THE Toyota Prius has come a long, long way.
I test-drove the newest version of the iconic hybrid for six days. It’s far sleeker and more fun to drive than past iterations.
I’m pretty familiar with Toyota‘s Prius line. I owned a Prius C, a smaller city-friendly edition of the car, from 2013 to 2018.
But I cannot emphasize enough how much the 2024 Prius has changed since older generations.
The dorky, bulbous hatchback designs and the constant, heady driver reminders of battery power and gas efficiency are now a thing of the past.
- This story is part of a series of test drives by Ben Shimkus, a Motors Reporter for The U.S. Sun.
Instead, Toyota whipped up a really sporty design. It’s a sharp-looking car.
The hood seamlessly transitions into the windshield, giving the facia a dart-like look.
In the back, the roofline slopes back into a larger-than-expected trunk area.
Side body lines bulge toward the Prius’ rear wheels, giving the car a crouch like a cat about to pounce.
Despite the more athletic look, the Prius still maintains its high mpg efficiency.
Lower-end models of the car will get up to 57 mpg in the city.
Our tester, a Limited edition with a price tag just north of $35,000, got around 52 mpg. That is still double the average fuel economy of other American passenger vehicles.
The average vehicle fuel economy was under 25 mpg, according to the US Department of Energy.
Behind the wheel, the car maintains its newfound sportiness.
The gas engine and battery combine to produce just under 200 ponies that can take the car from zero to 60 mph in seven seconds.
My old Prius C used to take 12 seconds to sprint to 60 and had 98 horsepower.
The 2024 Prius easily trots to highway speeds.
Drivers are treated to extremely supportive seats, a giant infotainment system, wireless charging, physical buttons for the climate controls, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
2024 Toyot Prius Limited Review
Ben Shimkus, an automotive journalist for The U.S. Sun, test-drove the Prius. Here are his thoughts:
The Prius is so much better than previous versions of the iconic hybrid.
And I loved the previous versions.
It’s far more handsome, capable, and tech-heavy than past generations.
Pros:
- Gorgeous, sporty design
- Aggressive styling continues inside with a handsome interior
- Wireless phone mirroring
- Plenty of physical buttons, especially with the climate controls
- Sportier ride than any other past model
- Still maintains exceptional fuel economy
Cons:
- The gauge cluster is weirdly placed
- The sloping rear roofline makes tall passengers duck on entry
- The Prius used to be the optimal environmental vehicle option – where is the all-electric option?
My biggest gripe with the car is the gauge cluster.
The odometer is placed a few inches behind the steering wheel. It’s quite close to the windshield.
It gives a similar feel to other cars that are opting to use heads-up projections on the front window.
However, it sits perfectly in between the strengths of bifocal lenses. It is too far for nearsightedness and too close for farsightedness.
Also, the sloping rear roofline poses some issues for taller passengers.
I carted a friend who was over six feet in the backseat during my testing period. He had to duck entering the car.
When he sat, his head was close to the car’s ceiling.
Still, this car is exceptionally improved over past iterations.
I would have swapped out my beloved Prius C in seconds for this much-improved version.
There is a lot to love about the 2024 Prius, as long as drivers can see how fast they’re driving.