2025 Toyota Prius

Pros 

• Amazingly good fuel efficiency.
• An infotainment system that is easy to use. 
• Great speed for passing and merging on the highway. 
• The advanced driver helps keep the car running smoothly and efficiently.

Cons 

• There is little headroom in the backseat. 
• The gauge cluster is hard to see because the steering wheel blocks it. 
• The gasoline engine makes a noise when it starts up.

How should you drive a Prius? The latest Prius can intelligently speed up from a stoplight while staying smooth. It also works well when going up a steep hill or merging onto a highway. We timed our front-wheel-drive test Prius going from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds on Edmunds’ test track. This is a lot faster than the Kia Niro, which takes 9.7 seconds and is the Prius’ main competitor. It’s safe and steady to drive the Prius around turns. Even though the economy tires don’t offer much grip, it looks like the Prius would be more fun to drive around corners with better grip. 

The Prius is a smooth and simple car to drive every day. As soon as you leave a red light, you won’t notice the hybrid power shift from the electric motor to the gas engine.

How much comfort does the Prius offer? The front seats are supportive enough to sit in for long periods of time, and the back seats are comfortable, even though they can’t be leaned back. We like how smooth the Prius is when it goes over bumps and uneven ground. However, the Prius isn’t completely comfortable to drive because the engine, tires, and wind noise when speeding up are too loud. 

There should be more than one climate zone, but there is only one. The top Limited trim, on the other hand, has ventilated front seats, while most Prius trims have heated front seats.

How is the inside? The Prius’s dashboard is traditional, and the controls are placed in a way that makes them useful and easy to use. The digital instrument cluster could look better. It looks crowded because there is too much information on it. It’s also in an awkward place and shape; most of our drivers said that the top of the steering wheel partially blocked their view of the screen when they set the seat and wheel in the right place. 

You have to bend down a lot to get into the Prius because the back doors are so small. If you are about six feet tall, there will be little room for your head inside. So you have to slouch down every time the car bumps so you don’t hit the ceiling. It’s hard to see behind because the back window is angled, and the rear roof pillars are thick.

How does the tech work? The bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen in the middle was put in our test Prius Limited. We like how easy it is to use, how responsive, and how Google-powered the navigation is on Toyota’s newest multimedia system. On higher trim levels, there is a built-in wireless charging pad and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. But remember that after about an hour, your phone will feel warm because it hasn’t cooled down. There are six USB-C ports spread out in the cabin in case you’d rather charge your device the old-fashioned way. 

The Prius’s driver assistance systems are another thing that makes it stand out. The hybrid smoothly speeds up and slows down when adaptive cruise control is turned on, and the lane-keeping assistance system does a good job of keeping it in its lane. Additionally, Proactive Driving Assist is a feature that gives the driver subtle cues while driving normally. For instance, if the car in front of you slows down, the Prius will start to brake as soon as you gently let off the gas. This is a signal that you should also slow down. An LED strip on the dashboard flashes when the car in front of you moves off. While we were testing, this system never got in the way, but it might be annoying enough for you to turn it off.

How are things with the storage? When the hatchback is open on the Prius, it takes up 20.3 cubic feet of space behind the back seats. It’s not as big as the trunk of the Kia Niro, but it’s bigger than the trunk of a sedan of the same size. Golf clubs would not fit across the back of the Prius in a straight line. The raised cargo floor might make it look like there is storage under the floor, but there isn’t any. 

A useful rubberized area under the dashboard can be used to store small items in the Prius. There is also a slim but roomy center console bin in front of the driver. The gear shifter is close to the wireless charging pad, which is helpful. Most water bottles will fit in the cupholders, which are a bit bigger than usual.

How much fuel does it use? The Prius is known for being fuel-efficient, and the newest model keeps that promise. The EPA says the LE trim will get 57 mpg in the city and on the highway. The front-wheel-drive XLE and Limited trims, on the other hand, will get 52 mpg. Those numbers drop by three mpg for all-wheel-drive models. We got 52.3 mpg on our real-world test route, which was very close to the 52 mpg combined that the EPA says the Limited FWD Prius should get. There’s a reason why the Prius name and its fuel efficiency are the same thing.

Is there a good deal on the Prius? Toyota has a standard warranty that lasts three years, or 36,000 miles, and a powertrain warranty that lasts five years, or 60,000 miles. However, the battery is covered for up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. On the other hand, hybrid parts in cars like the Prius are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. Toyota also offers free maintenance for two years, which is not common outside of the luxury market. 

While the Prius is still reasonably priced, the higher trim levels have become so expensive that it is no longer a good deal. It costs even more if you choose all-wheel drive. At these high prices, some hybrid SUVs and midsize sedans are worth looking at if you need or want more space for people or things. 

The latest model of the Prius has better interior materials, but you can still see some hard plastic panels. The doors sound and feel fine when you close them, but they’re not very thick.

As of this writing, Toyota hasn’t officially announced the 2025 Prius. Based on what we saw in last year’s Prius, the XLE trim level offers the best mix of features and value. We will update our advice if anything changes. This version’s bigger wheels make it a little less fuel-efficient, but you will still get more comfort and convenience, as well as more appealing options.

As of this writing, Toyota hasn’t officially announced the 2025 Prius. Based on what we saw in last year’s Prius, the XLE trim level offers the best mix of features and value. We will update our advice if anything changes. This version’s bigger wheels make it a little less fuel-efficient, but you will still get more comfort and convenience, as well as more appealing options.