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:
Showing 1 through 10 of 74.00-
Prius V package 4 - 2016 Toyota Prius v
By mark wilson - October 12 - 5:17 pmThe gas mileage is as good as claimed: 44 city 50 highway (as long as you dont go above 65 to 70). Take the Edmunds print out with you to the dealership. We did that and used it to negotiate an extra almost $1,000 off the price of the car.
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Best Car Ive Owned - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By robuckc - October 3 - 10:00 amI purchased my 2012 Prius V especially for a cross country trip I took in April-May 2012. After 36 days and 9,200 miles of aggressive driving through deserts, mountains and cities, I averaged 40.2 mpg. In the two years Ive owned this car, it has been trouble free. I love the gas mileage and comfort. I am 6 6" tall and have plenty of head room......even in the back seat! Its roomy and versatile.....I can flatten the back seats and carry Home Improvement supplies, or sleep back there when camping if I choose. Its not as much fun to drive as my previous stick shift, but it is definitely the best car Ive owned. I would buy another one, especially if they come out with a plug-in
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Very satisfied - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By gunkie - August 31 - 5:29 amIve only had the car for 350 miles, but I am very satisfied with this purchase. The last new car I purchased was 16 years ago (a 1996 Land Cruiser that I still have w/280000 miles and going strong). I have no buyers regret. I drive 60 miles round trip commuting everyday and Im averaging over 50 miles/gallon in the first week. Ive learned how to use the ECO mode and PWR mode efficiently and my initial forays into hypermiling are a lot of fun. I like the Entune audio system and the data/power hookups for the cell phone. After messing around with the voice commands, I can do all phone calls completely hands free and most audio commands hands free.
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Great car - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By mchalmers - May 4 - 10:42 amDrives better than expected. Lots of room, smooth transition between electric and gas engine. Kids love the tech features. Coming from an Audi A6 and thought it would be painful but not as difficult as expected as you feel great with a hybrid. the only downside is that with 200 miles on the car the MPG reported from car is 33.8 and I hope this increases as the car gets broken in
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prius V level five - 2013 Toyota Prius v
By serejka4992 - December 28 - 10:15 pmReally good car have 10600 on it so far had first oil change my mg for far 39 in average.
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when in doubt, buy a toyota - 2013 Toyota Prius v
By joe540ci - November 10 - 7:12 pmLove it.
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My 5th Toyota and 2nd Prius - 2017 Toyota Prius v
By Krissy - September 22 - 7:50 amDont understand a review that states it accelerates sluggishly. Come on guys, a lot of us women drive Prius and are not looking to drag race anyone while we are driving . . . Get real. Compared to my 2007 Prius sedan this car has awesome acceleration! Am very disappointed there is no slot to hold the Fob as my 2007 had but maybe that is just me. I wonder why the engineers sacrificed or forgot that. I have the complete technology package and have had no problems with the dynamic assisted front radar and it automatically slowing the car when cruise control is engaged - works flawlessly on my car. I do dislike a center console that is hinged toward the front passenger seat - seems very awkward to me. Love the panoramic moonroof just question why the engineers chose to make it more of a stationery window that doesnt open than a real sunroof. It rides smoothly and whisper quiet so I am extremely pleased with the ride. Some of these vehicles do not look attractive or cheap. The dealer had a white Prius V that looked very cheap inside and out. I had them ship in a Silver Metallic one with the black and gray interior and there was a world of difference in how the car looked inside and out. Mine was so much richer looking than the Titanium White one . . . Even the sales people were going outside to look at it in silver (light gray) and were making the same comment. Very comfortable to drive, love the navigation system built in, ability to sync my garage door opener through the rear view mirror, sound is decent withe the 8 speakers in the five model. The inside door trim no longer has any fabric - so yes it does look a lot different and to some it may look cheaper. It is a Wagon geared toward families with easy to clean surfaces. There is leather at the bottom of the inside windows followed my molded plastic. No big deal for me - she should be easy to keep looking new and wont rot like fabric or fade over time. I think you should judge the V for yourself. This is my 2nd Prius and I have owned 3 Camrys also in the past, in addition to 2 Buick and a Subaru. My highest mug in the city has been 55.1 mpg and When I filled her up last week I got about 47 mpg combined in city and highway driving which pleased me greatly. Much higher than my 2007 Prius sedan ever got and the car is still breaking in its engine.
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Escalade to Prius V - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By pirate131 - May 2 - 8:54 pmPicked up the new car yesterday. So far very pleased. We got the Five with the advanced tech. package, remote start, floor mats, etc. However, this is a big change for me. My Escalade had a 6.0 litre engine with 375 hp. It will take time to adapt to the hybrid. But it wont take any time at all to get used to better fuel economy. Comparatively speaking, Im going to enjoy stopping for gas. The new car is great, fun to drive and handles very well. Iphone tied right into the car. Still need to set up entune. Ill update this review in 30 days.
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Love this... wagon/suv/car... kind of a mix - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By katd529 - March 8 - 10:15 amI love this auto, it handles well, its well designed inside and out. The only thing I dont like are the cloth seats which are being replaced with leather. (This was part of the package we hagled over.) The dealership was wonderful! At any giving time 4 or 5 people would ask if we needed any thing or did we have any questions even after we were working with a sales rep. (Ask for Brian in the sales department at the Round Rock,Tx dealership), this young man has been very attentive to any question we had and if he didnt know the answer he found out. Even on a Sunday when the dealership was closed he returned a text message to answer my question. This was after the sale was done.
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MPG much better than ratings - 2012 Toyota Prius v
By djlerkl - February 23 - 1:28 amWe bought a 3 month old "V" as a used car with 2300 miles on it. Since then weve put 4000 miles on (75% highway, 2-3 people in car). I checked my odometer (ca. 0.5% off) and have been tracking actual fuel purchases throughout. After doing the math, computer is a bit off: shows 50.3 mpg and actual is about 48.9. Thats with constant a/c use and in a fairly hilly area (upstate NY). In a flatter area, mpg goes up 5-10%. Im not a hyper-miler -- just easy on the gas and brake. Acceleration is okay -- a lot better than the older Honda Accord (200K miles) it replaced. Visibility for shorter drivers much better than expected. Low road noise. Very satisfied so far.
