3 Things We Love About the 2023 Toyota Prius, and 1 We Don’t
We’re hard pressed to think of any other vehicle that has undergone such a fundamental improvement from one generation to the next like the 2023 Toyota Prius has. Going from a sensible, highly efficient, albeit uninspiring car, to one that has suddenly become desirable, is no small feat. Toyota hit a home run with this car that seemingly does it all.
It’s obvious we’re enamoured with the new little hybrid. Finding reasons to like the car are easy, and we list a few of the standouts below. But there are still a few things we’d change about the new Prius, including one that some may find hard to look past. But before we get to that, let’s start with the biggest draws for the new 2023 Toyota Prius.
Style
To say the Toyota Prius has always been unique when it came to styling may be an understatement. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the Prius, especially the last generation, was more edgy than elegant.
That’s all changed with the new 2023 model. Featuring a wedge shape, the new car isn’t just the best-looking Prius ever, it’s one of the better looking cars on the market today. We can’t really find a bad angle anywhere on the hybrid.
Driving Experience
As much as the styling has improved, we’d argue the driving experience is an even bigger upgrade. Featuring a small diameter steering wheel, there’s a driver-to-car connection in the 2023 Prius that’s never been felt in previous models. Dare we say, the agility and toss-ability of the small hybrid makes it fun to drive.
There’s also a lot more power under the hood. Touting 196 combined system horsepower for all-wheel drive models, that's an increase of 75 hp compared to last year’s model. Although we do find acceleration a bit tepid for an almost 200 hp car, there’s noticeably more response from the hatchback, especially on the highway.
Efficiency
Despite the big power boost, efficiency hasn’t been affected. Top of the line all-wheel drive models are still rated at 49 mpg combined, just like last year’s car.
At the other end of the spectrum, efficiency has improved for 2023. The most economical front-wheel drive 2022 Prius was rated at 56 mpg combined. For 2023, this has bumped up to 57 mpg combined.
Rearward Visibility
The one thing we’re not a fan of is the elimination of the split rear window. A trait of previous Prius models, the new 2023 now uses a single rear window.
With a high tail section designed to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, it leads to a very small rear window placed high upon the car. Seeing what’s behind the Prius, especially when the reverse camera is off, can be a bit tricky at times.
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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