It’s hard to get over Toyota’s changes to the 2022 Prius Prime. Well, not so much changes, but throwing the entire car away for a revolutionary new look. The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime shocked everyone when the Japanese automaker unveiled the look just months ago. Handsome exterior looks included, the all-new Prime is a broadly better car than the outgoing model. The following five advantages may make potential buyers wait until the spring when the new Prime goes on sale.  

1. 50% more EV range

One of the things lacking in the 2022 Prius Prime was its electric-only range. Its 25 miles of pure electric power may have been good for 2016 when it debuted. However, nearly a dozen other plug-ins offer more mileage now. For the 2023 model, Toyota has upped the range with a bigger battery that should provide 40 miles of range.

2. Much more powerful

The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime is the most powerful yet. But that’s not saying much. The 2022 Prius Prime puttered along with just 121 horsepower. With 99 more ponies in the 2.0-liter hybrid powerplant, the all-new Prius Prime can snap a speedo in under seven seconds. Despite the grunt, fuel economy will likely exceed the previous model’s 54 mpg.

3. Increased cargo space

Since Toyota’s TNGA-C platform architecture puts the battery below the rear seat, it opens up the rear cargo hold. The 2022 Prius Prime had just 19.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats. While it could be augmented by folding the rear seats down, they couldn’t fold flat in the 2022 model. Toyota is mum on interior dimensions, but cargo room should improve, Car and Driver asserts.

4. Return to tradition for tech

There was considerable weirdness in the 2022 Prius Prime. It had a centered-mounted gauge cluster, a dash-mounted gear selector, and other attempted futuristic characteristics. The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime ditches its funky appearance for sleeker ergonomics. The cluster is now in front of the driver, like cars of old, as is the gear selector placed in front of the center console.

5. Ugliness is a thing of the past

By now, everyone should have heard of the news surrounding the plug-in world’s ugly duckling. It isn’t unattractive anymore. Its lower, longer, wider, and more subtle stance makes it desperately pretty compared to the 2022 Prius Prime. Moreover, the radical redesign transforms the quirky interior into modern minimalism with exquisite touches.

Is the 2022 Prius Prime worth buying?

A fully-loaded 2022 Prius Prime Limited will fetch $34,550. The mid-level XLE is $1,000 less, and potential buyers can hop in a base LE for just a handful under $30,000.

The outgoing Prime has a few drawbacks, like confusing ergonomics, fussy display systems, a lackluster electric-only range, and that gaspingly hideous body. Despite its snail’s pace acceleration on the highway, it isn’t necessarily a bad car. Like any Toyota, it’s stocked with some of the best safety and driver’s assistance tech on the market. It should have nearly the best-predicted reliability, and a 25-mile EV range could help a lot of urban commuters. However, standing next to its predecessor, the 2022 Prius Prime looks like ‘The Jetsons’ do to us now. It was what we once wanted before progressing further through innovation. 

How much is the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime?  

Like much of the plug-in hybrid sedan, Toyota hesitates to release rock-solid figures on price. The 2023 Toyota Prius Prime will cost more than the 2022 model, but speculations run between $3,000-$5,000 more for the base model.

Raising the starting MSRP by almost one-sixth may seem like a lot of money. But it really isn’t. Nearly 100 more horsepower would justify the price hike for some. Yet, no part of the Prime was left untouched in creating its second generation. Toyota is assisting its oldest plug-in vehicle in stepping out of its perennial dorkiness, and the value of cool is priceless.