The 2024 Toyota Prius Is Undeniably Cool

Author: Tyler Mark.

The car you purchase says a lot about you. Maybe you dream of driving the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down in a Mazda MX-5 Miata. Maybe you have dreams of overlanding your Toyota Tacoma with a rooftop tent you’ll only use once a year. Or, perhaps, you yearn to hustle a Nissan Altima down the highway with the check engine light on blast and your bumper half falling off. Whatever makes you happy. For those who don’t care what they drive, there has always been the trusty Toyota Prius. Over two decades ago, the Prius pioneered hybrid technology. While critics praised its fuel efficiency, they criticized its bland design and meager performance. However, Toyota has worked hard to create a Prius to change that narrative. A car that used to stand for the concept of average is now cool.

Exterior: Design That Clicks

To say the old Prius didn’t have style is a bit unfair. It had style, but it dressed like a teenager trying to figure out what clique they belonged in. The Prius looked futuristic and frumpy at the same time. I always thought the nose was too short, the center-mounted gauge cluster oddly placed, the shifter gimmicky, and the back hatch window blocked visibility behind. The new Prius, however, has traded in that practical look for a chic aerodynamic silhouette that will make your neighbors say, “Is that really a Prius?”

New sleek slit headlights flank the aggressive front end. The sharply-raked windshield nearly apexes at the C-pillar and produces a wedge-shaped design that I dig. Unlike before, there are no extraneous body lines. Smooth sweeping curves look like the wind carved them. A single light bar runs across the rear end, and the tail lights draw down like a sheet stretched tight, a design choice I’ve appreciated on high-end Lexus models. Toyota prioritized aesthetics with this makeover. Replacing that “T” badge with an “L” wouldn’t look out of place.

A Modern, Mature, and Sleek Interior

Inside, the cabin looks much more grown-up. The dash is uniform, clean, and uncluttered. There are no more obtuse angles and mismatched materials. And good riddance to that ugly blue shifter nubbin. Now it’s a black shifter nubbin. The new shifter is much simpler. Toyota was much more deliberate with its design goals for this makeover.

A gimmicky gauge cluster above the steering wheel still feels far away, but at least it’s centered over the steering wheel where it belongs. Unfortunately, the cluster packs too much information, making it confusing to find necessary information. The 12.3-inch infotainment screen is fantastic. Its fast refresh rate makes it feel snappy and quick, and the resolution is crisp. The $725 upcharge on my XLE tester is a worthwhile upgrade over the stock 8-inch screen.

I’d skip the optional glass roof. It doesn’t open, and it’s interrupted by a metal bar in the center, which limits its expansiveness. Additionally, it is lightly tinted. On my sunny drives, I had to keep the cover closed to keep the sun out. Save your thousand bucks of option money and use it for about a year’s supply of gas in your Prius.

Driving It: Fun in a Prius?

Performance has often been a sticking point for hybrid naysayers, but this new generation of Prius aims to convince the skeptics. An all-new hybrid powertrain delivers improved acceleration and handling, making it a fun drive, whether navigating city streets or cruising on the highway. The enhanced performance doesn’t come at the cost of efficiency; the 2024 Prius delivers outstanding fuel economy, topping out at a combined 57 mpg on the base LE trim.

A net 196 horsepower on all-wheel-drive (AWD) trims doesn’t sound like a ton on paper, but compare that to the 121 of the previous generation, and it’s a rocket ship. The electric motor also acts as a torque fill, which provides plenty of off-the-line punch. No one else cares about your Prius’ zero-to-60 time. But if you do, it’s 7.2 seconds, which is not bad. What often used to be a blockade riding in the left lane can overtake a car or two. With a curb weight of just over 3,000 pounds, the Prius corners without hesitation, and the suspension subdues body roll. Yes, the steering wheel is as numb as a ’90s arcade game. The fuel-efficiency-focused tires aren’t doing any favors, but the Prius does city driving shockingly well.

Final Thoughts: Undeniably Cool

When you try to check every box, the result is typically something that excels at nothing. I expected to add the Prius to a long list of “good, not great” cars that roll down the road, but that is not what I found. Toyota launched this new design as a 2023 model, the fifth generation of Prius since the hybrid arrived in the U.S. as a 2001 model. Toyota has spent nearly 25 years selling a hybrid product based on its incredible efficiency. This latest version is bold, stylish, and sporty—properties the Prius has needed all along. Finally, the 2024 Toyota Prius breaks through the average barrier: The Prius is undeniably cool. Related: 2024 Toyota Prius: Choosing the Right Trim.

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