Toyota is beefing up the fuel-sipping Prius hybrid, including extra energy and faster acceleration to attraction to a wider vary of automotive buyers in an more and more crowded market.
The automotive created – and dominated – the phase when it launched within the U.S. 22 years in the past. However the world’s first manufacturing hybrid automotive has steadily misplaced floor to new models from American, German, Japanese and Korean automakers because it enters its fifth era.
The 2023 Toyota Prius debuted Wednesday night on the Los Angeles Auto Show with a sportier powertrain and curvier, low-slung silhouette to broaden its attraction to sports activities automotive clients who wouldn’t have thought-about a Prius prior to now. Nonetheless, the hybrid received’t develop into a lot greener: Toyota mentioned the brand new mannequin can ship 57 mpg, just like the outgoing Prius.
2023 Toyota Prius
Toyota mentioned the brand new mannequin encompasses a decrease roofline and wider rear for a extra trendy, athletic look.
The usual, front-wheel-drive mannequin will now produce 194 horsepower, a 60% enhance over the earlier era. The brand new hybrid can journey from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds – slower than a sports activities automotive however nonetheless a 26% enchancment over the earlier Prius’ 9.8 second journey.
The facility enhance comes from the brand new hybrid’s bigger engine and a smaller, lighter lithium-ion battery that will increase output 15% over the earlier era’s nickel metallic battery, in keeping with Toyota.
Prius Prime
2023 Prius Prime plug-in hybrid Picture credit score: Toyota
A decrease, longer and wider Prius Prime, the nameplate’s plug-in hybrid model, additionally debuted on the auto present Wednesday night , boasting a 50% enhance in its electrical vary.
That implies that the brand new Prime will be capable of journey roughly 37 miles on a completely charged battery earlier than drawing energy from its gasoline engine, in contrast with the outgoing mannequin’s 25-mile vary.
Toyota mentioned it’s going to announce pricing and supply dates for the Prius hybrid later this 12 months and for the Prius Prime early subsequent 12 months.
