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Hoping to reenergize its once wildly popular hybrid, Toyota revealed a radically redesigned version of the Prius on Wednesday, ahead of the fifth-generation model’s public debut at the LA Auto Show.
With the 2023 Toyota Prius the Japanese automaker took aim at the most common complaints about the hybrid, notably its cartoon-like design and lack of power. The makeover also brings additional range for the Prius+ plug-in hybrid, as well as a more high-tech interior which was clearly influenced by the automaker’s first long-range battery-electric vehicle, the bZ4X.
The remake comes at a critical time for what has been an iconic product for Toyota, Prius at one point becoming the bestselling of all vehicles offered in California. But demand has tumbled sharply during the past decade, with some Toyota insiders confiding to TheDetroitBureau.com that the automaker gave thought to ending Prius production while focusing on hybrid versions of the rest of its line-up.
A less geeky look
Visually, there will be few who confuse the 2023 Toyota Prius with the fourth-generation model. The overall look is sleeker and more aggressive, with a gentle, coupe like slope to the front end, windshield and roofline, though it retains its five-passenger hatchback layout.
Slit-style lamps stretch across the nose, then hook along the front fenders before boomeranging back in front of the hood. The jug-eared taillamps have been replaced by a crossbar mirroring the front headlights — and looking much like what Toyota developed for its Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.
Like the current Prius, the 2023 remake retains a relatively uncluttered interior but appears to have a more refined finish compared to the plasticky materials found in the old hybrid. Like the bZ4X, the new Prius features a high-mounted 7-inch digital gauge cluster, with a large touchscreen infotainment system mounted at the top of the center console. The hatchback does retain more conventional controls for some vehicle functions, such as climate settings.
The outgoing Prius was hammered for its quirky design after debuting in the 2016 model year. But Toyota also has addressed the other common complaint: a distinct lack of performance.
Improved power and performance
On Wednesday morning, Toyota revealed the 2023 model in Europe and some specs may change when the automaker unveils the U.S. version later in the day. But initial indications suggest it will boost power by as much as 77%, depending upon the version.
The conventional gas-electric model replaces its old 1.8-liter gas engine with a new 2.0-liter inline-4. It remains paired to twin electric motors, though they also have been beefed up. Combined output jumps 60%, from 121 to 193 horsepower.
The Prius+ plug-in hybrid gets an even bigger boost, going from 134 hp to 220 hp, a 77% increase. That is expected to yield 0-60 times of under 6.7 seconds, Toyota said, almost four seconds faster than with the 2022 Prius.
Similar mileage, better EV-mode range
The 2023 Prius also increases its all-electric range, which is currently 24 miles, according to the EPA, by 50%, said Toyota. That should allow the majority of potential buyers could readily handle daily commutes without burning any — or at least much — gasoline.
As for fuel economy, those numbers will come later. But Toyota signaled they’ll be close to what the Prius currently gets. The base ECO package can deliver up to 56 miles per gallon, based on the EPA ratings for the 2022 model.
“We wanted to show we could maintain the efficiency and see a jump in performance,” Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada told trade publication Automotive News.
He and other Toyota officials are hoping that the makeover will revitalize a once popular nameplate — though several have told TheDetroitBureau that it’s unlikely Prius will ever hit quite the same highs as it did early on. Today, there are dozens of hybrid options on the market, Toyota itself offering gas-electric versions of virtually all of its other model lines, all the way up to the big Tundra pickup.
Plunging Prius sales
But the automaker would welcome any improvement from recent trends. U.S. demand peaked in 2012 at just over 147,000 — a figure that included two other Prius-badged models. The Prius C and V have been abandoned and the original hatchback generated sales of just 59,000 last year. For the first 10 months of 2022, the total fell another 40 percent.
While there were some immediate, positive responses to the 2023 Prius makeover, not everyone was pleased with what Toyota has come up with.
Not everyone is happy with the makeover
Public Citizen and 16 other non-profit consumer and climate groups turned a collective thumbs down, primarily because of Toyota’s decision not to add an all-electric version of the familiar nameplate. Toyota and its CEO Akio Toyoda have come under serious criticism for laying out future plans that call for a mix of hybrids, PHEVs, fuel-cell vehicles and EVs, rather than going all-electric.
“The new Prius model asks: What if we took the look of a Tesla, but instead made it pollute with an internal combustion engine?” East Peterson-Trujillo, the clean vehicles campaigner at Public Citizen, said in a statement. “The climate crisis demands real actions to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Despite over a decade of record setting global temperatures, Toyota’s new Prius missed an opportunity to take a fully-electric step toward the future.”
Toyota did not state precisely when the 2023 Prius will get to U.S. showrooms, though that’s expected to happen in the next few months. Pricing will be released closer to the on-sale date. The outgoing 2022 hybrid has an MSRP of $24,525 before delivery fees.
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