2023 Toyota Prius Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Toyota gave the 2023 Toyota Prius a complete makeover, finally giving the hybrid head-turning style that has long been missing from the lineup. After years of putting efficiency first and everything else second, new competition from cheaper electric vehicles and other hybrid cars has pushed the automaker to admit that the Prius needs to be both an efficient car and an appealing one.

The new Prius is undeniably sleeker on the outside, it’s new look a savvy blend of curves and edges that give the model a futuristic look without alienating more conservative shoppers. The wheels have been pushed further into the corners for better handling, which has the added benefit of making the new Prius look more planted and athletic. The car is also longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor.

This model rides on the excellent platform that feels solid and stout when driven over rough surfaces; this isn’t a tinny or lightweight-feeling type of cheap hybrid. The doors close with a reassuring ‘thunk’ and inside, materials and the fit and finish are top notch. Nothing here feels like a cut-rate economy car.

A pair of screens greet the driver; an instrument panel in front of them and the dashboard-mounted infotainment screen. This setup is a welcome departure from the previous Prius, which used a center-mounted display for the instrument panel.

The cabin itself is more function over form, with few decorative trim pieces or forward-looking materials used to bring in some character or warmth.

Nevertheless, the new Prius is a comfortable place to spend some time.

The 2023 Prius uses a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a bump in size from the 1.8-liter unit in the older Prius. This engine, combined with a more powerful electric motor and lithium-ion battery, means that this latest powertrain iteration packs 194 total horsepower in front-wheel-drive (FWD) models and 196 total horsepower in models with optional all-wheel drive (AWD). That’s a significant boost over the 121 total horsepower in the outgoing model. This engine is hooked up to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

In everyday driving, the new Prius certainly feels more athletic and eager than before, with no lag to speak of, and it provides ample acceleration no matter the driving situation. The car scoots ahead on command and the power is welcomed but nowhere near excessive or even head-turning. It simply now feels appropriate; a sports car this isn’t, but it’s also not the lifeless econobox earlier versions have felt like.

As one might imagine, given the newfound power, 0-60 acceleration times—if that sort of thing is important to you as a hybrid shopper—have dropped significantly from the older model. Budget 7.1 seconds now versus 10.5 seconds previously.

Road and wind noise are nicely isolated, save for when drivers push the Prius hard for acceleration; then, too much of the engine’s loud droning flow into the cabin, but at least these intrusions are short-lived.

The Prius’ handling also feels agile and athletic thanks to the revised suspension and that longer wheelbase that tucks the wheels into the car’s corners. Harsh roads or unexpected bumps do little to upset the car or its passengers. The brakes do have a small bit of squishiness that is endemic to hybrids but it’s minor.

All told, this new model will be more than enough of a comfortable, engaging daily driver for its audience.

Despite growing on the outside, the interior of this new Prius is slightly smaller in some dimensions than the previous version. Headroom is the main victim here, dropping in both the front and rear seats versus the previous model. But legroom is up throughout, and taller passengers do fit in the rear seats comfortably.

We would recommend—budget permitting—opting for the fixed glass roof that’s optional on the mid-grade XLE trim (it’s standard on the Limited but not offered on the base LE). This two-panel setup (one above the front passengers, one above the rear seats) does a nice job of opening up what might otherwise be a slightly claustrophobic cabin, though we do wish the glass section themselves opened for airflow.

Out back, cargo space also takes a hit, dropping to 20 cubic feet on XLE and Limited models and 24 cubic feet on the LE. Forward visibility is generally good, though the loss of the split rear window on this generation means rear visibility is hampered somewhat.

The rest of the cabin does have some nice touches to keep things organized and comfortable. There’s a smattering of cupholders throughout, plus a slick pocket in the center console on XLE and Prius Limited trim levels that wirelessly charges your smartphone while also holding it snugly in place. A tray below the dashboard holds other various items and hides below it a hidden compartment for other goodies. USB-C charging ports are available in both front and rear seats.

The cargo section has small cubbies of underfloor storage that would be more helpful if they were just one big pocket, but it’s better than nothing. Notably, the Prius’ rear window does have a flexible cargo cover built in, to better hide your stuff when parked.

The base LE and mid-grade XLE models come with an 8-inch color touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The XLE can be optioned with a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen for an additional $735, a feature which is standard on the top Limited trim. We’d recommend the upgrade, as the extra real estate on the screen is helpful and the screen itself is responsive and the menus intuitive. The navigation system uses cloud connectivity for real-time updates, but it requires a $160 annual subscription to Toyota’s Drive Connect system to work, a frustrating requirement.

All models have a 7-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the driver, which we found too busy. Toyota simply crammed too much info into too small a screen, though it is an improvement over the center-mounted display on the older Prius.

There are six USB-C charge ports throughout the cabin, XLE and Limited models come standard with wireless smartphone charging, and all trims come standard with an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot, though a subscription is required for this too.

There’s also a trio of subscription-based connectivity bundles. Remote Connect allows you to connect to your Prius via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa to unlock/lock the car, turn it on and off, check the car’s parked location, and monitor young drivers. Safety Connect adds roadside assistance, collision notification, stolen vehicle locator, and an emergency assistance button. Finally, the aforementioned Drive Connect adds cloud navigation using Google’s points of interest, voice-activated features while inside the car, and 24/7 connectivity to a live person to help you find your destination.

The 2023 Prius has Toyota’s latest suite of active safety features bundled together as Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. This includes radar-based adaptive cruise control that works at any speed, pre-collision braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure alerts with steering assist, lane-tracing assist and Proactive Driving Assist, a feature that uses the car’s radar and cameras to detect curves in the road, or another car, pedestrian, or cyclist in front, and slows the Prius accordingly.

We tested the latter system during our review of the new Prius and came away impressed with its functionality. The intrusion is minimal; instead, it feels like an EV with regenerative braking as you approach something in front of you; we were quick to adapt to it. We also liked that the system is disabled within the car’s menu screen, for drivers who instead prefer an analog experience.

All of these driver assistance features are standard on all 2023 Prius models, regardless of trim level.

Other non-active safety features include stability control, traction control, eight airbags including seat-mounted side airbags, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts. The top-end Limited trim can also be optioned with hands-free automatic parallel parking features called Advanced Park.

Currently, IIHS and NHTSA haven’t crash-tested the 2023 Prius yet.

With all the upgrades to this new generation of Prius, it should come as no surprise that it gets a significant price bump over the previous generation, too. The new LE base model starts at $28,545 including destination. That’s up about $2,400 over the earlier Prius L Eco model’s base price. AWD is another $1,400 across all trim levels.

This removes the Prius’ hardcore value, but after spending some time testing the new model, the higher price tag is more than justified. Just be aware of the higher ask as you’re headed to the dealer.

Standard features on the LE include 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen navigation system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the aforementioned suite of safety gear. Making LE buyers’ lives easier is the fact that there aren’t any option packages available, save for a pair of $495 color options.

A FWD XLE will start at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $31,990. This is the trim we would opt for since it adds things like alloy 19-inch wheels, faux leather seats, a power driver’s seat, wireless smartphone charging, front and rear parking sensors, and a smart key. Buyers can add to that a digital key ($275), the aforementioned larger infotainment screen ($735), and the fixed glass roof ($1,000).

Finally, the loaded Limited trim starts at $35,560 and includes the larger screen and the glass roof, plus a JBL sound system, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, power tailgate, and Digital Key. Shoppers can add to this a digital rear-view mirror ($200), heated rear seats ($350), and the Limited Package ($1,085) which includes a 360-degree camera system and the automatic hands-free parking setup.