Summary
The Toyota Prius is a medium-sized saloon, famous for being the original hybrid car, with the original model first launched back in 1997 in Japan. This is the fifth-generation model, which is a plug-in hybrid and became available to order in the UK in Spring 2024.
The new Prius was not originally slated to come to the UK, but a combination of strong reviews from other markets and Toyota needing more plug-in hybrid sales to help its zero-emission government targets saw the company changing its mind.
Previous Prius generations were hugely popular for taxi drivers across the UK, and Toyota will be hoping that the new model will grab a chunk of this market once again – although Autocar’s Matt Prior asserts that the new Prius is “too good just for taxis.”
Lawrence Cheung of What Car? concludes that this plug-in hybrid is “far more appealing than ever before” and that it is “quieter and rides more comfortably than a Volkswagen Golf eHybrid”, while Parker’s Keith Adams adds that the car “looks great inside and out, is devilishly efficient and even reasonably quick.”
“Shame there’s not much room in the back seats”, the Carwow team says, one of a few outlets that point out that rivals offer more rear headroom and boot space. Reviewers also note that, while the Prius can provide up to 44 miles of electric-only driving, other plug-in hybrid competitors offer a longer range on a single charge.
The Toyota Prius currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 73%. This score is bolstered by good review scores and an excellent eco rating.
Prius highlights
- Efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain
- Quiet and comfortable driving experience
- Polished, user-friendly interior
Prius lowlights
- Restricted rear headroom
- Rivals offer a longer electric-only range
- Not many model options to choose from
Key specifications
Body style: Mid-size saloon
Engines: plug-in hybrid
Price: From £37,315 on-road
Launched: Spring 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Toyota Prius continues to offer incredible efficiency, now combined with desirable looks. Having lost its taxi-rank crown to the Toyota Corolla, the Prius has a new-found position as a retail sales competitor, and in this respect the poor boot space might become an issue.”
Author: Alastair Crooks
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Latest version has a dynamism and sleekness like no Prius before it. Too good just for taxis.”
Author: Matt Prior
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It looks great inside and out, is good to drive, devilishly efficient and even reasonably quick. These are qualities not normally associated with the Prius, and mark a welcome change in direction for this popular family car.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
“Super-efficient hybrid with rock-bottom running cost potential – shame there’s not much room in the back seats.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The fifth-generation Prius Plug In might not be as practical as its predecessor, or more accommodating rivals, such as the Skoda Octavia, but we’re happy to trade a bit of space for some genuine desirability. More importantly, it offers an interesting choice in a family car market that’s reliable, dependable and available with up to 10 years of warranty cover.”
Author: Keith Adams
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Toyota Prius is far more appealing than ever before and this latest version is easily the best generation we’ve tested. It’s quieter and rides more comfortably than a VW Golf eHybrid, plus it remains fuel-efficient even with a depleted battery.”
Author: Lawrence Cheung
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of October 2024, the fifth-generation Toyota Prius has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of October 2024, the Toyota Prius has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of October 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Toyota Prius to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Prius, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Plug-in hybrid models | 484 mpg | A | 404 – 565 mpg | A – A |
| CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Plug-in hybrid models | 15 g/km | A | 12 – 17 g/km | A – A |
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Plug-in hybrid models | 49 miles | D | 44 – 53 miles | C – D |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 31 | C | – | A – A |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £220 | B |
| Year 2 | £518 | B |
| Year 3 | £851 | B |
| Year 4 | £1,008 | A |
| Year 5 | £1,318 | A |
| Overall | £3,915 | A |
The Toyota Prius is an affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Only available as a plug-in hybrid, the latest Prius is very fuel efficient going by the data. That said, all plug-in hybrid models look amazing on paper, but this is largely thanks to ridiculous EU/UK government lab tests that are completely inadequate for plug-in hybrids. There is no way you will ever travel for 484 miles on a single gallon (4.5 litres) of fuel and some electricity…
Compared to other plug-in hybrids of this size, the car’s battery range is a little below average, and its insurance bracket is about average too.
The car’s servicing and maintenance costs for the first five years of ownership from new are good to excellent, too.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Toyota Prius Plug-in
As of October 2024, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Prius. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Toyota dealer.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Toyota Prius has received.
2024
- Red Dot Design Award
- Top Gear Awards – Best Plug-in Hybrid
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Toyota Prius, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta | BMW 3 Series | Citroën C4 | Citroën C4 Cactus | Fiat Tipo | Ford Focus | Honda Civic | Hyundai i30 | Kia Ceed | Mazda 3 | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Mini Countryman | Peugeot 308 | SEAT Leon | Skoda Scala | Skoda Octavia | Toyota Corolla | Vauxhall Astra | Volkswagen Golf
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Toyota Prius Plug-in at The Car Expert
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