Used 2022 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius has become a name synonymous with efficiency. It’s been the most popular hybrid car on the market for decades, and it isn’t hard to see why. While the aesthetic isn’t for everyone, the Prius is a compact car with outstanding fuel economy plus the safety and reliability you would expect from a Toyota. You can even get one with all-wheel drive for better traction on snowy roads. The Prius is, quite simply, one of the most practical cars money can buy.

Despite its popularity, the Prius has few direct competitors. Its closest rival is the Hyundai Ioniq, another hybrid compact hatchback that’s more efficient and more affordable than the Prius. However, the Ioniq suffers from tight back-seat space and a rougher ride. Suppose you’re willing to sacrifice some efficiency for greater utility and a more stylish look. In that case, you could go with a small hybrid crossover like the Kia Niro or the hybrid variants of the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4.

Making its debut for 2022 is the Toyota Prius Nightshade Special Edition, a bold-looking model that marks the first time the blacked-out treatment has been applied to a dedicated hybrid.

The Toyota Prius is a nice car to drive. However, we wouldn’t call it fun. Acceleration is tepid, and the handling isn’t very athletic, but these are the sacrifices you’ll make to achieve over 50 mpg in the city and on the highway.

That’s not such a bad thing since, if the Prius is on your shopping list, driving thrills probably aren’t a big priority. If you just want something to get you from point A to B without burning a lot of fuel, you’ll have no complaints about how the Prius drives.

The Prius has three drive modes: EV, Eco, and Power. Eco mode will be the most useful for most drivers in most driving situations. It balances performance with efficiency nicely. EV mode uses the electric motor as much as possible, making it the most efficient way to drive the Prius.

Power mode gives the Prius quicker acceleration, but it can cause the engine to groan and hurt fuel economy. This mode is handy for temporary use if you’re in a hurry to hustle onto the highway.

The interior quality of the Prius is okay, but not remarkable considering that this is more expensive than the average compact car. The quality of the interior materials is a mixed bag, with some hard plastics and some soft-touch materials throughout.

The interior design is pleasant, but the gauge cluster mounted in the middle of the dash takes some getting used to. Also, the shifter is an odd joystick design that has a bit of a learning curve. These are a couple of quirks that come with Prius ownership carried over from previous generations that many long-time Prius owners have grown to love.

The seats in the Prius are nice and supportive in both rows. The front seats are all-day comfortable, and the back seats have enough space and support for adults. On top of generous seating space, there’s lots of cargo space to boot, especially when the back seats are folded down. The interior space of the Prius gives it an almost wagon-like level of utility.

Suffice to say, the exterior styling of the Toyota Prius is not for everyone. The Prius has been an aesthetically polarizing car over the years, but that’s part of the car’s charm. For some, it’s just plain ugly, and for others, it makes a statement about driving an environmentally friendly hybrid. You either love or hate the look of the Prius.

Whatever your thoughts are on the design of the Prius, its unorthodox “Kammback” profile is a big part of why it’s so aerodynamic and — by extension — fuel-efficient. It’s also part of why its interior is so roomy for a car this size.

AWD-E
Available all-wheel drive makes the Prius a better car for snowy climates by providing traction at all four wheels when the roads get nasty.

ANDROID AUTO AND APPLE CARPLAY
These connectivity features come standard on every 2022 Toyota Prius. They’re a must for any smartphone user to bring your music, navigation, and more to the car’s infotainment system.

The Toyota Prius is pretty generous with standard tech features on the base L Eco model. The standard infotainment system is a 7-inch screen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa. It also comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety tech suite, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-departure assist with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane tracing assist, and road sign assist.

A few other standard features include a backup camera, push-button start, 60/40 split-folding back seats, LED daytime running lights, an efficient smart-flow climate control system, and hill start assist.

Upgrading to the LE model adds some more features without the price climbing too high. Additional features over the base trim include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and parking sensors. LE is the lowest trim where all-wheel drive is an available option.

The Prius gets a little more luxurious when you get into the XLE trim. This adds 17-inch alloy wheels, SofTex faux leather seats, heated and power-adjustable front seats, a wireless charging pad, and a heated, SofTex-wrapped steering wheel. AWD is also an option on the XLE model.

The XLE trim is available with an Advanced Technology Package ($800), which adds a color head-up display, navigation, a hybrid system indicator, and an adaptive front lighting system.

The top trim of the Prius is the Limited model. On top of what you get in the XLE trim, Limited adds an adaptive front lighting system with auto-leveling headlights, JBL premium audio, an upgraded 11.6-inch screen with navigation, and a color head-up display. Unfortunately, AWD isn’t an option on the Limited model.

XLE and Limited are both available with a Premium Convenience Package ($515), which adds 15-inch titanium-finished alloy wheels and a power moonroof.

The new Prius Nightshade, available in Midnight Black Metallic, Super White, and Silver Metallic, gets black headlight accents, mirror caps, door handles, and a shark fin antenna. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) Prius Nightshade rides on black 17-inch alloy wheels; the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version gets 15s.

Also standard on the Prius Nightshade are various features from the XLE. These include abundant synthetic leather interior trim, chrome-accented interior door handles, a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat, and a retractable cargo cover.

The Toyota Prius has a hybrid powertrain that mates a 4-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor. The result is a very efficient powerplant that achieves over 50 mpg in the city and on the highway when equipped with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive comes with a fuel economy penalty, but it’s still super efficient. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) delivers power to the wheels smoothly and efficiently.

The Prius is a traditional hybrid, which means you never need to plug it in. You won’t have to worry about range or your battery being depleted; it’s just a very efficient car all the time. It also uses regular-grade gasoline, which contributes to the low running costs of the Prius.

1.8-liter 4-cylinder
96 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
105 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm
Permanent magnet AC electric motor
71 horsepower, 120 lb-ft of torque
Magnet-less electric motor (AWD version)
7 horsepower, 40 lb-ft of torque (AWD version)
Total system output: 121 horsepower
EPA city/highway fuel economy, estimated: 58/53 mpg (L Eco), 54/50 mpg, 51/47 mpg (AWD)