.

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  I really Like it - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By penguin103 - September 8 - 9:22 pm

  Not a blast to drive by any means, but who are we kidding? Anyone who buys this vehicle is doing it for reliability, fuel efficiency and functionality. I have had my Prius V for a little over 3 weeks and just filled up for the 2nd time- Very happy I averaged 51.61 mpg, driving to maximize fuel efficiency as much as possible. Makes me feel good to know that if I drove it like I drove any other car, I would still probably easily attain the 42 mpg average on the sticker.

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  Highly recommend to city dwellers - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By 123224 - May 30 - 10:07 am

  I almost opted for the hatchback because the V MPG rating is not as good, and I could get 0% financing. So glad I went for it because driving to/from work (17 mi each way) in Houston rush hour traffic, Im averaging around 50 mpg! The temp has been in the 60-70s, so have been using the ac. When it gets colder, the mpg might not be as good, since the engine will have to run more to keep me warm. I have a Five w/out Advanced Tech Package. I love everything about it, except so far, I cant get Entunes to work--have an I-phone. Not a big deal, except I hate not being able to use something I paid for. I chose the Five because I did not want cloth seats. So far, Im pleased.

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  Boring reliable economic transportation and little else - 2013 Toyota Prius v
  By stardude82 - February 27 - 7:56 am

  Could have been a better car. Driving Controls are ok. I dont even mind the central gauge cluster, but it looks looks horrible. The infotainment system is slow. The nav in my 10 year old BMW was faster at imputing destinations and finding routes. It has a resistive touchscreen which is also horrible. The Prius power train is not very refined carrying around the extra weight. A boat-like feeling at any speed and numb numb numb, but above 60 mph, the car has an unsettling unstable feeling. Brakes are overly grippy at low speeds and mushy at high. Besides my gripes, it is excellently packaged. It carries what I need it to carry and gets north of 40 mpg in mixed driving.

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  Our Environmental Duty - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By pruistom61 - September 10 - 3:20 pm

  As soon as I saw the Prius v in the showroom, it peaked my curiosity. Having been the previous owner of a 2005 Prius and the current owner of the 2011 Prius, I knew this model must a be a winner. The test drive proved my feelings correct. The mileage so far is in the 40s and the cabin room and comfort surpassed my expectations. Coming from a Volvo XC70, I didnt realize how much rear leg room we would gain with the v. I have read and viewed most reviews prior to the purchase and went with the three version providing with the GPS feature and am very happy with the purchase. Test one for yourself. Like the slogan says, "Once you get you hands on a Toyota, youll never let go!"

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By garyb7 - February 6 - 4:10 pm

  I purchased my Prius V in December 2012. I wanted 40 mpg and there are few cars in this class. I considered the Ford C Max, but to get a drivers seat with lumbar support, I had to upgrade to the SEL model, while the Prius 2 package has lumbar support. And C Max has not been getting the mileage as advertised. The V rides well and Ive been averaging 40mpg so far during winter driving... (Minnesota). The car is very comfortable and feels very similar to my old Pontiac Vibe. The seats are very comfortable and the interior is much roomier than the Prius liftback, especially in the front. My only complaint is the car is a bit slow. Overall, Im very happy with my purchase.