2022 Toyota Prius

　　

2022 Toyota Prius Review

byCameron RogersManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　If you've never heard of the Prius, you've also never seen standup from hacky 2000s-era comedians, attended a Greenpeace rally or screamed at a coastal elite from your coal-rolling brodozer. For better or worse, the 2022 Toyota Prius is the unofficial mascot of the eco-conscious movement, as well as being the go-to pick for Uber and Lyft drivers. This small hatchback is one of the most efficient hybrids on the market, though the fuel savings come at the cost of a jittery ride, lethargic acceleration and a subpar infotainment interface. Rivals including the Honda Insight and Kia Niro are more luxurious and comfortable, and only slightly thirstier.

　　Given this generation's advanced age, we have to believe that a new Prius is right around the corner. Alas, Toyota's ultra-popular hybrid soldiers on virtually unchanged from last year's model. The primary difference is that the 2020 Edition trim level (which, somewhat confusingly, was only available for the 2021 model year) has been replaced by the Nightshade variant. But since they share a similar feature set, you can think of this as a mere name change. 

　　

What's it like to live with?

To learn more about the Toyota Prius of this generation, read about our experiences from living with a 2016 Toyota Prius. After its debut, we went out and bought one and racked up more than 30,000 miles. We cover everything from this hybrid's real-world fuel economy to seat comfort and cargo space. Please note that the 2022 Toyota Prius differs from our long-term 2016 model in that the newer model has updated styling and more standard features. It's the same generation, though, so most of our observations still apply.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

6.5/10

　　How does the Prius drive? You're not buying a Prius to get engaging performance. In zzdcar' testing, our all-wheel-drive Prius test car covered 0-60 mph in 10.5 seconds, which is among the slowest cars around, hybrid or not. (Perhaps somewhat paradoxically, the lighter, front-wheel-drive Prius was marginally slower.) The Prius is also pretty tepid when it comes to agility and handling precision.

　　We do like the Prius' easy-driving nature and its smooth transitions from electric motor drive to gasoline engine power. Another Prius advantage is its available all-wheel drive. It should be noted, though, that the rear wheels only intervene when the front wheels lose traction. So in most dry-weather scenarios, you'll never feel them working.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Prius? The front seats are softly padded. Most drivers will find them comfortable for the long haul, though taller drivers or those with long legs might find the seat bottoms to be a few inches too short. The cabin is generally quiet unless you floor the gas pedal, at which point the engine gets rather raucous.

　　Another downside is the Prius' ride quality over broken pavement and concrete expansion joints. The impacts from these types of bumps can make the car feel jittery. Since the car is so quiet, these bumps are perhaps more noticeable than they'd otherwise be.

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