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gearandgrit · 6 years

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Let’s start with looks shall we. I can’t remember where I read it, but I saw a comment that stated the Prius Prime looks like a graphics card rendering accident. I think it looks a bit more like the graphics card itself.

Regardless, we’re not starting on the Prius’ strong point. The fourth-generation Prius, upon which the Prime is based, is a controversial evolution of the third-generation Prius. Gone is the awkward beak that has so long plagued the face of the Prius, replaced by a large, jet black acrylic grille. Out back, the revised taillights smooth out the turned-up nose rear of the traditional Prius.

The wavy LED lights that make up the back of the car blend into a concave glass rear window. I won’t pretend to know a whole lot about aerodynamics, but I sure hope this back glass makes a significant impact on drag. Otherwise, that funky contour is the definition of form leading function. We had a bit of snow here in Denver during my week with the car and removing snow from the Prime’s rear cleavage was definitely an annoyance.

Just arghhh!

All of that said, this design is a massive improvement over the previous generation. From the lines of the windowsills and side moldings that parallel themselves from front to rear, to the cut-off tail, the Prius Prime looks less like an appliance and more like something you’re supposed to drive.

Interior

The Prius Prime Advanced I had for the week came with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $36,305, for the premium you get an 11.6-inch tablet glued to the dash. It’s the first thing you notice when you get in the car. My first assumption was that the detail would be a half-assed attempt to Tesla-ify the Prius and be all style, no substance.

Give me some buttons

I was shocked to find that it was easily the best implementation of Toyota’s Entune infotainment system I’ve ever used. The screen is bright, clear and the matte finish resits glare beautifully. Due to its size, multiple functions can share the screen at once. For example, a map can be shown alongside monitoring info for charge status and performance of the hybrid system.

The only complaint I have here is that the big screen is flanked by volume and temperature buttons that give no tactile feedback when pressed. Give me some damn knobs and buttons!

As for that Entune infortainment system, Toyota steadfastly refuses to allow Apple CarPlay or Android Auto into its cars. I truly do not understand the decision. Toyota is ignoring two excellent technologies that integrate smartphones with the driving experience better than anything Toyota offers.

Seats are comfy and look great

The vinyl seating surface – Toyota calls it “Softex” – is very comfortable, but it certainly won’t convince you its leather. For the eco-conscious, though, this may be a feature. The seat heater buttons are practically hidden way down low, under the dash. You can’t even see the passenger side one from the driver’s seat, Toyota had to stick a “passenger heater on” light next to the driver’s-side control. Weird.

The rest of the interior is typical Prius. The strange center-mounted gauge cluster is present and I still can’t get used to the left turn signal indicator light blinking to the right of the steering wheel.

Driving

Driving the Prius Prime is where you really start to notice the differences when compared to a traditional hybrid. Since the plug-in hybrid system gives the car a larger battery one can spend much more time driving in full EV mode. On a full charge, the Prius Prime is good for about 25 miles of EV range. My daily commute is about nine miles, so I was driving to and from the office without using a drop of gas most of the week. Which meant solar power and a little natural gas was getting me around, pretty cool.

As for driving dynamics. Well, it’s a Prius.

The electric motor does provide some nice instant electric torque, but the fun tapers off quickly. For 99% of my usage time (stop and go city traffic) fun wasn’t going to be had anyway, so I wasn’t missing out on anything.

Braking is still typical of a hybrid. The transition between regenerative braking and friction braking feels jerky when gradually slowing to a stop. Over the week, though, the Prius Prime trained me to brake a little different, and it wasn’t as noticeable. It just takes getting used to.

Overall, if you’re looking at the Prius Prime you aren’t expecting driving excitement and it won’t deliver it. It handles competently, rides comfortably and thanks to the low rolling resistance tires is very quiet (the CVT does get a little loud at times when gas power kicks in). It’s also slow.

Value

Starting at $27,100, the Prius Prime is already a lot of car for the money. A 7.0-inch touch screen with navigation and backup camera, a full suite of active safety equipment and LED headlights all make the cut. Oh, and you get a 133 miles per gallon equivalent rating from the EPA.

Pretty nice place to be for the price

Sure, you can option up to the Advanced to get a lot of goodies, including the tablet sized Entune system for $36k, but the “Plus” is definitely the sweet-spot.

For $22,600, after you factor in the $4,500 federal tax rebate, the real cost of the Prius Prime Plus is $22,600. At that price, the Prius Prime is damn near impossible to beat for this much space, comfort and tech. Add Toyota reliability and the fact it’s a plug-in hybrid and there isn’t a car out there that matches the car for cost of ownership.

If you find excitement less in how a car responds to your right foot and more in excel spreadsheets, the Standard & Poor’s 500 and a ballooning bank account the Prius Prime might just be the perfect daily driver.

Pretty nice place to be for the price

Just arghhh!

The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review Let's start with looks shall we. I can't remember where I read it, but I saw a comment that stated the Prius Prime looks like a graphics card rendering accident.

#Android #Apple #Denver #Toyota

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