2024 Toyota Prius Hatchback

　　

2024 Toyota Prius Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawSenior Reviews Editor

　　Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.

　　Now, on today's episode of the "Automotive Extreme Makeover!" reality TV series, we have the Toyota Prius. Seriously, it's hard to think of a car that has changed more dramatically in the past year or two. The 2024 Prius follows up on last year's redesign that introduced sleek new styling, more power, and a cabin with new technology features and a more modern aesthetic. Frumpy and/or dorky were good adjectives to describe the Prius in the past, but no longer.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 Toyota Prius LE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric 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 $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$68/mo  for Prius LE

　　Prius LE

　　LE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $27,950 MSRPLE 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $29,350 MSRPXLE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $31,395 MSRPXLE 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $32,795 MSRPLimited 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $34,965 MSRPLimited 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $36,365 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　

zzdcar spotlight: High mpg without the snail-like acceleration

Thanks to its hybrid powertrain, the Prius delivers up to an EPA-estimated 57 mpg in combined city/highway driving. That's right up there with the most fuel-efficient cars you can buy, and we've verified the EPA's estimate in our own real-world testing. But fuel efficiency isn't the only thing the Prius has going for it. Underneath its appealing styling is a powertrain that helps the latest Prius to accelerate out of its own way, and then some. Compared to the previous-generation model, the 2024 Prius is packing up to 75 more horsepower, for a total of up to 196 ponies. And on top of all that, the Prius is more enjoyable to drive.

　　

Competitors to consider

Efficiency-minded motorists who still aren't drawn to the latest Prius have alternatives to consider. They include the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Kia Niro and Toyota's own Corolla Hybrid. But if you're impressed with what Toyota has done with the Prius, read our full zzdcar Expert Rating to get all of the details and opinions from our testing team.

　　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.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Prius drive? The latest Prius is smooth and able to smartly accelerate from a stoplight. It's also just fine for when you want to merge onto a highway or climb a long grade. At zzdcar' test track, our test front-wheel-drive Prius accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, which is significantly quicker than the Prius' main rival, the Kia Niro (9.7 seconds). Around turns, the Prius is stable and secure. The economy-biased tires don't provide much grip but we get the sense that the Prius would actually be kind of fun to whip around turns if you put stickier tires on it.

　　In everyday driving, the Prius is smooth and easy to drive. Leaving a stoplight, you'll rarely notice the hybrid power transition from the electric motor to the gas engine.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Prius? The Prius' front seats offer enough support to be comfortable for longer stints. The rear seats are also comfortable, though they don't recline. We like how the Prius rides smoothly over bumps and broken pavement. However, excessive tire, wind and engine noise under acceleration holds the Prius back from being a fully relaxing car to drive.

　　There's only a single climate zone, which is a bit of a bummer. But most Prius trims have heated front seats, and ventilated front seats are found on the top Limited trim.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below