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The Toyota Prius has always been known for its polarizing styling and undeniable fuel economy. But the new 2023 Prius changes that equation, and now features much sleeker styling, but without a great leap forward in fuel efficiency. In this episode, we share our first impressions of the 2023 Toyota Prius' redesigned cabin, our early fuel economy experiences, and whether legacy fans of the Prius' quirky vibe will be turned off by this new version.
SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
00:15 – First Impressions: 2023 Toyota Prius
25:26 – Question: Are vehicle trip computers accurate, and what is the most precise way to calculate MPG?
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Redesigned 2023 Toyota Prius Trades Practicality for Style
2023 Toyota Prius
Guide to Car Safety
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Prius looks somewhat like a Lamborghini Aventador, which is loud too 🙂
From a styling point of view, I think the third generation, 2010-2015 models got the balance of looks and practicality just about right. Not that it was a “good looking” car exactly, but it was inoffensive and quite practical. Last gen’s looks were too…”quirky” for me. (I cannot stand all of Toyota’s drips and dribbles coming down from lights, looking like runny mascara or a prison teardrop tattoo.) Current gen looks a lot like a Chrysler 200/Dodge Dart to me, which would be fine, except losing all the practicality of the large hatch/liftback area? Plus with fuel economy that’s really no better than a roomier, more comfortable Camry Hybrid for similar money? Or if you want a smaller car driving experience, the Corolla Hybrid seems like a good choice. Add in your complaints about the unrefined/noisy drivetrain of the Prius (which was surprising to hear. 25 years of making the Prius, you’d think they would set the standard in refined hybrid powertrains, right?) and the Prius just doesn’t seem like the obvious/best choice in hybrid motoring anymore.
At first glance it’s like a Corolla hatchback.
I would be very interested to see how the lower trim level with the smaller wheels changes a lot of the complaints that you guys have regarding road noise and fuel economy estimates. Especially seeing as the model you guys have is the limited AWD which according to Toyota decreases the economy significantly. Regardless, Toyota made the decision to sacrifice some practicality and usability for style which could potentially ostracize some preexisting Prius people in attempts to garner the attention of some more style focused customers. Can’t wait to hear the comments on your long term unit (hopefully with the smaller wheels) you end up purchasing.
Really nice looking silhouette but it has totally compromised the cabin space and head room….and the driver is sitting in the center of the car in the side view! I. Toyota wasn’t considering the over 6 ft. tall folks. I hope this engine/hybrid system is extended to the Corolla/ Corolla Cross soon.
The recently departed President of Toyota was 5’4″, I think this car was tailor made for him. This new 2.0 Hybrid drivetrain will be shared with the Corolla Cross Hybrid whenever it gets here but it will lose about 15 mpg in that application. The Corolla Hybrid sedan has a new 1.8 powertrain.
Simulated shift does not make the driving experience bettter, come on now.
Thank you for this honest review, I definitely will not be buying one:)
I’ve had a 2010 Prius for 8 years and I absolutely love it; it’s reliable, efficient and practical. My only complaints are that it’s slow and not the best looking. I was excited about this new Prius because it seemed to solve my two complaints (i.e. it has more power and is better looking). However, after watching this video, I’m no longer excited. 40mpg is a joke, I regularly get over 50mpg on the highway in my 2010 Prius. I’m also not happy about more noise, worse ride, visibility and tighter space. I appreciate that they made it look nicer but they made too many compromises to do so.
The new Prius looks great but that’s it. All downhill after that (pun intended) and way too high of a cost. Good show 👍
I think the “dorky” customers have moved on to electrics. The last gen had terrible styling, not sure if this one will sell, too many good competitors out there.
I don’t agree with the comments about the MPG accuracy on trip computers. I find that with my vehicles the trip computer MPG is anywhere from 1.5 to 3 MPG higher than when I calculate it by dividing the miles travelled since the last fill up and the amount of fuel needed to refill the tank. This is with all 3 of my vehicles – an ’07 Honda Odyssey, ’16 Subaru Legacy, and a ’21 Mazda MX-5 Miata. I really would think it should be much closer and about evenly be higher or lower than what I calculate.
Jennifer, Mike and Ryan, This is the most accurate review of the new Prius posted on Youtube. 👏👏👏👏The A pillar is obnoxiously intrusive, the rear window is hazardously small, the severely diminished roof line is a menace to taller drivers and passengers . To add insult to injury, the cargo capacity has been reduced by 35%. In short, the new Prius will be seriously compromised as a family vehicle and utterly useless as a taxi. Let’s hope Toyota utilizes the improved drivetrain in a rationally proportioned model to fill the gaping hole left by the formerly practical Prius. I hope a new Prius V comes to market as soon as possible.
They designed the Soltera and the Prius gauge cluster with the intention of putting a yoke, and they replaced said yoke with a round steering wheel blocking the gauge cluster 😢
@23:23 Mike’s look trying to understand the analogy is hilarious
Buy a Supra instead of buying a Prius for its power mode and complaining how loud it is
Bummer review
I’m getting a style over substance vibe with this generation. Not going for 60mpg is disappointing- they were so close!
The new Prius is gorgeous, but there’s no way I could justify it compared to my current Jetta which cost only $22,000 and gets 45 mpg on the highway easily. I have gotten as high as 49 mpg. It’s simple, quiet, practical, and comes with a stick. It has tons of head and leg room for four adults, or two adults and two big convertible car seats. I do really love the styling of the new Prius though.
I owned a 2007 and currently drive a 2016 Prius. I loved the looks of my 2007 and hate the looks of my 2016. I love almost everything else about my current car. I get ~51 mpg with no air on, mostly around town. The car calculates ~2 mpg higher, at 53 mpg. Going down to 40 mpg would be bad. I would miss my real color head-up display which was an option and my opening sunroof. The 2023 Prius looks so much better. MPG is the whole point of the car. They should keep the cab forward and stop lowing the car. The 2007 had a great upright driving position, but with lower mpg.
I thought Jen landed the plane timely. I wasn’t surprised when she and Ryan said they preferred the old Prius model. The points she and Ryan mentioned, like the elevated noise when getting on the freeway, and the significantly reduced gas mileage, are not positives.