Used 2021 Toyota Prius Prime

The 2021 Prius Prime is the plug-in version of Toyota’s popular hybrid. With its larger battery capacity, the Toyota Prius Prime can travel up to 25 miles on electricity alone. On a 240-volt line, charging only takes about two hours, and when the battery is depleted, it has a gasoline engine that enables a total range of up to 640 miles.

With a starting price of just over $28,000, the Prius Prime is about $3,700 more than the standard Prius hybrid. But if you factor in the $4,500 federal tax credit available on this vehicle, the cost is actually less. This makes the 2021 Prius Prime a smart buy for savvy shoppers looking for great value in a new car and far less money spent on fuel in the years ahead. For 2021, the Prius Prime gets an upgraded safety system, and Android Auto is implemented in the base LE model (but not the higher trims).

The Prius Prime’s swoopy, futuristic exterior design isn’t for everyone. It screams “hybrid” more than those of plug-in rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro.

Higher grades of the Prius Prime feature a massive, Tesla-like vertical screen, but it suffers from glare in sunlight. Still, for road warriors and commuters looking for a comfortable, safe, ultra-efficient car that’s potentially eligible for both solo carpool access and a sizable federal tax rebate, this most efficient version of Toyota’s Prius lineup makes a prime eco-friendly companion.

The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime is impressively comfortable. Smooth, hushed, and with an uncanny ability to absorb bumps, this Prius has near Lexus-like levels of serenity. This extends to the driver’s seat, whose softness adds to the pillow-esque ride. Steering is soft and effortless. The Toyota Prius Prime isn’t exciting, but if you’re considering this plug-in hybrid, high-speed handling isn’t what you’re after. Still, despite some perceptions, the Prius Prime isn’t slow. With its gas/electric powertrain, this Toyota is quick off the line. Passing power is adequate, though the gasoline engine and continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) will drone when you punch the accelerator.

Various driving modes are also on tap, including a Power setting for when you need more zip, and Eco mode for when you want to squeeze the most efficiency out of this Prius. In addition to the standard Drive mode, there is a B-transmission setting that increases regenerative braking. It works great on long downhills by helping both slow the vehicle and re-energize the battery.

One peculiar and potentially frustrating aspect of the Prius Prime is that, as with other Prius models, when you put it in reverse, it beeps — inside. No, that isn’t a delivery truck; it’s you, inside your Prius, apparently being made aware that you are backing up.

Last year, Toyota rectified one of the Prius Prime’s former shortcomings, replacing the former 4-passenger seating setup with a more versatile 5-passenger layout. This was done by swapping the 2-passenger rear seat for a 3-person bench. Granted, that middle seat is still tight, but at least it’s there and works in a pinch. The front seats are plush and more comfortable than expected.

Toyota also wisely replaced the pronounced white accents with black, giving the Prius Prime a more premium and less garish aesthetic. Other small but appreciated updates in last year’s freshening included the addition of extensions on the sun visors, two USB charging ports for rear passengers, and relocating the seat-heater buttons. The Prius Prime’s shifter is a knubby little thing. We recommend you practice using it before driving home from the dealer.

The Prius Prime’s most glaring fault is the giant, 11.6-inch vertical screen. While it looks impressive and relays a lot of information like maps, audio, and climate, it suffers from lots of glare in sunlight, to the point where it can be impossible to see. You can avoid this — and save money — by opting for the base LE trim.

Like the standard Prius, the Prime is a hatchback, but it has reduced cargo space. Because of its larger battery, the cargo floor is higher and limits space. The rear seats do fold to open up extra space, though.

Toyota’s Prius has never been one to shy away from portraying itself as different from other cars on the road. It’s a hybrid, and you’ll know it. The Prius Prime is arguably the highest manifestation yet. Its exterior is a futuristic affair, and although it’s roughly the same size and has the basic wedge shape as the standard Prius Hybrid, it sports its own distinct styling elements, including a more pronounced front fascia. 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. As with other Prius models, the split rear-window setup hampers rear visibility.

APPLE CARPLAY, ANDROID AUTO, AND AMAZON ALEXA INTEGRATION
All 2021 Prius Prime models have Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration. For 2021, it also gets Android Auto, but note that it’s only LE models with the smaller touchscreen.

TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE 2.0
All Toyota Prius Prime models come with Toyota’s robust active safety and driver-assistance suite. It improves for 2021 with features like pre-collision alert with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, full-speed radar cruise control, and lane-departure warning with steering assist.

The Prius Prime is offered in three grades: LE, XLE, and Limited. In this case, we are happy to recommend the base LE model. It includes heated front seats, Toyota’s active safety, and driver-assistance system (see Favorite Features), and the simpler infotainment system we prefer in this vehicle. It bundles a 7-inch touch screen, AM/FM/USB/CD player and Bluetooth connectivity, and is the only Prius Prime to include Android Auto, along with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa.

The Prius Prime also comes with a 3-year trial to Toyota’s Safety Connect, which can automatically detect and send help in the event of a crash, and also provides an emergency assistance button, stolen-vehicle locator and more. The 2021 Prius Prime includes two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary maintenance and three years of roadside assistance.

Beyond accessories, the way to get more goodies in the Prius Prime is by climbing trims. Moving up to the mid-trim 2021 Prius Prime XLE model adds the 11.6-inch display with navigation and upgraded audio system with HD Radio, leather-like SofTex upholstery, and wireless phone charger. The top-line Prius Prime Limited version adds a color head-up display, parking sensors and parking assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, fog lights, a JBL premium audio system, auto-dimming rearview mirror, universal garage remote and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2021 Toyota Prius uses both a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and a dual-motor electric-drive system. Combined system power is 121 horsepower, but the Prime feels spryer than that number suggests. Its larger battery, at 8.8 kWh, enables the Prius Prime to travel up to 25 miles on electricity alone. However, even with a full charge, it’s still normal for the gasoline engine to operate when extra power is needed. With a dedicated 240V charger, the Prius Prime can recharge in about two hours, or about five-and-a-half hours using a standard 120V outlet. There is no fast-charge port for the Prius Prime.

All Prius Prime models are front-wheel drive and use an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT), a type of automatic with no set gears. One of the best things about the Prius Prime is its total range. With a full tank of gasoline and a full charge, it is estimated to be able to travel 640 miles. That means less time spent at the gas station and more time for stuff you’d rather be doing.

4-cylinder hybrid (1.8-liter engine plus dual electric motors)
95 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm (1.8-liter engine)
105 lb-ft of 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)
Electric-only range on a full charge: 25 miles