Photos by Dustin W. Johnson
The Toyota Prius is officially 25 years old. Since the early 2000s, it has shown that there is a market for small, fuel-efficient hybrids. It continues to do that now despite the majority of buyers throwing money at massive luxury or off-road SUVs. My brief amount of time in a 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade Edition showed me ways in which the iconic hybrid has changed while remaining itself.
One thing that’s stayed the same is the Nightshade Edition trim level. Toyota has offered it on the Prius before, but 2025 marks its debut on the fifth-generation model. It’s based on the XLE, which is available with front- or all-wheel drive, and comes standard with features such as 19-inch wheels, heated and eight-way adjustable SofTex synthetic leather front seats, heated tilt/telescopic steering wheel wrapped in the same material, rain-sensing wipers, and Qi wireless phone charging slot. The Nightshade Edition does what its name implies (including inspire jokes about Tom Brady’s diet when he played in the NFL) and blacks out the badging, wheels, bumper trim, door sills, shark fin antenna, and seats, which receive gray stitching; inside, it adds what Toyota calls “carbon fiber detail” on the dashboard.
Prices for the Nightshade Edition with front-wheel drive start at $32,560. When Toyota configured my review vehicle, it was generous with the options, such as a 12.3-inch infotainment system touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, glass roof, wheel locks, and an accessory package with carpet mats and more, all of which contributed to its $36,308 as-tested price.
As always, the Prius combines a gas engine with electric power to wring as much range out of a tank of fuel as possible. Toyota pairs its fifth-generation hybrid system with an electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT) and a 2.0-liter I4 that delivers 194 net horsepower (AWD Prii get an additional two horses). In my limited time with the Nightshade Edition, whenever I stepped on the gas to pass someone, the power swelled to a satisfying, confidence-inspiring level. According to its window sticker, my press loaner was capable of returning 52 mpg across the board—highway, city, and combined. Altogether, a few of my colleagues and I ended up putting 499 miles on it, but we only managed to average 48.8 mpg.
When it was introduced as a 2023 model, the XW60 generation of the Prius marked what many would consider a major turning point in the model’s design. For several years leading up to that point, the Prius had a nerdy, quirky design. Although I didn’t find the fourth-generation model ugly, I did think its angular, sci-fi spaceship looks were an acquired taste. You diehard Prius fans out there may not appreciate this, but the current model did what Tesla did for electric cars: it made the Prius look sleek and gave it a certain sex appeal. Part of that comes from the pronounced rake of the windshield and the noticeable use of curves. Then there’s the fact that, at first glance, the Prius looks like a coupe because Toyota blacked out the rear door handles. And the distinctive Nightshade-exclusive Karashi yellow paint shows Toyota is willing to be bold and adventurous.
The interior made me think that no matter how much a person changes their style and wardrobe, they’re still the same person they have always been. The Prius did receive a dramatic makeover, but its interior lacks that sleekness. After I first adjusted the driver’s seat, steering column, and mirrors to my preferences, I discovered the top of the steering wheel was obscuring much of my view of the gauge display. I remedied this by lowering my seat and steering column even more, only to find that I had a weird view over the top of the entire steering column. Not only was that something I wasn’t used to, but it was also proof that I had to adjust to the Prius in a fundamental way when it should have been the other way around. The wireless charging slot, designed to make a creative use of limited space, was a good idea that was better left in that stage of the design process. Aside from those issues and the brake pedal’s long and soft stroke, the interior was largely pleasant and well equipped.
My colleague Luke Lamendola also spent time in the 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade Edition, so check out his video review below.