Written by Keith Adams Updated: 10 September 2024

Overview

The new Toyota Prius Plug In wasn’t originally destined for these shores with Toyota concluding that British retail buyers wanted SUVs, and cab drivers were into the Corolla Touring Sports. But the firm has had a change of heart, deciding to offer the striking-looking Prius in fifth-generation form in the UK after all to take on the best hybrid cars.

If a car’s desirability is based solely on its looks, the Prius is already a winner. The shape is clean and sleek, and large 19-inch wheels and a stretched wheelbase to give it a futuristic stance that’s a million miles away from the boxy SUVs that it could be sharing shopping lists with. Even more obvious plug-in hybrid hatchback rivals such as the Peugeot 308, Skoda Octavia, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf are boxier and more boring to look at.

Once again, the Prius is a pioneer for Toyota, being the firm’s first car to be underpinned by the second iteration of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), shared with the latest C-HR SUV. There’s only one powertrain option, and it benefits from Toyota’s third generation plug-in hybrid system, which offers a hefty 13.6kWh battery capacity and a claimed 53-mile battery range.

We’ve driven the Prius in Europe and the UK, on 17- and 19-inch wheels, and on a number of challenging roads. You can find out more about how we test cars at Parkers on its own explainer page.

16

What’s it like inside?

With the price heading towards £40k before options, it’s good to see interior quality has been improved for the new Toyota Prius compared with the last one. There’s a good mix of soft-touch materials in the places you’ll touch regularly, interestingly textured hard plastics where you look regularly, and only the lower reaches of the cabin gets the black scratchy elephant skin. Sadly, it lacks the visual flair of its striking exterior.

Most functions are taken care of by a large, responsive and sharp 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, although we’re pleased to see physical controls on the dash and steering wheel. A big digital display is perched high on the dash in Peugeot iCockpit style for speed, hybrid info and everything else a driver might want. It’s sharp and easy to control via the steering wheel while its positioning keeps your eyes closer to the road.

Space up front is unlikely to be an issue, partially because you’re sat so much lower than before. Legroom in the back is fine for a car of this size, with the roofline predictably limiting rear headroom. The bootspace is also lacking, with a seats-up capacity of 284 litres, which doesn’t look too bad compared with 273 for the Volkswagen Golf PHEV, but not so strong alongside the 490 litres for the Skoda Octavia iV.

16

Toyota Prius Plug In motors and batteries

The headline here is that overall power is up by an eyebrow raising 100hp, for a total system output of 223hp (152hp for the 2.0-litre engine and 163hp for the motor). This means a 0-62mph time of a sprightly 6.8 seconds, yet it’s still good for a claimed sci-fi-like 564.9mpg on the WLTP test cycle – not really feasable in real-world driving.

That new battery is 50% denser than the old car’s lower capacity pack using fewer cells – meaning it takes up less space. It takes a rather sluggish four-hour recharge thanks to a slow 3.3kW maximum charge rate. This is off the pace, considering an increasing number of rival PHEVs are now offering CCS charging. It’s the biggest downside of what is otherwise an excellent hybrid drivetrain.

16

What’s it like to drive?

Very well indeed, with the dominant impression being one of refinement. If you’re expecting instant EV-style acceleration, you might be mildly disappointed. Instead, recalibrate yourself to a more linear, gentle experience that builds up and successfully disguises rapid acceleration. Once the engine’s wound up, the Prius is pleasingly brisk and a far cry from its predecessor’s near 10-second 0-62mph time.

The Prius Plug In is blessed with direct, precise steering that makes stringing together a few corners a far more pleasant experience. Just don’t expect much road feel. Just like the excellent Corolla and C-HR, it puts in a poised performance. There isn’t much bodyroll even when you’re cornering quickly, so a B-road blast isn’t the pointless exercise you might expect.

It even sounds less annoying than before. In most situations the engine’s note will still be rising slightly by the time you’ve finished accelerating, and it sounds a little rortier than before, but you don’t get the unnatural mooing that annoyed us so much about older Toyotas. Hitting motorway speeds from a standstill as quickly as possible will get the engine holding revs unnaturally as before, but we can live with that, and it can be undone by a quick tickle of the accelerator pedal.

The larger 19-inch wheels fitted as standard to the Excel model, and a more handling oriented setup, does mean it’s firmer than before, if not uncomfortably so thanks to supple damping. The good news is that it deals with the worst that the UK road network can throw at it, with mid-corner potholes felt and heard, but certainly not throwing you off-course.

16

What else should I know?

Two trim levels, Design and Excel, are offered with just the one powertrain. As with all Toyotas, the Prius Plug In comes with the firm’s ‘Relax’ warranty, which covers the car for up to 10 years, as long as you stick with the main dealer network.

Both models are well equipped, with the entry-level Design coming with LED headlights, keyless entry and starting, smart connect equipped infotainment set-up, dual-zone climate control and parking sensors front and rear. The Excel gains a leather interior, 19-inch wheels and heated/ventilated front seats.

Click through to the next page to see our verdict on the Toyota Prius Plug In.