To make those long miles safer and more convenient, the Prius comes standard with Toyota’s suite of driver assistance technology. Though the various lane-keeping and distance-control settings are puzzling to unravel, they work well in dense traffic and/or at freeway speeds. The driver’s seat, too, has been reworked to be more cradling in corners and more supportive during long stints.
Those drivers will appreciate the Prius’ more traditional cockpit layout, which eschews the center-mounted information cluster in favor of a digital gauge cluster mounted above the steering wheel. It offers a ton of information at a glance, but it’s a tad overwhelming and includes unnecessary details . The steering wheel, too, is an absolute mess of buttons. These are easy to forgive, however, when you use the new infotainment system.Available in eight-inch or 12.
Practically, though, the Prius has taken a minor step back. In exchange for its newfound style, the Prius has sacrificed a bit of headroom. Tall drivers and even rear-seat passengers can still make do—a 6’ 2” journalist could sit behind himself—but even my 5’ 6” self felt like the rear seat was a little short on airspace. That may have been the result of the $1000 fixed-glass roof, but I wasn’t able to try out a metal-roof car to compare.
Speaking of which, the Prius also gets a hair more expensive thanks to the elimination of the “L” model. That car started at $26,170. The new Prius LE starts at $28,545 with destination charges. The XLE model starts at $31,990 and includes faux leather seating, 19-inch wheels, a power driver’s seat, and the option to get the glass roof and 12.3-inch display.