Toyota Prius Review 2024

Plenty of Toyota Prius customers will move to this car from a previous generation of the same model, such is the loyalty to the car. However, we can see others being lured in by the car's taut lines and the appeal of low running costs, especially company car drivers moving away from petrol or diesel.

The Prius is also a stepping stone for some drivers towards a full EV, providing the safety net of the petrol engine for longer journeys. Then again, some drivers just need the easy range and rapid charge times, which makes the Prius a very sound choice.

Whichever Toyota Prius you choose, they all come with the same 223PS power output provided by an electric motor and 2.0-litre petrol engine driving the front wheels. That leaves your only real choice between Design and Excel trims, with the former the cheaper model and the one we'd choose. Excel offers more equipment, but the Design is far from sparsely fitted out and it's £2500 less.

If you're in the market for a plug-in hybrid like the Toyota Prius, it's hard to ignore the Peugeot 308 and Volkswagen Golf that share this drive set-up.

You might also consider the more SUV-like Mazda MX-30, but perhaps the Prius' biggest challengers lie in the BMW 330e and Mercedes-Benz C300e. Both of the Germans are a bit pricier but they are also quicker, yet the Toyota rivals them in the style stakes.

Come on, we're talking about a Toyota here. Sure, some of the materials could look a little less sombre in the resoundingly dark-trimmed interior, but you're not going to complain about the fit, finish and solidity of the Prius' cabin.

All of the controls work with a well oiled precision and the buttons on the dash, of which there are more than most cars nowadays, all work with a positive on-off action. It all adds to the feel that this Prius is a car that will look as good in a few years' time as it does brand new.

A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is fitted in the Toyota Prius and positioned high in the centre of the dash. It's easy to see and read while driving thanks to reasonably large icons and text, but the menu buttons on the left-hand side of the screen can be a bit of reach from the driver's seat. If that's an issue, voice commands can be used.

Both trim levels of the Prius come with sat-nav included with the touchscreen, which also has wireless connection for Apple CarPlay. You need to attach your phone via wire to access Android Auto, and there's no wireless phone charging pad in the Prius, which seems like an oversight. There is Bluetooth connectivity, however, and two USB-C connectors in the front of the cabin.

If the Toyota Prius has a weak link in its armour, it's the limited amount of boot space on offer. Due to packaging the battery and its associated gubbins, some of the boot capacity is lost. That's a bit of a blow for a car that is aimed at family buyers.

With the rear seats in place, you have up to 284-litres of space up to the line where the load cover normally rests. It's not desperately small in the boot and you'll fit three or four average suitcases without an issue plus some soft bags. There's also a large opening when the tailgate is lifted up, and the rear seats split 60-40 for added versatility, but it's not as useful as a Honda Civic's luggage bay.

Toyota sticks to a single power choice for the Prius, which uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor that both drive the front wheels. The can do this together or separately depending on which is best suited to the situation or the demands of the driver.

With a total of 223PS from both petrol and electric energy sources, the Prius has strong acceleration when you want it, covering 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds. It can also pull away in EV mode, which is its preferred state for this, and can cover up to 47 miles on battery power alone in Design trim, or 44 miles for the Excel on its larger 19-inch wheels.

The CVT (continuously variable transmission) in the Prius is, as before, one that usually works well but can see the petrol engine's revs soar if you want the most acceleration possible. However, the gearbox is smooth in operation and the stubby selector will be familiar to anyone with recent experience of Toyota cars.

In almost every situation, the Toyota Prius is quiet, refined, and a pleasure to sit in.

We said 'almost' for a reason, however. When asked to accelerate harder, such as up steep incline or joining a motorway, the 2.0-litre petrol motor can take on a slightly uncouth harder edge to its note. It's not a major stumbling block to choosing a Prius, but it's something to be aware of.

All other sources of noise are effectively quelled in the cabin. Laminated side windows fitted to the Excel model further help here, but even the Design is pleasing hushed while going about its general duties.

The Toyota Prius has not been tested by Euro NCAP at the time of writing. However, it is a safe car as it comes with a long list of standard kit to keep you, your passengers, and those outside of the car safe.

All Prius models come with front, side and curtain airbags, and extra ones for the driver's knees and a central one between front occupants. You also get Isofix child seat mounts, driver fatigue alert, automatic emergency braking, parking sensors all round, front and rear cross traffic warning, lane change assistance, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and blind spot warning.

Toyota is consistently one of the highest scoring makes in the HonestJohn Satisfaction survey, and in the most recent one the company came home in sixth place out of 29 car makers. Its Lexus sister brand was ranked number one, so it's safe to assume the Prius will be a reliable, trusty car.

Whichever of the two Toyota Prius trim levels you pick - Design or Excel - you'll be paying your premium based on a group 31 ranking. That's similar to many plug-in hybrid rivals and lower (and therefore cheaper) than many full EVs.

Thanks to the Toyota Prius emitting between 12- and 17g/km of carbon dioxide, it qualifies for free road tax in its first year. This is due to the plug-in Prius being ranked as an alternative fuel car and therefore entitled to a £10 discount on its road tax, which cancels out the nominal £10 of Vehicle Excise Duty it would otherwise be liable for when new.

After that first year, the Prius will pay road tax of £180 at current rates, which again includes that £10 discount.

The Excel trim just avoids paying the additional £410 in tax for cars costing more than £40,000 when new thanks to a list price just £5 below that threshold, though this does mean you have to do without any options as this would push the car over the bar and you'd pay much more in road tax.

Toyota offers only two trims for the Prius, starting with the Design that is the one we'd choose. It comes on 17-inch alloy wheels and can also be spotted by its plain black surrounds for the wheelarches and lower grille.

The Design has automatic headlights and wipers, electrically adjusted, heated and folding door mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, and electric windows all round. It has a three-spoke steering wheel trimmed in leather, 7-inch digital dash display, and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The driver benefits from manual seat height adjustment and electric lumbar adjustment, adaptive cruise control, and twin front cupholders.

Upgrade to the Excel trim and you gain 19-inch alloy wheels, gloss black exterior trims, and a powered tailgate. This version further gains heated and cooled front seats, electric front seat adjustment with position memory, noise reducing side windows, and digital rear-view camera.