Toyota Prius Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

Written by Al Suttie
Quick overview
Pros
- Elegant looks
- Enjoyable to drive
- Superb build
Cons
- Rear seat and boot space
- High entry price
- Petrol engine can be noisy
Overall verdict on the Toyota Prius
“The car that started the shift to hybrid and EV power is much sleeker than ever before as the Toyota Prius adds style to its many other talents. It's also enjoyable to drive rather than just worthy in the way earlier Prius generations were. This is a truly desirable car.”

Toyota has never had a problem with drivers buying into the Prius as a greener option than many family hatches. Where it has struggled is luring them in for the way the Prius drives. That's no longer an issue, as we'll find out in this Toyota Prius review.
Aside from the handsome looks of this Prius, replacing the slightly try too hard appearance of the car it replaces, the biggest step change here is how the car drives. Where once the Toyota Prius was all about maximising economy and driving dynamics didn't get much of a look in, this one is genuinely fun to be in.
It helps this Toyota Prius comes with 223PS, generated between the electric motor and 2.0-litre petrol engine. That's substantially up on the car it's replaced and delivers 0-62mph in a rather hot hatch-like 6.8 seconds. Add in superb ride comfort, nimble handling, and excellent refinement and the Prius is a car for all occasions.
It still comes with an automatic gearbox as the only option but it works smoothly and easily, while the electric-only running mode allows up to a claimed 47 miles depending on which trim level you choose. Toyota also reckons the Prius can deliver as much as 564.9mpg, though this does require you to make full use of its EV capability at all times.
As a plug-in hybrid, the Toyota Prius can be used an EV for most of the time if you choose. However, there is the back-up of the petrol engine. Work it harder and it gets a little noisy, which is one of the few downsides of the Prius.
Other negatives include a small boot that's more like that of a supermini, while rear headroom has been sacrificed for the coupe-like roof line.
However, the Toyota Prius is generously equipped, cheap to run, and for many will be an easier car to live with than a full EV.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Toyota Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Toyota Corolla cars for sale. If you're looking for the older version, you need our used Toyota Prius (2016-2022) review
Is the Toyota Prius right for you?
What's the best Toyota Prius model/engine to choose?
What other cars are similar to the Toyota Prius?
Comfort and design: Toyota Prius interior
"A little bit of practicality has been traded in this Toyota Prius to achieve its distinctive, sporting profile. As a result, rear seat and boot space are not as generous as in earlier Prius generations or some current rivals."

How much you will miss that rear head room will depend on how often you carry adults rear passengers. Minicab drivers may well be upset at this, but for most Prius owners it won't be much of an issue with children sat back here.
If room for adult heads is a consideration, there's nothing to worry about when it comes to space for other parts of the human anatomy. Legs, feet and shoulders are all afforded decent room, and you can even fit a third person in the middle of the rear bench in comfort.
Take a seat in the front of the Prius and it's all good. Loads of room, plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel and seat. Both trims have an electrically adjustable driver's lumbar support, but only the Excel has electric seat adjust, as well as heated and ventilated front chairs.
What both trims have in common is the steering wheel can obscure the lower part of the 7.0-inch driver's digital display. Not an absolute red line not to buy the Prius, but a small irritation that you notice and have to either live with or find a different driving position to deal with it.
Quality and finish
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Toyota Prius
Space and practicality: Toyota Prius boot space
Handling and ride quality: What is the Toyota Prius like to drive?
"Toyota has injected a sense of pleasure and enjoyment into the Prius, making it a car you can choose with your heart as well as your head now."

Where once the Toyota Prius was a car chosen for all the right rational reasons, you can now also make your pick thanks to the way it drives. It's all down to how the Prius now glides over rough roads and maintains its composure through corners.
With Prius generations of the past, both of these elements were undertaken with a grudging stiffness to the car's reactions. Now, the Prius flows along in serene comfort and, usually, lots of hush - we'll come to this when talking refinement.
The Toyota Prius now-found enthusiasm for driving is backed up by strong performance. The combined efforts of the petrol and electric motors generate 223PS and that's enough to see the Toyota from 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds, which is hot hatch quick. Top speed is a modest 109mph, but that's not a concern on UK roads and the Prius is very happy cruising on the motorway in assured comfort.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Toyota Prius?
Refinement and noise levels
Safety equipment: How safe is the Toyota Prius?
MPG fuel costs: What does a Toyota Prius cost to run?
"Make the most of the Toyota Prius as a plug-in hybrid and it's claimed the car can cover up to 564.9mpg."

To achieve that in the Design trim model, you would have to be charging up at every opportunity and completing most journeys on electric power alone. With the Excel trim, it's claimed to offer a combined economy of 403.5mpg. Either is most impressive.
In the real world, we reckon most Prius owners will see around mid-50s consumption in mixed driving. That compares well to most of the Toyota's hybrid rivals, so it's still a sound bet even if you don't have ready access to an EV charge point at every stop.
Toyota Prius reliability and warranty
Toyota Prius Insurance groups and costs
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Toyota Prius?
Toyota Prius price
"It's too early to say how this Toyota Prius will perform in the used market, but experience of previous generations suggest it should do well at hanging on to its value."

Buying a new Prius will cost you £37, 315 for the Design trim and £39,995 for the Excel. That's before you add optional extras that encompass metallic paint or either of the Essential Protection Packs that come with mudflaps, boot liner and seatbelt protection. Just be wary of options with the Excel trim as it will push its list price above £40,000 and you'll become liable for much heftier road tax when it reaches its first birthday.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Is the Toyota Prius a self-charging hybrid?
Why does the Toyota Prius have such impressive claimed MPG figures?
Is the Toyota Prius a good car?
Toyota Prius cars for sale on heycar
Toyota Prius1.8 VVTi Excel 5dr CVT
201931,998 milesHybrid£369 mo£16,975
BL99STToyota Prius1.8 VVTi Active 5dr CVT
202123,029 milesHybrid£223 mo£16,995
BL99STToyota Prius1.8 VVTi Business Ed Plus 5dr CVT [15 inch alloy]
201636,891 milesHybrid£285 mo£12,933
Good priceYO304WRToyota Prius1.8 VVTi Excel 5dr CVT
201640,433 milesHybrid£275 mo£13,170
DN24LTToyota Prius1.8 VVTi Business Edition 5dr CVT
201656,258 milesHybrid£271 mo£12,990
S62FQ
Toyota Prius Alternatives
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