Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius at a glance

The Prius made hybrid power mainstream. Its petrol engine runs on the efficient Atkinson cycle, while one electric motor-generator drives the wheels and another starts the engine and charges the battery; a planetary gear set blends both power sources without a conventional gearbox. The battery recharges from the engine and from braking, so the standard Prius never needs to be plugged in.

The first generation won Japan's Car of the Year in 1997, and the second won European Car of the Year 2005. Toyota's broader story is told in the history of Toyota, and how hybrids work in general is explained in our guide to hybrid cars.

Toyota Prius generations

First generation XW10 (1997–2003)

The original Prius was a compact saloon sold only in Japan until the updated NHW11 reached Europe and North America in 2000. Its 1.5-litre 1NZ-FXE produced 43 kW (58 PS), later 53 kW (72 PS), with an electric motor of 30 kW, later 33 kW. A sealed nickel-metal hydride battery of 1.78 kWh stored energy. About 123,000 were sold.

Second generation XW20 (2003–2009)

The second Prius changed to the now-familiar Kammback liftback with a drag coefficient of 0.26. The engine rose to 57 kW (77 PS) and the electric motor to 50 kW, for a combined 82 kW (110 PS). It introduced an all-electric air-conditioning compressor, used aluminium for the bonnet and tailgate, and won European Car of the Year 2005. About 1.19 million were sold.

Third generation XW30 (2009–2015)

The third Prius used a larger 1.8-litre 2ZR-FXE engine and a new platform, with a drag coefficient of 0.25. Combined output reached 100 kW (136 PS), with an electric motor of 60 kW (82 PS) and 207 Nm (153 lb-ft). The boot holds 445 litres (15.7 cu ft), or 1,120 litres (39.6 cu ft) with the seats folded. This generation added the first Prius Plug-in Hybrid with a 4.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, plus the larger Prius+ (Prius v) and the smaller Prius c.

Fourth generation XW50 (2015–2022)

The fourth Prius was the first Toyota on the TNGA platform. Its 1.8-litre engine produces 72 kW (98 PS) and 142 Nm (105 lb-ft), and the boot grew to 502 litres (17.7 cu ft). An electric all-wheel-drive version, E-Four, arrived for the 2019 model year, and the Prius Plug-in (Prime) used a lithium-ion battery for longer electric range.

Fifth generation XW60 (2022 to today)

The fifth Prius is lower and sleeker, with a drag coefficient of 0.27, and offers a 1.8 or 2.0-litre hybrid with 103–146 kW (140–198 PS) in other markets. In Europe it was launched in 2023 only as a plug-in hybrid with a 2.0-litre M20A-FXS engine and 164 kW (223 PS) system output. It was named 2024 North American Car of the Year and an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for 2023.

Hybrid system, battery and performance

Every Prius uses Toyota's power-split hybrid system with a continuously variable transmission effect from the planetary gear set. The engine shuts off at low speeds and in traffic, so the car can move on electric power alone for short distances. Nickel-metal hydride batteries were used in the standard hybrids for most generations; plug-in versions use lithium-ion.

Prius fuel economy and running costs

The Prius was designed for low fuel use. In the US, the EPA rated the second generation at 48 mpg city and 45 mpg highway, the third at 51 / 48 mpg and the fourth at 54 / 50 mpg (4.4 / 4.7 L/100 km). In European real-world use, the third and fourth generations typically return about 4–6 L/100 km (39–59 mpg US) on combined routes, and more on fast motorway journeys. Brake wear is low, because regenerative braking does most of the work.

Dimensions and boot space

Prius safety ratings

Euro NCAP awarded five stars to the second, third and fourth generations at their launches. The fifth generation was named a 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ in the US. Toyota Safety Sense with autonomous emergency braking became standard on the fourth generation in Europe.

Prius reliability and known faults

The Prius has an excellent durability record, and many have covered very high mileages as taxis. Points to check:

• Hybrid battery health: older nickel-metal hydride packs lose capacity with age; a hybrid health check shows cell balance.
• Inverter coolant pump and cooling fan for the battery, which can clog with dust.
• On the third generation, oil consumption on some high-mileage 2ZR-FXE engines and EGR cooler deposits.
• Brake actuator faults on older cars, which are expensive to fix.

Rivals: how the Prius compares

The Prius competed with the Honda Insight and later with hybrid versions of compact cars, including Toyota's own Corolla, the Hyundai Ioniq and the Kia Niro. Toyota's RAV4 hybrid now takes many of its family buyers. More options are listed among hybrid cars and in the Toyota catalogue.