The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime.

I had the chance to live with the newly redesigned Toyota Prius for a 4 day weekend and see how it stacks up as a car, as a commuter and as a family road trip vehicle. First of all, the styling is all-new and all-futuristic. Gone is any boxy wedge shape and instead is a sleek new aerodynamic body that looks much more expensive than this is. The LED headlights are squinty, the body work is long and lean and the shape is like nothing else on the road. The interior storage area has been reduced with this generation making packing luggage for 4 or transporting bulky items more or less impossible. The passenger space is sufficient with ample legroom in the front and adults won't have a problem in the rear although headroom could be an issue depending on height. My teenage daughter wished for rear climate vents to be available which I agree are an oversight especially if living in a hot climate. The cockpit has been redesigned with a conventional display in front of the steering wheel as well as a nicely sized screen in the middle. Depending on height, the drivers screen may be blocked by the steering wheel however which is unfortunate. The seats are all-day supportive with our model having lumbar support and 8-way adjustability for the driver and just 4 way adjustments for the passenger. Heated and cooled seats were an option and are a great feature for cold (or warm) climates.

The power has been doubled in this generation and this plug in model offers 39 miles of only electric driving. Depending on the length of your daily commute, it's possible that you can use zero fuel on a daily basis. Filling up the gas tank netted almost 400 miles of driving range and only regular fuel is required. For the plug-in charging, it can be done on a regular home plug avoiding the expense of having to install a separate garage charger and outlet. During our test, we averaged 49 mpg in all city driving and 41 mpg on a 6 hour highway trip. Ride comfort was good and quiet - only with rough pavement did road noise come into the cabin - otherwise, it was muted and made for a very pleasant drive. The gas motor sounded a bit crude when it first comes on, but after that, it blends into the background and isn't noticeable. There is a 'sport' setting on the dash which changes the throttle feel and it was, dare I say, fun. The CVT transmission shifted seamlessly and merging in and out of traffic was a breeze. I never wanted for more power which is more than the previous generation of Prius drivers could say.

Driving aids were plentiful such as cross traffic detection, red light warnings, lane keep assist and dynamic cruise control which keeps the car a certain distance from the car in front. All these features made highway driving relaxing and serene. The only feature I didn't care for was the eye assist - if I looked over at my passenger or leaned a bit onto the center console, a warning would emerge from the dash telling me to pay attention and beep. So, could this car be a replacement for a full electric car? I believe that the convenience and hassle free nature of quick gas stops vs longer EV charging stops make this a great choice for families that want to use this for more than just city driving. The Toyota will surely be reliable, has many luxury features and with the potential of all battery driving in the city, this could be the balance many buyers are looking for.