Toyota Prius Prime review: Striking and efficient

Let’s face it: Early incarnations of the Toyota Prius were dull to look at, even if they were innovative and economical. However, the latest version is a super sleek sedan that looks awesome. I think Toyota has realized it might be on to a good thing because the company plans to sell the car in the UK, so it’s not just everyone on the other side of the pond who gets to enjoy the 2025 Prius’ delicious styling lines.

There are a couple of options to choose from, too — with front- and all-wheel drive variants available, both of which are powered by a 2-liter gas-powered lump. Better still, the Prius Prime comes as a plug-in hybrid, so for anyone with access to home or workplace charging, Toyota’s latest could be even more economical to run than earlier Prius models. Therefore, the new car is not only great to look at but very practical too.

Recommended

2025 Toyota Prius Prime

The 2025 Toyota Prius shines thanks to its rakish profile. This is backed up by excellent fuel economy, and with the hybrid model, there’s the benefit of plug-in charging, too. However, there are some compromises, mainly due to the smaller cabin area that’s a result of the new design. Moreover, the new Prius is a low-ish car, so it’s not likely to be as appealing to Uber drivers as older models. Overall, though, it’s a great car.
 

Engine

2-liter gas hybrid

Drive Layout

Front or four-wheel drive

Horsepower

164 kW / 194 hp

0-60mph

6.8 seconds

Top Speed

109 mph

Transsmission

Automatic

Range

44 miles on battery

Pros

• Great design
• Drives well and offers excellent fuel economy
• Ideally suited to folks with home or work charging

Cons

• Some compromises on interior space due to body shape
• Lower to the ground than earlier versions
• Interior is practical rather than premium

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Price, specs, and availability

In the UK, the Toyota Prius plug-in Excel model I drove costs £39,996. That gets you the 2-liter, front-wheel drive car seen in this review. Over in the US, consumers can opt for the LE edition, starting from just over $29,000, which features 17-inch wheels. They can also splurge for the XLE, which is just over $32,000. It features larger 19-inch alloys. Toyota is also offering a limited edition model that costs just a bit over $36,000.

Design and Build

Look at those styling lines

I think Toyota’s design team has done an incredible job with the new Prius. In fact, the car’s looks are what I like most about it. Finished in the metallic Mustard Yellow you see pictured throughout, the Prius looks distinctive. Although it’s essentially a rather sensible sedan, the overall stance of the 2025 Prius is long and very low-slung. In fact, it not only looks low to the ground, but it feels that way when you drive it.

Things get off to a great start with the exterior, down at the front, with that pointy, edgy snout, slimline headlights and some neat contrasting intake areas beneath the license plate. It’s hard to miss the windshield’s radical line too, which dramatically affects the overall look of the car. The body is smooth down the sides, with panels designed for optimal aerodynamics.

Moving to the back, Toyota has furnished the rear end with impressive levels of attention as well. The taillights, badging, and the liftback itself have all been created with care. I especially liked the way the black areas contrasted with the bright yellow of my test car. Add it all together, and the new Prius looks way better than the countless older models out on roads across the world. A slight downside to the exciting styling is some compromise on interior space, but for me, that’s definitely a price worth paying.

An all-new interior

Practical rather than premium

While the exterior of the 2025 Prius looks very high-end, the interior is slightly less impressive. I like it, but there’s enough standard-grade plastic used inside the cockpit to remind you that this is a Toyota, rather than a Lexus. That’s not to sell the new Prius short. It offers a super comfortable cabin to sit in as well, either in the front or the back, even if the synthetic leather seat material feels more practical than premium. The front dash is interesting, too, with most of it dominated by a landscape-oriented touchscreen.

The driver position reminded me a bit of being behind the wheel of the Toyota BZ4X, with the dash cut out and pointing to an instrument panel that contains all the essential travel data. Sweeping across the dash under the touchscreen are buttons to tackle everyday tasks, including switching the heated seats off and on. I was also fond of the stubby little auto box gear selector on the center console, which falls nicely to hand as you’re picking your way through the traffic.

The technology breakdown

Slender offerings, but everything works

The new Prius isn’t exactly bristling with technology, but it had everything I needed for the kind of driving I like to do, including a decent ‘Hey Toyota’ voice control system. I started my test drive by pairing my iPhone with the Apple CarPlay system offered up by the 12.3-inch infotainment system. That all worked seamlessly, and the route guidance was fine too.

There’s a digital rear-view mirror, smart-entry and push-button start. Plus, those comfy seats benefit from eight-way power adjustment. Another neat and fairly subtle touch is the blue ambient lighting inside the cabin. Additionally, in-car charging is plentiful, with a pair of USB ports in the rear for good measure. The 2025 Prius also features Toyota’s Safety Sense 3, which meant that that I had a raft of driver aids at my disposal.

Battery, range, and performance

As economical as expected

The Prius has always been an economical car, and that’s true of the 2025 model as well. Admittedly, the car isn’t exactly scintillating on the performance front, but it’s not that kind of machine. I found it fun to drive on country roads, with the low-slung body design and taught chassis providing plenty of grip, even when I floored the throttle from time to time.

A minor issue is the e-CVT gearbox, which can feel vague. Once I put it into drive, though, the car subsequently did most, if not all, of the thinking for me. You can manually put it into EV mode for short stints, and Toyota suggests this is good for up to 44 miles if fully charged. Normally though, the Prius hybrid set-up switched dynamically as the conditions and my driving style demanded. It’s a tried and tested format from Toyota and works better than ever in this model, with fuel economy from all 2025 models reaching easily into the mid-50mpg bracket if driven carefully.

Should you buy the Toyota Prius?

You can frequently see earlier versions of the Toyota Prius on the road as minicabs and ride-hailing vehicles, but the new version is something that many people will want to own. The car looks great, but the slight drawback to the excellent styling is that there is a degree of compromise in interior space. This is quite a low car too, which makes it less of a practical option for Uber and Lyft drivers. Nevertheless, the 2025 Prius has a comfortable interior and features all the everyday stuff that most folks need.

Recommended

2025 Toyota Prius Prime

Engine

2-liter gas hybrid

Drive Layout

Front or four-wheel drive

Horsepower

164 kW / 194 hp

0-60mph

6.8 seconds

Top Speed

109 mph

Transsmission

Automatic

Range

44 miles on battery

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