Overview & Reviews

As with many of Toyota's vehicles, the Prius (from the Latin "to go before") has become a standard-bearer in its segment. While many automakers' hybrid models are still in their nascent stages, Toyota's Prius is already well into its third generation. This four-door hatchback hybrid has become a hit with consumers because of its stellar fuel economy, spacious cabin, relatively uncompromised driving characteristics and reasonable price.

Due to its popularity and relatively long sales history, Toyota's original hybrid car is a strong candidate for a shopper interested in a used hybrid vehicle. Pleasingly, Toyota's solid reputation for reliability and durability is holding true for the Prius. However, potential buyers of a used Prius should take extra care during the research process. As the Toyota Prius is quite complex, future repairs and part replacements could be quite expensive.

Current Toyota Prius
In its first decade of production, the compact Prius hatchback was the sole version available. But now, a subcompact Prius C, a larger Prius V wagon and a plug-in variant of the standard Prius are offered (and covered in separate reviews). With the introduction of these newer models, the standard Prius is often referred to as the Prius hatchback or liftback.

The Toyota Prius' hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.8-liter gasoline engine that's used in conjunction with two electric motors and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Total system power is 134 horsepower, and fuel economy rates an impressive 50 mpg combined.

There are four Prius trim levels: Two, Three, Four and Five. Standard feature highlights for the Prius Two include keyless ignition/entry, automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a touchscreen interface and an iPod/USB audio interface. The Three adds a rearview camera, Toyota's Entune smartphone integration system and a navigation system. The Four gains a power driver seat, heated front seats, faux leather upholstery and an upgraded stereo. The Five has larger alloy wheels and advanced LED headlamps. Options vary depending on trim level, but include a solar-powered ventilation system, an aerodynamic body kit, a sport-tuned suspension, a head-up display, an upgraded navigation system, adaptive cruise control and a lane-departure warning system.

Under full acceleration, both gasoline and electric power sources work together to provide maximum propulsion. In stop-and-go traffic, the Prius usually runs on battery power alone, which maximizes fuel economy. Under deceleration, the electric motors switch to generator mode, recharging the car's batteries. As expected, performance is far from exciting, but adequate for passing and merging onto highways. The Prius' space-efficient hatchback body provides a surprisingly roomy backseat and cargo area, making it a plausible replacement for a family sedan or compact SUV. The Prius' main downsides are a potentially uncomfortable driving position for taller drivers, excessive road noise and disappointing interior materials quality.

Used Toyota Prius Models
The current third-generation Toyota Prius debuted for 2010. Its general shape remained largely unchanged compared to the previous generation, though the sheet metal took on a more sculpted character. The interior received a more radical overhaul, with a more conventional center control stack and the hybrid system display relocated high on the dash. It's also a bit more comfortable for taller drivers, thanks to a height-adjustable seat and a telescoping steering wheel, though still not great. Changes have been very minor since. The pre-2012 models lack a few features offered on later versions such as power front seats and the Entune smartphone integration system.

The second-generation Toyota Prius was produced for the 2004-'09 model years. It sat five people in a four-door hatchback body that provided extra versatility in terms of carrying items. This Prius' hybrid powertrain was the same in concept as the current third-generation model, but it featured a smaller, 1.5-liter gasoline engine that produced 76 hp and 82 pound-feet of torque. With the electric motor spinning out power, peak net hp was 110.

Aside from its hybrid system upgrades, most buyers will find the interior to be the biggest area of difference between the second-generation model and the current Prius. The dashboard and controls were unconventional and futuristic, with stereo, climate, vehicle system and optional navigation controls residing in a touchscreen interface. There were steering wheel buttons for frequently used items, but ultimately, too much was put under the jurisdiction of the touchscreen (which could wash out in sunlight). The odd gear-selector action of today's Prius was carried over from this generation, but then it was mounted on the dash. Another important difference to note is the lack of a telescoping steering wheel and height adjustment, making for an even more awkward driving position for taller people.

During its successful tenure in Toyota's lineup, this second-generation Prius received minor changes. For 2006, a back-up camera, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel and an auxiliary audio jack were added to the options list. A Prius Touring model was added the following year with a slightly firmer "sport" suspension, different 16-inch alloy wheels, a larger rear lip spoiler and several optional items. Side and side curtain airbags also became standard across the board. A "standard" trim level, which lacks cruise control and heated mirrors but in exchange had a significantly lower base price, was added for 2008.

In reviews of the Toyota Prius, our editors have cited outstanding mileage, ultralow emissions, hatchback utility and a reasonable price as the car's greatest strengths. Downsides include soft handling characteristics at highway speeds and, compared to regular midsize sedans, unimpressive maximum acceleration. Most Prius owners say their cars typically achieve real-world mpg ratings in the mid-40s.

The original Prius debuted in the North American market for the 2001 model year. However, Toyota had been selling it in Japan since 1997. This model was the second hybrid vehicle available to U.S. consumers after the Honda Insight. In just about every aspect, the original Prius has been eclipsed by the second-generation car. The first-generation Toyota is slower, smaller and not as comfortable.

Though less advanced than those in the newer generations, the older Prius' powertrain still paired a gasoline engine with an electric motor. Its 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine made 70 hp at 4,500 rpm and 82 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. The electric drive motor was worth another 44 peak hp.

User Reviews:

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  no spare tire what were you guys thinking - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By upset - October 8 - 10:51 am

  2016 NO SPARE TIRE - we liked our 2007 so we traded up to a 2016 without looking in the trunk - ridicules toyota - YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF LET ME SEE ONE OF YOUR EXECUTIVES WAIT 2-3+ HOURS ON THE ROADSIDE WAITING FOR ROADSIDE SERVICE !!!! or better let me see you leave your wife and children stranded in a bad district for 2-3 hours But of course we live in a perfect world and somebody would be there in minutes right! My wife got a flat because of construction 3 times good thing we had a spare!!!!!

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  2004 Prius - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By strata - August 21 - 10:20 am

  My 2004 Prius was bought in Oct 03 because of the claim of outstanding mileage, the federal tax incentive and I was driving a large crewcab pickup. Mileage range from the high 30s in the coldest (below -0 F.) months to the low 50s once the weather gets warmer in the spring. It gets the best mileage in city driving about 40 mph. It is fairly comfortable in day to day commuting. The hatchback feature is very useful with the extra room with the rear seats folded down. The biggest gripes are the light beige cloth upholstery that show dirt easy and the couple of times that it left me stranded with computer glitches once at dealer when they were doing a recall and once 300 miles away.

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  Cheap Car - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By Cheap Car - July 27 - 10:26 am

  Make no mistake, this is a cheap feeling car. Its light, noisy, rides rough, and has no refinement or elegance whatsoever. It drives and feels like those mini Toyota Tercels that girls drove in college. The interior is plastic (silver plastic?), and the dashboard screams cheap and plastic. Ive already had a door piece fall off. Its not nearly a midsize; sit in it and compare it to a Camry. It also gets blown all over the road, and gooses itself up hills. For $22,000+, this car isnt a real car. This is the most expensive car Ive bought, yet it drives and feels like the cheapest. Wait for the hybrid Camry, or try a hybrid Civic or Accord.

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  Good, efficient transporation - 2007 Toyota Prius
  By benson11 - June 25 - 11:14 pm

  This car is good for what it is intended, getting from point A to point B. It is definitely not a sports car or the ultimate driving experience. It is great on gas and gets better mileage during the summer (when it is hotter). I am afraid to bring this up to the snow since it is somewhat under powered (for the higher elevations) and it isnt all wheel drive. Overall, this is great, practical transportation.

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  Great car until the hybrid battery pack failed at 109k - 2005 Toyota Prius
  By armory - June 23 - 7:31 pm

  Bought used with 58k miles. Car is extremely quiet. Car gets around 48mpg after changing your driving habits. You can fill up the gas tank for about $35. Changing the oil is easy b/c the oil filter is attached at the very bottom of the engine and nothing is below it. My hybrid battery died at 109k miles. This is a $3500 repair at Toyota. I would not have bought a Prius if I would have known the battery would not last longer. I replaced the battery pack myself with a refurbished one from priusrebuilders.com for about $1000 and sold the car. Money saved in gas was used to pay for repair. A Prius sitting and not being driven is the number 1 reason for battery packs not lasting.

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  Bad! - 2004 Toyota Prius
  By Jessie D - May 19 - 8:06 pm

  I owned this car for three and a half years, used about 60,000 miles and it was awesome until it rained, snowed or was windy at all. I felt completely unsafe, and scared during any storm or driving on snow. The seats were decently sized, but hard as rocks. The gas mileage was the reason I bought it, and that stayed true to what was said about how great it was. I ended up buying a Honda SUV because this car scared me so much to drive even on a sunny day with lots of wind. I now feel so much safer, and would never purchase another small Toyota again.

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  What a lemon! - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Marianne McNabb - March 12 - 2:00 am

  We have had our 2010 Prius for over a year and aside from the excellent gas mileage, I would not ever recommend this year model. The regenerative braking system is so unreliable, that driving it over uneven road surfaces, the brakes fail and the car keeps moving. If there were a pedestrian in the cross walk, they would have been hit. Recommend you check out similar complaints on the National Highway Transportation Safety web site. I think the problem is with this year only-it was recalled back in Feb. 2010 but the problem persists. We are trying to get rid of it, but have not found a dealer who would give us a decent trade-in. Toyota has been hard to deal with in this regard.

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  Moonstone Dashboard is Glaringly Bright - 2016 Toyota Prius
  By m r - December 14 - 12:46 pm

  I have been waiting for the 2016 Prius in hopes of buying one. I test drove one, and the dashboard was so brightly colored that it hurt my eyes. I dont like black interiors so I dont know what to buy now since these are the only 2 options. I hope that the dashboard color can be toned down to the color of the older models. My 2011 Prius with the gray interior is perfect. It would also be good to have fog lights on Prius 2 models. They are only available on the Touring 3 and 4 models.

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  Toyotas Complacency and Arrogance hurts - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By Dave - November 22 - 6:10 am

  Im VERY disappointed. Not as refined as it should be. The strange dash design is different for no purpose other than novelty. It is neither functionally nor space- efficient. Any departure from "normal" in something like a car where there is a huge does of safety involved, by golly better offer HUGE benefits, and the Prius doesnt. Not enough tactile identification and feedback on the dash controls. Thankfully they kept Toyotas "best in the world" cruise control multi-function stalk. The ride is harsher than need be, and the seats are extremely hard and uncomfortable. And no power adjustments? This is 2010! Outward visibility is poor. Too many distractions, including a split rear window.

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  Junk - 2008 Toyota Prius
  By jeric - November 18 - 4:40 pm

  Ive had this car for about 5 months now and it is really a piece of junk. It does get very good mileage when it isnt having transmission problems at 8,000 miles. I thought Toyotas were supposed to be reliable... not the case on this one. Two transmissions later... Im trading this beast in and buying a dodge caliber next week. The Prius is what I waited months to get.. what a joke.