2020 Toyota Prius Prime Gets Many Upgrades, Still Lags behind Its Competitors in EV Driving Range
The plug-in-hybrid Prius Prime gets some interior upgrades that make it more livable.
Substantive styling updates and driving range are both missing, unfortunately.
Toyota claims the plug-in is good for an EPA-estimated 56 mpg combined in its battery-depleted state, still better than the competition.
Toyota's Prius Prime is not a thrilling car by any means, so it is perhaps appropriate that its upgrades for the 2020 model year won't give you goosebumps. Those perched on the edges of their seats waiting for Toyota to gift the plug-in-hybrid version of the Prius a sun-visor extender, black interior trim in place of white trim, standard Apple CarPlay and SiriusXM radio, two-count 'em, two-rear-seat USB ports, plus a middle seat for the rear (bringing total passenger capacity to five) can take a breath now: The 2020 Toyota Prius Prime now has all of that good stuff.
What the 2020 Toyota Prius Prime doesn't get is any styling updates (like the regular Prius did last year) or more electric-only driving range, a slight bugaboo considering the more generous battery capacities of other, slightly pricier plug-in hybrids. The Prime still makes do with only a 25-mile range when running solely on electricity; when the battery's charge drops below a certain level at the end of that run, the Prime reverts to a typical gas-electric hybrid state.
On the upside, the Prime is hugely efficient even when operating as a hybrid: Toyota claims the plug-in is good for an EPA-estimated 56 mpg combined in its battery-depleted state, far better than its competitors when their batteries run out. Those keen on taking advantage of plug-ins' electric-only capabilities should check out alternatives such as the Hyundai Ioniq (29 miles of EV-only range, 54 mpg combined), soon-to-be-discontinued Chevrolet Volt (53 miles of EV-only range, 42 mpg combined), or Honda Clarity (48 miles of EV-only range, 42 mpg combined). Only the Ioniq is cheaper than the Prime, however; the Honda and Chevrolet start at $34,320 and $34,395.
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