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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  My 5th Toyota and 2nd Prius - 2017 Toyota Prius v
  By Krissy - September 22 - 7:50 am

  Dont 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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  Horrible! - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By crazycatlady58 - July 24 - 6:08 pm

  This car has gotten stuck in 1 inch of snow this winter, and in Wisconsin that is not a good thing! This car rides horribly also, you feel every bump in the road! My family lives about 40 miles away, and I dread going to see them because I know I will be stiff and sore after the ride there! Another complaint I have about this vehicle is that it is difficult to get a convertible car seat to sit properly in the middle of the back seat while in the rear facing position. It would take forever to get the car seat in just the right spot that it wouldnt tip due to the split between the oddly sized seats in the back. And you cant put a car seat on the side because of the side air bags.

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  Escalade to Prius V - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By pirate131 - May 2 - 8:54 pm

  Picked 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 am

  I 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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  Rear End Noise - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By rhagedorn - February 25 - 5:34 pm

  Overall I am satisified with the car. My gas mileage, having driven 10,320, is 44.2mpg which is GREAT. The rear storage is more than adequate for a small car. Handles and ride just fine. Our BIGGEST problem we are having, with no fix available at this time, is an increasing high pitch noice coming from rear. The noise has been increasing in loudness and duration as we add mileage. It now is occurring at times when applying breaks. It is more noticeable when it is damp, but has at times made it when dry. I have had it back to dealer 3 times and this last time was informed Toyato is aware but does not have a fix. So if you are considering proceed with cation! Frustrating for sure!

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  MPG much better than ratings - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By djlerkl - February 23 - 1:28 am

  We 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.

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  TSS-P is great - 2017 Toyota Prius v
  By R Wertenberg - October 9 - 4:35 pm

  The radar dynamic cruise control is great, but the pre-collision system truly falls short to the point one wonders if it is working. Even when set at the greatest distance for protection, it rarely engages except as (or after) braking in a true emergency situation. That is not a good implementation in my personal opinion. If I compare it to the performance of the radar dynamic cruise control that appears to work as one would expect (if a car pulls in front of you it automatically decelerates up to and including braking if required) at a comfortable distance (that you set in a similar fashion). If you are going to be moving something long, please know that the front seats do not fold forward, you need to remove the headrest and fold them back before folding the back seat forward. Overall it has been a very good car so far and it has a surprisingly comfortable ride.

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  first hybrid - 2013 Toyota Prius v
  By kittkatt23 - July 1 - 12:23 pm

  bought this used, <7k in January. it a big improvment over my 08 Mazda 5. The rear room is the same, but the mpg is 2x of Mazda 5! i have hubby, a toddler and 2 mutts. all of us fit just fine. Hubby loves it. it has planty of room for him (62") the entune sys is good. i just wish it would remember the settings so that i dont have to press a dozen buttons just to get pandora to play. i avg out 42.4mpg (fuelly) my computer tells me its almost XX, but its alway -3 of what the computer says. not sure why. love the low maintenence vs Jettas. just tire rotation and oil change. ill be keeping this one for over 5 yrs for sure!

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  2011 Red Camaro to 2012 Pruis V (3) - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By briansp - June 7 - 12:11 pm

  Prior to the 2011 Camaro I had a 2009 Camry Hb which I really liked. Of course I loved the Camaro, 6 speed, Red tinted windows but with fuel prices moving into the high 3 dollar level I went shopping. The 2012 Prius V (3) caught my eye and after a test drive I was sold. Purchased in Feb 2012 and already have 3500+ miles and to date everything has been great. Tinted windows a carbon dark grey which makes the White color pop. Made a gate like car separator out of PVC for $13 to keep my K-9 Shepard in the back behind the rear seats and he has plenty of room. Overall, I really like this car and enjoy driving it as much as I can... did I mention my 17 son was not happy..too bad..Oh Well

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  Love,Love,Love my new Pearly Prius - 2012 Toyota Prius v
  By jenm1231 - February 14 - 5:03 pm

  This is my first hybrid. I have always driven the large gas hogs. I now feel free to drive by the gas stations and smile as I do not have to put more then $20 in per week. I bought the three model with the pearl white paint. It is so much fun to drive. The power button is great when you need that quick pick up to get on the highway. t the moment Im only averaging 38 miles per gallon,not the 42 they claim. I got an amazing deal on mine. Most dealers werent willing to drop the price but my MSRP was over $28k and I paid only $25498 and got $2500 more for my trade. Im so happy. People just stare at me when Im t the gas station. I know its envy... Cant beat the savings!!!