Odds are whilst you first noticed the newest 2024 Toyota Prius hybrid that began arriving previous within the yr, you no longer solely noticed a great-looking automobile however felt slightly little bit of nostalgia. 

That’s as a result of the newest Toyota Prius seems to be adore it’s a descendant of the Prius that made the most important waves in car historical past—the second-generation, 2004-2009 style. Sure, we’re nodding to the person who Hollywood sought after to be noticed in, and the person who set the liftback glance that at the beginning hit a candy spot for aerodynamics and capability. 

Prius design misplaced its manner after that, however it’s again. And whilst Toyota has innovated by means of hugely bettering the using enjoy in addition to the glance of this newest Prius, it’s no longer solely the go back to shape in all of the techniques you could be expecting of a Prius.

This Prius necessarily carries over its potency numbers as a hybrid with as much as 57 mpg, whilst providing an incremental growth in electric-only vary (as much as 45 miles) as a 2024 Toyota Prius High plug-in hybrid. 

2023 Toyota Prius High

The Prius High has long past from simply 11 miles of EPA vary in its first technology for 2012-2015 to twenty-five miles within the 2017-2023 model, and now to 40-45 miles, relying at the model, with a 13.6-kwh battery as a substitute of the outgoing model’s 8.8-kwh one.

You could argue that the Prius High hits a candy spot now in maintaining the battery no higher than had to duvet day by day shuttle wishes, simply exceeding the U.S.-average 32 miles or so day by day. In shopping at production footprint and easing supply-chain problems, smaller batteries are higher—even though right here you’re wearing round a fuel engine for the automobile’s lifetime.

Expectancies of what plug-in hybrids will have to be are evolving, and the Prius High doesn’t precisely carry the bar. It slightly meets the usual set by means of the second-generation Chevy Volt, which arrived in 2015 as a 2016 style, with a 53-mile electrical vary and 42-mpg after that as a hybrid. California is calling for the brand new technology of 50-mile plug-in hybrids, or even Toyota has mentioned that 120-mile PHEVs are in sight. So the vanguard this isn’t.

2024 Toyota Prius High

Any plug-in hybrid edge the corporate seems to be leaving to its SUVs. It truly upped its plug-in-hybrid recreation with the present Toyota RAV4 High, which acted as an explanation level to turn that PHEVs may serve up best efficiency, all-wheel pressure, or even longer electrical vary, in combination in a single automobile. 

In using amusing, the brand new Prius circle of relatives delivers. This technology of the Prius High will get a extra tough electrical motor device, at 161 hp, which permits it to simply stay alongside of speedy visitors—although it does boost up faster as soon as the engine begins. Altogether, the 150-hp, 2.0-liter inline-4 combines with that electrical motor device to make a mixed 220 hp—which means that the High is now as fast as some recreation sedans. However you want the engine directly to enjoy its quickness. 

2024 Toyota Prius High

2024 Toyota Prius High

2024 Toyota Prius High

The High doesn’t seem to do anything else to make the cabin enjoy really feel extra delicate—and, simply as in hybrid Prius fashions, the entrance seats may use some consideration and rear-seat get admission to can also be tight. The High’s all-electric operation additionally merely underscores the freeway highway noise factor we’ve already identified for the hybrid Prius. And whilst the High has about 25 hp extra, its more or less 250 further kilos get in the way in which of any increased using enjoy or higher journey. 

The Prius High does a large number of issues proper. It prioritizes all-electric operation so long as there’s a price (and its Hybrid mode hasn’t been decided on), and it received’t fan the flames of the fuel engine whilst you ask for extra acceleration. Most sensible variations flaunt a sun roof that does trickle a small quantity again to the pack—and if the power historical past on our ultimate take a look at automobile was once to be believed, it will upload as much as an important quantity over the life of the automobile.

2024 Toyota Prius High

With temps within the 40s in Portland we struggled to succeed in 40 miles all-electric. However in gentle climate within the 60s at our November Absolute best Automotive To Purchase checking out in Georgia, we went 43 miles ahead of the device converted to fuel. 

The High’s 3.3-kw onboard charger tells us that even though High drivers sought after to maximise their all-electric using with a mid-day price, Toyota doesn’t see that toolset as being profitable in its personal cost-benefit research. Toyota says the Prius High can totally price in about 4 hours on 240 volts, or 11 hours on family 120-volt AC. 

2024 Toyota Prius High

After all, Toyota seems to be slotting the Prius High towards a distinct segment life. It opted to import the Prius from Japan on this technology relatively than intention for U.S. meeting and an EV tax credit score for the High. 

The Prius High begins at $33,770, together with the $1,095 vacation spot price, and it levels as much as about $43,000 in best XSE Top rate shape when loaded up with choices just like the sun roof, virtual rearview replicate, and tech package deal.

Does the Toyota Prius do sufficient to shift the dialog towards cars that will likely be pushed with out tailpipe emissions the majority of the time? It’s a query that, in the beginning of our Absolute best Automotive To Purchase dialog this yr, we had been nonetheless entertaining. Taking a look at a few of these minor issues, Toyota supplies the necessities for that however indisputably may have given this High extra of an edge.

Examine the remainder of the Absolute best Automotive To Purchase finalists, and test again for a winner Jan. 3.