Advertisement

Toyota Prius Hybrid: Ultimate Guide To 50-MPG Mid-Size Hatchback

 
17,809 views Apr 17, 2013
Follow Antony

2013 Toyota Prius liftback

2013 Toyota Prius liftback

Enlarge Photo

Toyota's Prius hybrid has undoubtedly done more to raise awareness of green vehicles and improving fuel efficiency than any other single model on sale today.

First launched in the U.S. in 1999 and styled by a design team in California, the Prius name has since been applied to two further generations and by May 2008, over a million had been sold.

Click here for a full review of the 2013 Toyota Prius.

There's a wealth of information out there on it and our Ultimate Guide to the model should help you decide on whether it's the car for you.

For information on the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, please see our dedicated Ultimate Guide to the model. We also have a guide to the 2012 Toyota Prius V - the Prius wagon, and a guide for the 2012 Toyota Prius C hybrid subcompact.


 

Prius basics

There can't be many out there who don't know at least a little about what makes a Prius, but thankfully it's easy to understand the basics.

The 2013 Prius uses a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine. This, plus an electric motor/generator, puts power through a planetary gearset (which Toyota calls 'electronic Continuously Variable Transmission, or e-CVT) to the front wheels. Mechanically, it's simpler than it sounds and a factor in the Prius' excellent reliability record.

The Prius is no longer the most advanced hybrid vehicle on the road, but it still delivers the results: Official combined economy is an EPA-rated 50 mpg. In city driving that rises to 51 mpg, and drops to 48 mpg on the highway--though all this depends on your driving style and road conditions. Prius pricing starts at $24,000.



Prius driving

So what's the world's most popular hybrid like to drive? Pretty good, as it turns out, but you can read about that in more detail by reading some of our drive reports below. Alternatively, scroll up the page a little to find a link to our full review of the car.



Prius pricing and sales

The Prius has been on the market for quite a while now in its current guise. Details are starting to emerge of its successor, expected in 2015, but until then there's plenty of information available on the current car. You can follow its success too--with one million sales in the U.S, two million in total, three million, and then four million Toyota hybrids. When will five million appear? You have to expect it fairly soon!






Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

 

Have an opinion?

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (13)

  1. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 10/27/2011 1:47pm PDT

    Silly Toyota. Look at the first article.
    "Traveling With A 2010 Toyota Prius V"
    Well, not that title is just confusing because Toyota decided to make a new car called the Prius V.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  2. fb_61206378 avatar Antony Ingram Posted: 10/27/2011 3:29pm PDT

    Ah, well spotted, thank you! I noticed that when I was compiling this but didn't get around to making it a little less confusing. Will fix.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  3. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 10/27/2011 6:11pm PDT

    Well, it is really Toyota that should fix this. But good if you can reduce confusion as well.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  4. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/15/2012 1:43pm PDT

    As much as I dislike Prius (especially some of its slow drivers), I have to say Prius V is a great car. Very practical and well priced. Now, Prius C and Prius plugin (lame effort) are just silly.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  5. fb_572656407 avatar Frank Tsay Posted: 8/16/2012 10:24am PDT

    Yeah, we often find Prius driven slowly on highways. However, here in Long Island, the number one brand of cars driving 15+ MPH slower than most others, blocking the HOV lane, followed by dozens of angry drivers, happens to be BMW driven by old people. Any surprise?
     
    Post Reply
    +2
    Bad stuff?

  6. fb_735695456 avatar Justin Wages Posted: 4/17/2013 1:53pm PDT

    Silly because they fill a market niche that the Volt and CMAX or any other hybrid cannot? I like the Volt but it simply lacks the utility of the Prius Plug In. The CMAX Energi doesn't cut it either. Many of us use our Prii for work and trying to carry awkward loads (or a dog) in the Volt or Energi would be downright impossible. There is also Toyota reliability.... For some people the Plug In or c just make sense.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  7. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 4/17/2013 2:37pm PDT

    Well, the price difference between the Pip and regular Prius doesn't justify it. If your "commute" is that short, then just buy the regular Prius (which should get better MPG in real life than the PIP) and you aren't using much gas either. Plus, the regular Prius is lighter, safer and faster than the PIP.

    Prius C? Well, Consumer Report said that "you are better off with an used Prius hatchback"... That pretty much sums up my feeling toward it.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  8. fb_735695456 avatar Justin Wages Posted: 4/17/2013 3:45pm PDT

    You really should do more research regarding long commutes with a PIP. I agree the PIP Advanced is a waste but with incentives the PIP Base is a good deal for short or long commutes. So unless you feel that 85mpg (PIP) vs. 60mpg (Prius) on the same 100 mile commute isn't worth it. Having owned both I feel it is worth it. FWIW, the PIP is rated higher in HWY mpg than the regular Prius. Safer? How so? Faster? Can you really accurately measure it by feel? Again, I've owned both and I find your argument weak.

    Prius c new vs. a used Prius? Did you forget about the city friendly size, better average FE, and "sportier" handling? Besides, some people just like new cars. The used car argument is played. Compare new to new.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

     

  9. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 4/18/2013 11:48am PDT

    1. Your 85mpg and 60mpg is Apple and Orange since you didn't include the energy used by the electricity. So, if you just counting gas usage, then it is correct. But the fact is that the PIP's EV range is "weak" at best and you have to be "gentle" to get the "EV only" miles in short distance. So, the saving isn't all that big.

    2. The rating is a scam in my opinion. Here is reason why. PIP is about 150lbs heavier and with just about everything else being the same as Prius. Why does it get better MPG in "gas mode"?

    3. Safer? B/c of the weight and higher center of gravity. Prius is rated slight better than PIP in roll over.

    4. Faster is due to less weight. The difference is about 1 adult weight. Speed measurement confirms it.
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  10. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 4/18/2013 11:49am PDT

    "Did you forget about the city friendly size, better average FE, and "sportier" handling"

    The same can be said for noisy ride, less power and worse braking... Those are CR's word, NOT mine.

    It is a "trade off", I guess...
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  11. fb_735695456 avatar Justin Wages Posted: 4/19/2013 6:13pm PDT

    You're really reaching here.

    1. The efficiency is higher no matter how you slice the power pie. This is with a commute that is the worst case scenario for a PIP.

    2. Do you think that the extra 125lbs is going to make that big of a dent in FE? Especially on the highway where weight is less of a factor? Do you think that the extra capacity and higher EV mph cannot overcome the potential loss from the extra weight?

    3. You really reached on this one. Seriously?

    4. 125lbs is nothing. It equals approx. 1/10th of a second in the 1/4mile. This is not detectable by most humans. I raced cars for nearly 2 decades and can tell you that 1/10th of a second is nothing. My PIP actually felt faster on the freeway than the Volt I tested.
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

    12. There are more comments in this thread

  12. dgatewood avatar Don Gatewoood Posted: 8/16/2012 9:25am PDT

    What certain people choose to ignore is the Prius has been on the market well over a decade with a drive train and ethos that has been the bench mark for all others to match.It's still "the" market leader in its segment and has been the main driver in converting people to drive more economical clean cars. The Volt has raised the bar in this evolution toward a full EV but will not sell to the same numbers solely because of price. Toyota is looking to make a complete change to hybrids by introducing a full range hence the smaller models.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Advertisement
Get great deals on the 2013 Toyota Prius!
By clicking above, you agree that your data will be subject to our Car Quotes Privacy Policy
Advertisement

Find Green Cars

Go!

Advertisement

More from High Gear Media

 
 
Green Car Reports
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2013 Green Car Reports. All Rights Reserved. Green Car Reports is published by High Gear Media. Send us feedback. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC.