Used 2019 Toyota Prius Prime

The 2019 Toyota Prius Prime is the plug-in version of the world’s most popular hybrid car. It delivers outstanding fuel economy, but unlike the standard Prius, can be driven solely on electric power for up to 25 miles. Should the battery become depleted, the gasoline engine takes over allowing the Prius Prime to continue on its merry way, and at an EPA-estimated 55 mpg, that way can be as far as 600 miles. Numerous driving modes help maximize fuel efficiency, including a Recharge mode that uses the gas engine to recharge the onboard battery pack. Even more attractive is the Prius Prime’s price, which after tax incentives undercuts the standard Prius’ bottom line.

Few cars drive as smoothly or as effortlessly as the 2019 Toyota Prius Prime. From behind the wheel it feels small but substantial. Its steering is light and outward visibility is excellent thanks to a low hoodline, which makes the hybrid easy to maneuver in and out of tight parking spaces. The Prime’s suspension smartly trades handling prowess for an excellent freeway and around-town ride, but the Toyota’s small footprint and low center of gravity give it an unexpected agility no small crossover SUV or full-size SUV can match. It feels light on its feet and it’s quick to change direction. Acceleration, even in Power mode, isn’t exactly brisk, with Toyota saying it reaches 60 mph in about 11 seconds, but the Prime is quick enough to satisfy most drivers, and the powertrain is incredibly smooth, combining electric and internal-combustion power with little noise or vibration. And the 8.8-kWh battery pack can drive the Prius Prime for up to 25 miles in pure-EV mode, so if your commute is short you won’t burn a drop of gasoline.

The 2019 Toyota Prius Prime’s interior is thoroughly modern, with a massive 11.6-inch touch-screen display that, on Premium and Advanced trims, serves as the nerve center for the car’s infotainment, navigation and heat/vent/AC controls. The screen employs tablet-like controls such as pinch, zoom, tap and swipe gestures. Seating is spacious, but due to the Prime’s unique powertrain layout the rear center seat has been replaced with a center console, reducing total capacity to just four persons. The driver’s seat sits lower than in most hybrid cars, giving the Prius Prime a sports-car-like feel. The stubby shifter and center-mounted digital instrument cluster, however, seem a bit unconventional.

There’s no risk of the 2019 Toyota Prius Prime getting lost in a crowded mall parking lot. It looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. It wouldn’t look out of place driving around Hill Valley’s town center in Back to the Future Part II. Although it’s the same size and basic wedge shape as the standard Prius Hybrid, Toyota borrowed some cues from its hydrogen-powered Mirai to give the Prius Prime a face all its own. The multi-lens headlights are all LED and look sleek and modern alongside the unique grille treatment. In back, LED taillights wrap horizontally around the trailing edge of the carbon-fiber hatch, which sports "dual-wave" glass and the same carbon-fiber loom as the high-tech Lexus LF-A exotic sports car.

TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE P
Toyota’s commitment to safety is evident with the Prius Prime’s standard Safety Sense P, a complete suite of driver assists that includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beam assist and lane-departure warning with steering assist.

INTELLIGENT PARK ASSIST
Standard on the Advanced trim, Intelligent Park Assist can help guide the Prius Prime into tight parallel-parking spaces. The system employs a series of sensors mounted around the vehicle along with sonar to identify a space and steer the Prime into place. All that is required of the driver is to work the brake pedal and gear selector.

There’s the plug-in hybrid drivetrain plus all the various trimmings, of course. The base Prius Prime Plus skips the cool touch screen, though, in favor of a 7.0-inch color infotainment display with an integrated rearview camera and navigation, USB port, and phone and music connectivity through Bluetooth. Also standard is Toyota Safety Sense P, which bundles full-speed adaptive cruise control, pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high beams. Cloth covers the heated seats, push-button start is standard, and fog lights dress up the exterior. With no spare tire, three years of roadside service also come standard.

If you want more features, Toyota asks you to buy more Prius Prime. The mid-level Prius Prime Premium gets SofTex faux-leather seats, including an 8-way-power-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, and Qi compatible wireless smartphone charging (sorry, iPhone users). It also gets the big 11.6-inch infotainment screen. Opt for the top-line Prius Prime Advanced and you’ll get a similar screen but backed by a premium JBL sound system. The Advanced also gets a remotely controlled climate-control system, heated multi-function steering wheel, color head-up display, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and backup sensors with parking assist.

The 2019 Toyota Prius Prime’s 95-horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine does most of the work moving the little car around. Two electric motors put out a combined 76 kW, and when gas and electric motors are all running together, create a combined output of 121 peak horsepower. The 8.8-kWh battery pack holds enough juice to move the Prius Prime solely on electric power up to 25 miles at speeds up to 84 mph. The EPA rates the Prius Prime at 133 MPGe, which makes it the segment leader when it comes to combined overall fuel economy. With a dedicated 240V charger, the Prius Prime can recharge in about two hours, or just over five hours using a standard 120V outlet. There is no fast charge port for the Prius Prime.

4-cylinder hybrid (1.8-liter engine with 53- and 23-kilowatt electric motors)
95 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm (1.8-liter engine)
105 lb-ft torque @ 3,600 rpm (1.8-liter engine)
121 net horsepower (1.8-liter engine plus combined electric output)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 54 mpg city/highway combined, 133 MPGe (EV mode)