2019 Toyota Prius Prime Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　

What's new

The Prius Prime returns unchanged for 2019Part of the fourth Prius generation introduced for 2016

　　Plug-in hybrids have all of the advantages of standard hybrids as well as some EV perks. They're an especially great alternative for those with commute distances that fall within the EV range.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Toyota Prius Prime Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded and $0.17 per kWh for electricity in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$60/mo  for Prius Prime Plus

　　Prius Prime Plus

　　Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) - $27,350 MSRPPremium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $29,050 MSRPAdvanced 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT) - $33,350 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　In the case of the 2019 Toyota Prius Prime, that range is 25 miles. If you're fortunate enough to have a short commute and you buy a Prius Prime, it's possible that stopping to get gasoline could be a rare occasion. Once that range is depleted, you'll still have the hybrid powertrain to keep you going, and the Prime's 54-mpg combined fuel economy estimate is impressive by itself.

　　There is a trade-off, though. Compared to the standard Prius, the supplemental batteries reduce seating capacity to four, the added weight further dulls overall performance and there's less cargo space. On the plus side, we like the Prime's styling better than that of the regular Prius and compared to other plug-ins, it's a bit more affordable.

　　The 2019 Toyota Prius Prime is a solid plug-in hybrid choice, but there are some rivals we consider better. Most notably is the Chevrolet Volt that has double the EV range, but you'll have to act fast if you want one since Chevy just discontinued it. All that's left is dealer stock. We also suggest checking out the Honda Clarity Plug-In that delivers a lot for the money.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.0 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime (1.8L inline-4 hybrid | CVT automatic | FWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.0 / 10
Driving	6.0
Comfort	8.0
Interior	7.0
Utility	6.5
Technology	7.0

　　

Driving

6.0

　　The Toyota Prius Prime places a high priority on efficiency over dynamic capabilities. You'll find the car competent in the city and adequate once you're up to speed and cruising. The steering and brakes are particularly numb.

　　

Acceleration

5.5

　　The electric powertrain has sufficient punch for city driving, but don't think you can rely on it with confidence when merging onto the freeway or pulling out to pass. You'll be using a lot of the engine's power for any real acceleration. Our 0-60 mph test run took 10 seconds, which is pretty slow.

　　

Braking

6.0

　　There's a decent amount of braking power for routine use. But stops can be hard to judge because there's not much feel and the brakes can get grabby, especially in harder applications. Our emergency-panic stop from 60 mph used up 119 feet, and the car tended to wiggle a bit as it came to a halt.

　　

Steering

6.0

　　While the vehicle goes where you point it, the steering feels light and numb when cruising straight on the highway, and effort doesn't change much as you round corners. It improves somewhat if you decide to push it on a winding road. But in routine use, the Prime doesn't feel all that connected.

　　

Handling

6.0

　　The Prime's enlarged plug-in battery represents extra weight that sits somewhat high behind the rear wheels, which throws off the balance markedly compared to a regular Prius. It feels heavy, and the soft springs and sluggish damping feel inadequate, most notably when corners come one after another.

　　

Drivability

7.0

　　The theme is efficiency, so unless you're using big gas pedal inputs, the Prime responds sluggishly. Driving up big hills highlights the lack of power and the vocal gas engine, but downhills are an opportunity to recharge the battery. The Prime loves the city, and it responds well to stop-and-go.

　　

Comfort

8.0

　　The Prius Prime feels largely similar to a regular Prius in terms of ride, engine noise and road noise, but that's only when the engine is actually on. The Prime's 25-mile electric range changes the game by adding the quietness of a pure EV driving experience for a significant chunk of time.

　　

Seat comfort

8.0

　　The seats are ergonomically well-designed. They're not couch-soft but have that initial give that lets them conform to your body. The seat bottom is short, but we had no issues on a long drive. The rear seats are similar to the fronts but with broader seatbacks. They're also properly comfortable.

　　

Ride comfort

7.0

　　The Prime's ride is generally flat, and it does not float or wallow. Its suspension handles small, rolling-type bumps quite well, but the suspension and tires tend to transmit harsh square-edge bumps directly into the cabin, especially if they come one after another.

　　

Noise & vibration

8.0

　　Obviously, it's quiet in EV mode. But the gas engine is annoyingly noisy when you've got the pedal pinned. There's some wind and road noise, both of which become noticeable mainly when the engine is off at near-highway speeds in EV mode.

　　

Climate control

7.5

　　The Prius has an effective automatic climate control system, but on the Premium and the Advanced only the temperature and defroster have physical buttons. Everything else is on the touchscreen. The Plus uses an easier system. The unique Eco mode has the ability to focus cooling solely on the driver.

　　

Interior

7.0

　　The massive central touchscreen of the top-level Advanced (and the midlevel Premium) adds some Tesla-like high-tech flair, but it makes certain routine tasks less intuitive. Otherwise, the Prius Prime is not so different from any other Prius. The one big exception: A Prius Prime seats only four people.

　　

Ease of use

6.0

　　We've never liked the Prius' central dash, and the Prime Advanced (and Premium) also has a huge touchscreen with layered menus for many functions. Volume is on the passenger side, and a passenger must reach to the driver's side to adjust the temperature. All of this is far easier on the base Plus model.

　　

Getting in/getting out

8.0

　　Easy for people to slip in and out thanks to large door openings and narrow sills. Rear-seat denizens benefit from seatbacks that are nearly flush with the body structure — no need to scoot forward to exit. But taller rear occupants may have to duck on the way in because the roof slopes down.

　　

Driving position

7.0

　　The seats are nicely adjustable for routine use, but they lack the bolstering necessary to hold the driver in place for sporty driving. But we're more concerned about the insufficient steering-wheel telescoping range. The wheel doesn't pull back far enough for taller drivers.

　　

Roominess

8.0

　　There's ample room for 6-footers to occupy the front and rear rows at the same time, although wider passengers may feel as if they're sitting close to the doors. The rear seats have generous toe space. But the overall feeling of roominess is lessened a bit by the bulbous dash and bulky center console.

　　

Visibility

6.5

　　The low cowl and sloping hood provide a generous view, but it is hard to locate the corners when parking nose-in. The split rear window can be distracting, and cargo can easily obstruct the view. The thick roof pillars create big rear blind spots. You will rely on the camera system and parking sensors.

　　

Quality

8.0

　　The Prime uses a mix of metal and composites to minimize weight, but the results don't feel cheap or poorly made. It features tight panel gaps, and all the interior pieces feel connected and solid. But certain glossy plastic accent pieces may not agree with everyone.

　　

Utility

6.5

　　Unfortunately, the Prime's biggest weakness lies in its cargo capacity. The larger battery pack required for running the EV lives under the raised cargo floor, so you give up cargo volume. This design means increased liftover height and reach, too. Other than that, the car is easier to live with.

　　

Small-item storage

8.0

　　There's ample space for your odds and ends. The standard smartphone charging tray is large and functional, and it's handy even if you don't use it for charging. It has a deep center console that can swallow an SLR camera with a lens and door pockets that can hold medium-size water bottles.

　　

Cargo space

5.0

　　The large battery pack takes a big bite out of cargo capacity because it raises the floor considerably. Something as routine as a grocery bag will be too tall to fit under the security cover and will obstruct visibility through the rear window.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

7.0

　　The lower LATCH points are easily accessed underneath a flap of seat fabric, while the top tethers are a little harder to get to. The large rear door openings are convenient, but the low roofline toward the rear of the door may make accessing rear-facing seats harder.

　　

Technology

7.0

　　The large center screen may draw most of your attention, but you'll find it's not efficient at displaying pertinent information. Many of the icons and subpages are excessively large, and some of the data is repeated in the instrument panel. Too much data is split between the dash and center screen.

　　

Audio & navigation

6.5

　　The audio interface is fairly easy to use, and the JBL sound system is adequate. The touch-panel volume adjuster is atrocious; use the steering controls instead. The navigation system is excessively restrictive about what you can do while in motion, and its fonts and graphic design are old.

　　

Smartphone integration

7.0

　　It has Bluetooth streaming audio, a cover art display, and a USB jack for iPhones and Android devices. But Toyota does not support the newer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces, preferring instead to use its own proprietary Entune system, which isn't nearly as intuitive.

　　

Driver aids

7.5

　　The Prime has effective blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert systems. It's also equipped with adaptive cruise control, but it turns off automatically as the car slows down past 23 mph with just two subtle beeps. Use it only for highway cruising.

　　

Voice control

7.5

　　The Prime's voice control system is slow, but ultimately it's easy to use if you take the time to let it learn your voice. Once you know what words and phrases to use for each function, it can be very accurate for navigation, entertainment and even climate settings.

　　

Which Prius Prime does zzdcar recommend?

　　The Premium trim level hits the sweet spot in the Prius Prime lineup since all models have the same EV range and fuel economy estimates. Among the features we like, the Premium trim gets the large 11.6-inch touchscreen, a power driver's seat, simulated leather seats, enhanced keyless entry and a wireless charging pad.

　　

2019 Toyota Prius Prime models

　　The 2019 Toyota Prius Prime is available in three trim levels: Plus, Premium and Advanced. All share the same hybrid powertrain and perform identically, so the differences among them boil down to features. The Plus is obviously the value play of the range, but it has a decent list of standard equipment. The Premium, meanwhile, brings a few key comfort-oriented items. The Advanced trim level adds a lot of features that will surely appeal to tech-savvy buyers, though they come at a big increase in price.

　　All Prius Primes have a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a plug-in hybrid system. Total system output is 121 horsepower, delivered to the front wheels through a specialized continuously variable automatic transmission. The EPA estimates the Prime can drive up to 25 miles using pure electric power. Fully charging the battery takes 5.5 hours using a 120-volt power source or a little more than two hours with 240 volts.

　　The Plus trim level starts you out with 15-inch wheels, LED headlights, automatic climate control, keyless access (driver's door only) and start, heated front seats, a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio. A suite of driver safety aids, called Toyota Safety Sense P, is also standard and includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

　　Stepping up one rung to the Premium trim level puts you into the Prius Prime's sweet spot. It includes a power driver's seat, an 11.6-inch central touchscreen and upgraded infotainment system, simulated leather (SofTex) upholstery, keyless entry on the other three doors, and wireless smartphone charging.

　　The Advanced trim level adds on a premium audio system, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, a heated steering wheel, an auto-dimming mirror, a head-up display, a smartphone app with a charge management system and remote-control climate operation, automatic wipers, and a semi-automated parking function.

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2019 Prius Prime Highlights

Trim: PlusPremiumAdvancedPlus

　　

Base MSRP	$27,350
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$4,000
Engine Type	Plug-in hybrid
EPA Electric Range	25 miles
Combined MPGe (Electric + Gas)	133 MPGeMPGe is the official metric that the EPA uses to measure the efficiency of alternative-fuel (including electric) vehicles. Just like regular MPG shows how far a car will travel on one gallon of gas, MPGe shows how far a vehicle will drive on 33.7kWh of electricity - the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Combined MPGe is the combined total of 45% city MPGe + 55% highway MPGe.
Cost to Drive	$60/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	2.1 hours
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	19.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles