A week spent in what continues to be the best selling hybrid in America
Pros:
Fuel economy
Interior room
Interior and exterior fit and finish
Cons:
Interior beginning to show its age
Average handling and limited steering feedback
Limited side and rear visibility
2014 Toyota Prius
No examination of Toyota's Prius can begin without noting that it was the brand's first production gas-electric hybrid and that in addition to being the world's most-recognized green vehicle, it continues to dominate hybrid sales here in the U.S.
Exterior
It should also be pointed out that in the 11 years since the second generation model was introduced, the Prius' Kammback shape has become something of an icon – rivaling such vehicles as the Porsche 911 and Volkswagen Beetle.
Our Prius 4 tester even came with the model's vaunted Solar Roof package – the only way one can obtain a hole in the roof from the factory. Not for the faint of wallet, the solar panel portion of this $3,820 option (on the Prius 4) is engineered to power a fan – thus ventilating the interior and keeping it cooler when the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight.
Interior
After five years – six if you count the nearly-identical 2015 model – the interior of the Prius is beginning to show its age. While the materials and fit and finish are all first class, there are a lot of hard plastic surfaces – not something you'd expect to find in a $36,000 vehicle.
Otherwise, the overall interior fit and finish is outstanding. Despite the fact that the flying buttress-like center console takes up quite a bit of space, the cabin feels both open and airy. This isn't an illusion a despite its compact size outside, its EPA-measured 116 cubic feet of interior volume puts it at the upper end of the midsize category. The front seats are both comfortable and supportive. There is also ample head, shoulder and legroom for front as well as room for up to three adults in back.
The dashboard design consists of flowing lines and gentle curves surrounding a simple and intuitive touch screen. While the upper gauges are easy to read – even the touchscreen comes with redundant buttons for the major functions - the center placement of them can be distracting and you have to cycle through the mode button to find the information you're looking for. Fortunately the aforementioned solar roof option also includes a head-up display that not only shows vehicle speed, but also direction prompts when you're using the navigation system.
Views out the front and sides are good aided by a moderate cowl and beltline height. Views out the rear three quarters and back, however aren't nearly as good – hindered by a thick C-pillar and a spoiler that splits the rear window.
Cargo volume is somewhat limited by the location of the nickel-metal hydride battery pack, but is still very useful at 21.6 cubic feet, while the rear seat (with a center armrest featuring 2 cup holders) also splits and folds flat for additional hauling capability.
Finally, an observation about the interior: for all its ergonomic friendliness, when the next redesign takes place Toyota really needs to find a new location for the seat heater switches, which are currently located on the front face of the storage area located under the floating center console.
Equipment
The Prius is available in five trim levels – the Prius Two, Three, Persona, Four and Five. Each is available with a limited number of option packages plus a number of port and dealer-installed options.
All Prius trim levels come with seven airbags, power windows, driver's seat height adjustment, electric steering, electric water pump, tilt and telescopic steering wheel with audio, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, stability control, traction control, brake assist and smart stop technology.
Also standard is automatic climate control, Display Audio with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth hands-free phone and music streaming, 15” alloy wheels, keyless entry, push button start and a rear window-splitting spoiler.
Under the hood
All Prii come equipped with Toyota's 2ZR-FXE Atkinson cycle 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 98 horsepower and 105 lb.-ft. of torque plus an electric motor that generates 80 horsepower and 153 lb.-ft. of torque. Total system net horsepower is 134 and it's delivered to the front wheels via a CVT transmission.
As you might expect, fuel economy is excellent. The EAPA rates the Prius at 51/48/50 city/highway/combined, while our own observed fuel economy was an average of 45 mpg in a mix of both city and highway driving.
On the road
The Prius is really about fuel efficiency and handling takes a back seat. Acceleration is adequate, but not exceptional – you really have to put your foot into it, nearly to the floor, to really accelerate. Although the ride is controlled, there is noticeable body lean in corners. The steering has a nice weight to it but there's very little feedback through the steering wheel.
The brakes feel natural and are easy to modulate with the regen function now barely noticeable. There's also a decent amount of feedback through the brake pedal.
At freeway speeds the ride is firm and controlled on smooth pavement, but large bumps and road imperfections can cause the body to pitch and the electronic throttle makes it difficult to maintain a steady speed especially when things get hilly.
Cabin noise can also be an issue. Around town the interior is fairly quiet. But as road speed increases a fair amount of road and tire noise find their way into the cabin. There's also quite a bit of engine noise when accelerating and, on the expressway, when merging into traffic.
Pricing
2015 Prius pricing starts at $25,025 for a base Prius Two and can top out at over $40,000 for a fully-accessorized Prius Five with the Advanced Technology Package.
This 2014 Prius Four tester was near the top with a base price of $28,435. Adding the $3,820 Solar Roof Package (that also included the JBL sound system, head-up display and emergency connect services), $2,499 17-inch alloy wheels, $359 security system, $279 illuminated door sills, $225 carpeted floor and cargo mats, $49 cargo net, $59 emergency assistance kit and $29 first aid kit plus an $810 delivery and processing fee brought the total MSRP to a fairly lofty $36,564.
The Bottom Line
There's a lot to like about the latest Toyota Prius. Not only is it incredibly fuel efficient, if you're that kind of nerd there are plenty of ways you can measure as well as improve your driving efficiency. In addition, for its size there's plenty of interior room and it cruises nicely both around town and on the highway. To top it all off, the Prius not only doesn't function like a regular car, it doesn't look like a regular car - everyone knows what it is and it clearly advertises the eco-consciousness of its owners.
On the other hand, handling is only mediocre, the steering is numb and the electronic throttle makes driving smoothly difficult. Especially for driving enthusiasts, it's not a lot of fun to drive.
I believe customers choose a Prius for two reasons. The first is that they're environmentally conscious. The second is that they want everyone else to know they're environmentally conscious – something that Toyota has really nailed with the vehicle's distinctive design and improved upon especially with the interior of this third generation model.
The bottom line, however, is that Toyota doesn't build the Prius for driving enthusiasts but for those whose primary mission is to get from point A to point B as efficiently – and with as little impact to the environment – as possible. This the Prius excels at and car buyers with this goal in mind should put it at the top of their lists.
