The Toyota Prius Prime is an evolution of the notable Toyota Prius, as the Prius Prime is a plug-in hybrid rather than a conventional hybrid. Due to its similarities with the Prius, Consumer Reports gave the 2022 Prius Prime a good review. However, not all critics agree with that assessment. Here’s why Consumer Reports and Car and Driver disagree on the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime.
What Car and Driver has to say about the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime
2022 Toyota Prius Prime | Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Overall, Car and Driver gave the Toyota Prius Prime a pretty mixed review, evidenced by its 5.5 out of 10 rating. The things that Car and Driver liked about the Prius Prime are also things most people are already aware of. For example, since the Prius Prime is a PHEV, it gets the ability to have a battery-only mode. However, this is also something Car and Driver didn’t like, as its battery-only range is a mere 25 miles.
One thing that Car and Driver liked about the Prius Prime was its passenger accommodations, which Car and Driver described as “comfy.” That said, due to the Prius Prime’s different powertrain, it has less room than the regular Prius does, and this is something that Car and Driver didn’t like about the car.
Lastly, Car and Driver liked that Toyota gave the Prius Prime a lot of standard assist features. Unfortunately, another thing that Car and Driver didn’t like about this Toyota is that it’s still a Prius, which gives it a dull driving experience.
Consumer Reports recommended the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime
On the other hand, Consumer Reports had more positive things to say about the Toyota Prius Prime. This Toyota PHEV currently has an overall score of 79 out of 100, making it the third-best car in its segment. Thanks to this high overall score, Consumer Reports also recommended the Prius Prime to customers.
The Prius Prime received a 74 out of 100 on its road test, but where it did well was on its predicted reliability rating. Like other Toyotas, the Prius Prime is a very reliable car, and it received a 5 out of 5 on its predicted reliability rating. The Prius Prime also has a good predicted owner satisfaction rating of 4 out of 5.
While Consumer Reports agreed with Car and Driver that the Prius Prime has a weak acceleration, Consumer Reports gave it a reasonably nice score for its driving experience. In that category, Consumer Reports gave the Prius Prime a score of 69 out of 100. That said, Consumer Reports also agreed with Car and Driver in terms of the Prius Prime’s excellent efficiency.
Other PHEVs that people should consider
The Toyota Prius Prime seems to be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of reviews, but there are a lot of other PHEVs on the market for customers to choose from. For example, Kia currently offers multiple versions of the Niro. If folks don’t want to go all-in and buy the EV version, then Kia also offers a standard hybrid and the Niro PHEV.
Another plug-in hybrid SUV on the market is the Ford Escape, and it has some excellent fuel efficiency ratings. When this Ford SUV runs in hybrid mode, it gets about 100 MPGe. If folks use the Escape’s battery-only mode, then it gets about 37 miles of range.
If compact SUVs are too big of a vehicle, then many other plug-in hybrid sedans like the Prius Prime are available. For example, the PHEV version of the Hyundai Sonata is an example of a good PHEV car.
Keyword: Car and Driver and Consumer Reports Disagree on the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime