Toyota Prius Hybrid

A top-selling hybrid in the world and the USA, the Prius is Toyota’s fuel economy flagship and its original hybrid

The 2017 Toyota Prius is a four-door hatchback that seats five passengers. Its EPA MPG is unbeatable: 54 city/50 hwy. Range (city/hwy) is: 610.2/565.0 miles. And the price for the base model – $24,685 – makes it highly affordable. Edmunds reviewers sum up the vehicle this way: "If fuel economy is a priority when you're shopping for a new car, you can't do much better than the 2017 Toyota Prius. It delivers some of the best mileage of any car, along with the utility of a hatchback and a comfortable, quiet ride." The essential appeal of Prius is fuel economy. It's no big surprise that Toyota didn't make substantial changes to its 2017 model.

The Toyota Prius four-door hatchback seats five passengers. It is available in six trim levels: Two, Two Eco, Three, Three Touring, Four and Four Touring. The Prius V and plug-in Prius Prime are completely different models, reviewed separately on the CURRENT EV website.

All Prius models (not including V, C and Prime) are powered by a 1.8 litre DOHC 16-valve I-4 engine which generates 95 HP and 105 pound-feet of torque, plus two electric motors producing a total of 71 HP and 120 lb-feet of torque. With the gas and electric motors continuously trading off the workload, the total system output is 121 HP. The base Prius Two is installed with a nickel-metal hydride battery. All other trims use a new lithium-ion battery that weighs less and holds more electricity. The 2017 Prius aced its NHTSA crash tests and received a 5 star rating (best possible.) All 2017 Priuses are equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense P package of active safety features. The IIHS give the Prius its highest mark of “Good” across the board and designates the hybrid a “Top Safety Pick+.” The Prius Safety Sense package (which includes advanced driver aid features) is now standard on all Prius trims.

The Prius Hybrid Components are warrantied for 8 years/100,000 miles.

The Prius comes standard with anti-lock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and a passenger seat cushion airbag. A rearview camera, forward collision warning, forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, and lane departure warning and intervention are also standard. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is standard on Prius Four and Four Touring. Soft to medium braking transforms one of the electric motors into a generator, which makes sure the hybrid battery gets topped up.

Edmunds reviewers describe the six trim levels this way: "The Prius Two comes standard with 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, LED running lights and taillights, heated mirrors, keyless entry (driver door only) and ignition, automatic climate control, dual 4.2-inch driver information screens, adaptive cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a 6.1-inch touchscreen display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice recognition with Siri Eyes Free, and a six-speaker audio system with a USB port, an auxiliary audio jack and a CD player. All 2017 Prius trims also come standard with forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and intervention, and automatic high beams.

The more efficient Prius Two Eco comes with ultra low-rolling resistance tires, two-tone wheel covers, a lighter lithium-ion hybrid battery, an inflation kit instead of a spare tire, and illuminated keyless entry. The rear wiper that comes standard on other trims is not offered here.

Inside the Prius Three you'll find imitation leather on the steering wheel and armrests, white interior accents, a wireless phone charging pad (compatible phone case not included) and the Toyota Entune premium infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, real-time data (traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports, stocks) and access to apps such as Pandora, iHeartRadio, OpenTable and Yelp when paired with a smartphone running the Entune app.

The Prius Four comes with a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic wipers, imitation-leather upholstery with contrasting white stitching, heated front seats, a power driver seat with adjustable lumbar, seatback storage pockets and a rear cargo cover.

Standard equipment on the Three Touring or Four Touring includes everything from the corresponding Three or Four, plus 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, LED clearance lights, unique rear bumper styling, and imitation-leather upholstery with contrasting blue stitching.

The Prius Three and Four can be upgraded with the Advanced Technology package, which consists of a sunroof and a head-up display. Finally, the Prius Four and Four Touring can be equipped with the Premium Convenience package, which includes a 10-speaker JBL audio system, a self-parking system and Safety Connect emergency services."

Cargo space is considerable: 24.6 cubic feet – a full 3 cubic feet more than the previous-generation Prius. The Prius Two Eco and Prius Four twins offer even more space — 27.4 cubic feet — no spare tire allows for a lower load floor.

The 2017 Prius is concerned with mileage rather than speed. Modest acceleration is experienced during high speed situations such as passing other vehicles or getting onto the freeway. But with its quick surge of electric acceleration, the Prius doesn't feel slow around town.

The Safety Connect system that can be added to Prius Four and Four Touring is subscription-based (with a one-year free trial) and includes automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle locator, and one-touch access to roadside and emergency assistance.