With the new 2023 Toyota Prius taking the internet by storm, it’s only right to provide a thorough update now that U.S.-market colors and trim levels have been announced. Between mechanical upgrades and sharp design, it’s entirely possible that some of you are considering picking one up, so a full trim walk should hopefully be helpful. Let’s start with the standard Prius, the one you don’t need to plug in to extract its full potential.
First, some bad news. That glorious mustard color seen on the global model won’t make it to America for 2023. It’s a shame, it would save taxi companies the cost of a respray at the very minimum. Still, there’s plenty exciting about the new Prius that a lack of yellow paint will seem quite minor.
Since the Prius has always been about fuel economy, fans will love to learn that the new car should be capable of 57 mpg combined, a strong figure for a series parallel hybrid. Best of all, that fuel economy comes hand-in-hand with increased performance, like 194 horsepower and zero-to-sixty in 7.2 seconds. Opt for all-wheel-drive, and that time falls to seven seconds flat while horsepower rises to 196.
Since the traditional hybrid Prius is considered the mainstream version, Toyota’s kept things classy with LE, XLE, and Limited trims. While the published equipment list is a bit short on the LE trim, it’s thoughtful and includes a faux-leather steering wheel, an eight-inch infotainment system, and six USB-C ports. Step up to the XLE trim and you’ll see a big jump in equipment. After all, XLE is Toyota-speak for Executive Luxury Edition, so expect such fancy features as wireless charging, heated seats, a digital rearview mirror, a smart key, and 19-inch wheels. A glass roof, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and digital key functionality are optional on XLE trim, but they’re all standard on the Limited model. Speaking of the top-dog Prius, it also gets a JBL audio system, ventilated front seats, and a power tailgate, with advanced parking assistance, a panoramic camera system, heated rear seats, and a digital rearview mirror all on the options list.
If you have reasonable access to a plug socket, the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime seems like a bit of a no-brainer. Not only does it put out a stout 220 horsepower, good for a zero-to-sixty time of 6.6 seconds, it’s not full-on hot hatch territory, but it’s firmly in the warm hatch realm. There’s more good news for enthusiastic drivers, as the hip point’s been lowered by almost an inch over the outgoing car. Toyota’s very clearly positioning the Prime as the quick Prius, so it’s available in SE, XSE, and XSE Premium trims.
Equipment on Prius Prime trim levels largely mirrors that on regular Prius trim levels, with a few exceptions. The basic SE Prius Prime adds a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, and traffic jam assist over a standard Prius LE, the latter working as a hands-free Level 2 advanced driver assistance system at speeds below 25 mph. Move up to the XSE trim and the equipment list gets considerably longer than on the Prius XLE. We’re talking unique 19-inch wheels, special heated and perforated faux-leather seats, and clear tail lights for a sleek look. Mind you, the Prius Prime XSE doesn’t get a digital rearview mirror, a bit of a blessing considering how terrible they are.
Moving all the way up to the Prius Prime XSE Premium, it’s largely similar to the luxury contents of the Prius Limited and the appearance bits of the Prius Prime XSE, with two big exceptions. A digital rearview mirror remains optional for the Prius Prime XSE Premium, while a solar roof joins the options list. Not only does that solar roof slowly recharge the car’s battery pack, it can also power accessories like the air conditioning when on the move.
As for paint, both the Prius and the Prius Prime share a similar color palette. Wind Chill Pearl white, Cutting Edge silver, Guardian Grey, Black and Supersonic Red. Non-plug-in models get the added color of Reservoir Blue, but that’s about it as far as colors go. Given the popularity of the bright Blue Magnetism color on the outgoing Prius Prime, it’s a bit surprising to see Toyota avoiding fun colors for the most part.
Curiously, both regular and plug-in Prius models will wear Toyota’s Beyond Zero badge despite not being battery electric vehicles or fuel cell electric vehicles. So what gives? Well, Toyota claims that the 2023 Prius is their first model to be carbon neutral, which should reduce its total lifetime environmental footprint from manufacturing to recycling.
While pricing for the 2023 Toyota Prius hasn’t been announced yet, it looks like we don’t have long to wait. Toyota plans on releasing pricing and an on-sale date for the regular Prius before 2023 rolls around, while the Prius Prime will have a slight delay with pricing and an on-sale date to be announced in the first half of 2023. If Toyota plans to keep pricing relatively close to the current model, the new Prius should be an absolute winner. Between sleek design, claimed efficiency, and a big power bump, it’s not here to ess around.
All photos courtesy of Toyota
Does the Prime not get optional all wheel drive? I believe that’s the case in the current generation and I don’t believe I’ve seen anything saying otherwise for this upcoming version, which is too bad.
Does the sunroof open or are the glass panels all fixed in place?
So they’re not even offering that yellow from yesterday’s picture? Boo 🙁
No mustard color no buy.
So the Prime shares the body with the regular Prius? Shame. I always thought it was a looker.
Called it in the first 2023 Prius article that the yellow would be a long distant memory for the US. Lo and behold the power of cheese. At least they off Red and they didn’t offer the 5 shades of grey I predicted.
If the price remains near current Prius pricing, and I can continue to put a 10′ long piece of lumber in it like my current Prius, the PHEV will probably be at the top of my list to replace it. I really don’t want to spend $50-60k on a car. If I don’t get an EV, I want something that is ready for expensive gas in 2033. Here it is.
I do wish they offered a real freaking color though. I almost want to spend $50k just get a Lexus in Nori Green Metallic. Also wish you could get a brown interior or something. Don’t want black. Don’t want the “white” the current Prius has.
They should add the Cypress Green newly available in the 2023 Highlander. https://www.thedrive.com/uploads/2022/10/04/2023-Toyota-Highlander-Hero-1.jpg?auto=webp&auto=webp&optimize=high&quality=70&width=3840
Nice color
it’s not full-on hot hatch territory, but it’s firmly in the warm hatch realm.
ATTN: Toyota Management – Do you like money?
Make the GR Prius plug-in we know you could make.
I have never in my life considered a Prius, but this thing is amazing as is. I would buy the theoretical hot hatch version of this car immediately at full MSRP. Many others would as well.
Looks are only skin deep, but the second generation Prius’ incredible feat was to (initially) convince people what they needed was also what they wanted. While all later generations has been incredible machines with supreme practicality and dependability, they also combine it with dorky looks and mechanicals largely connected via rubber bands – and anemic power delivery.
I am happy they finally managed to put it all into the same vehicle this time: Looks, performance, practicality, quality. The question is if it will be enough for the next 5 years in competition with electric cars. There is nothing worse driving a plug-in hybrid than noticing that super crude internal combustion engine kick in. They added looks and performance to survive
A thought: the hardware to do this exists. (I’m guessing this blog uses HTML for comment markup, it feels like WordPress?)
So, in the RX 500h and the Crown Hybrid Max, there’s a 6-speed automatic with a single motor (I believe 64 kW) in the bellhousing. (I actually think this is a step back from Toyota, but this is their performance hybrid system built to hold up to high-torque turbocharged engines.) It’s paired with a 2.4T at 268-271 hp, and an ~80 kW rear motor.
I doubt the 2.4T will fit, however. But, there’s a related suitable engine already in Toyota’s lineup, that definitely fits in a Prius (because it fits in a Yaris, and they’re also selling it in the Corolla that’s closely related to the Prius): the GR Yaris/Corolla’s 1.6T. It has a bit less torque than the 2.4T, but similar or better power.
Then, there’s three choices for the rear motor: the ~30 kW one that the regular Gen 5 Prius gets, the ~40 kW one that things like the RAV4/NX 350h/450h+ and Highlander/RX 350h/450h+ gets, or the ~80 kW one from the original 2.4T hybrid applications.
Then it’s a matter of getting a powerful enough battery in, and once that’s done, you’re looking at well over 300 hp, probably over 350 hp.
(Note that plug-in makes this harder, though. The Prius Prime doesn’t get the regular Prius’s optional rear motor – efficiency considerations in EV mode are a problem, and I think there’s packaging issues as I suspect the fuel tank and rear motor interfere with one another, and potentially weight issues. Battery power is going to be sufficient, though. And, you could still get over 350 hp to the front wheels without the rear motor.)
Attn everyone. Stop buying boring colored cars. Attn manufactures. Offer better colors.
Manufacturers don’t sell cars to consumers. They sell cars to dealers. Dealers will always play it safe when ordering inventory… so we get a lot of shades of gray and no manual transmissions.
Dealers in the US make every part of buying a new car worse.
Counterpoint: having had a mildly exciting colored car (VW red), I can say that while it’s cool to look at, it’s a total pain in the ass to keep clean. Silver and dark silver are kinda awesome in the way that you only have to wash them every couple months.
I, for one, welcome our new Prius overlords, and I’d like to remind them that as a trusted commenter, I can be of assistance in rounding up new Prius drivers to toil in their underground sugar caves.
I don’t get all the praise for the design. It still looks like a gigantic buttplug.
I’m beginning to doubt that you have any experience with plugging a butt.
Right, no flared base here.
Yep. Dubblewhopper’s instructions for posterior plugs have 3 steps.
1. Insert orb.
2. Panic as orb disappears, unreachable.
3. Tell skeptical ER nurse he fell on it.
MORIZO PLS!!!! Give us a GR Prius
Were I Toyota, I’d have wraps as factory supported dealer option. All the colors, all of the time! (Sad the orange didn’t make it.)
I’d also make the solar roof available as an option on all trims. Doesn’t matter that it never recoups its option price, it’s green, baby!
Has any figure been released on how much power/distance this solar roof adds per hour in the sun?
I can’t find any data for the output of the solar roof, but maybe comparison to residential solar panels might allow for a very rough estimate?
According to The Internet, a typical residential solar panel generates around 2 kwh of electricity per day and measures around 5.5 x 3.5 feet. My Leaf gets around 4.5 miles per kwh of electricity, so this 2 kwh would add around 9 miles of range. I assume a Prius is similarly efficient.
The Prius solar roof is smaller than a residential solar panel (I think?), so it will produce less output than a typical residential solar panel in the same conditions. More importantly, the Prius will receive less sunlight, since residential solar panels are located in positions where sun exposure is optimized, and cars often park in areas with shade (garages, under trees, in the shadows of buildings, outdoors at night, etc.). The Internet (again, I don’t know if this is correct) says that a solar panel will produce around 25% as much electricity on a cloudy day, so the lack of direct sunlight is going to reduce output (and added range) substantially.
Between smaller panels and non-optimized conditions, it is hard to image the solar roof would produce anywhere near 2 kwh per day. I think even 1 kwh per day is almost certainly optimistic. Again, my Leaf gets around 4.5 miles per kwh, so it seems like 4-5 miles of range might be the absolute upper limit under ideal conditions (i.e. you live in the desert and always park outdoors), and added range in real-world situations will likely be substantially less (i.e. maybe one mile added range per day, assuming the car is parked outside most of the time).
I’m wildly speculating here, but I don’t think the solar roof is going to meaningfully add range in real world use. It is still a cool idea, though.
I suppose you can use this to extrapolate.
https://electrek.co/2016/06/20/toyota-prius-plug-prime-solar-panel/
“It is still a cool idea, though”
Literally so if that is how you power the A/C after the car has sat all day parked in the hot summer sun.