2023 Toyota Prius Limited review

You’ve likely seen the bumper sticker that reads, “‘Nice Prius’ — said no one ever.” True, the uber-popular hybrid has mostly been adored for its practicality and not so much its curb appeal. But the Toyota Prius has gone through a major glow-up for the 2023 model that could potentially earn it a spot at the cool table. And when you add in its now punchier performance and famously superior fuel economy, you might even fall in love with it.

KSL Cars got to spend a week with the 2023 Toyota Prius Limited and we got pretty familiar with all of its perks, quirks and features. If you’re in the market for an affordable hybrid car, this one is definitely a contender. But here’s what you need to know before you run out and buy one.

Shop Toyota Prius models.

Price and value 

The 2023 Toyota Prius comes in three different trim levels with an MSRP range of $27,450 for the base-level LE to $34,465 for the Limited. Each trim features a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder hybrid engine and an Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT). Some of the major differences in trim levels are listed below. 

Note: prices below are for the front-wheel drive models. All-wheel drive models add approximately $1,500 to the cost.

LE: $27,450  See listings

• 57 mpg combined

• 17-inch alloy wheels

• Fabric-trimmed seats

• 8-inch touch screen

• 6-speaker audio system

XLE: $30,895  See listings

• 52 mpg combined

• 19-inch alloy wheels

• Wireless charger

• Heated front seats

• Heated steering wheel

• Rain-sensing wipers

Limited: $34,465  See listings

• 52 mpg combined

• 19-inch alloy wheels

• Power liftback

• Heated and ventilated front seats

• 8-speaker JBL premium audio system

• 12.3-inch touch screen

• Advanced Park and Panoramic View Monitor available

• Digital rearview mirror available 

Our front-wheel drive Limited tester came with the optional digital rearview mirror, the Limited Premium Package (which includes Advanced Park and Panoramic View Monitor), optional heated rear seats, carpet floor mats and a cargo mat, bringing the total to $37,494. 

Given that the average price of a new car is $49,500, according to Kelley Blue Book, this feels extremely affordable. And when you factor in the fuel efficiency — 52 mpg for combined city and highway driving — you save even more. So far, it’s hard to argue against owning one. But let’s keep going.

Performance 

You’ll be happy to know that the Toyota Prius has made some significant strides in the performance category. If you’ve driven a Prius before, you’ll no doubt notice a difference when you hop behind the wheel of the 2023 version. It’s faster, more powerful and a little more nimble on the road.

Engine and drivetrain

Aside from the separate plug-in hybrid Prius Prime, all new Prius models have a 2.0-liter hybrid, four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard but all-wheel drive is available on all trims if you want to boost your horsepower just a tad (196 instead of 194). 

If we’re really nitpicking, we noticed that the engine seemed a bit loud at high freeway speeds — almost like it was huffing and puffing to put out all that extra power. Still, it hustles. And that’s hard to criticize. 

Fuel economy 

The Prius continues to shine in its fuel economy. Impressively, Toyota managed to pack in more ponies without sacrificing mpg. The 2023 Prius LE gets 57 mpg combined while the XLE and Limited get 52 mpg. Opt for the all-wheel drive version and that number drops to 54 and 50 respectively, which is still pretty great. 

Acceleration and handling 

Toyota massively improved the Prius’ acceleration for 2023. Previously, it took 10.5 seconds for the hybrid to go from zero to 60 mph. Now it takes just 7.1 seconds, according to Car and Driver’s testing. As for handling, we found the Prius to be responsive and easy to maneuver. 

Braking 

We didn’t notice anything too noteworthy about the braking system. It seemed to be responsive without being touchy, which we appreciated. 

Interior comfort and convenience 

Comfort-wise, the Prius was decent. It’s never boasted of being the most spacious car on the market but the interior features and tech were pretty great for something that costs less than $40k. 

Seats 

The SofTex-trimmed heated and ventilated, power-adjustable front seats kept us comfortable on both long and short rides in the summer heat. Obviously, we didn’t get a chance to test the heated feature, but ventilation was good. You can fit five passengers in the Prius, but you might want to limit that to four adults. Second-row seats worked great for our two young kids in boosters, but tall adults will likely notice the limited head room. 

Climate control 

Interestingly, the Prius features a single-zone climate control system, so your backseat passengers will be at your mercy. (Sorry, kids!) But the system still seemed responsive enough and no one complained about being overheated. 

We were also happy to see that heated and ventilated seats were included up front in the Limited model with heated rear seats being an added option. And yes, it even had that coveted heated steering wheel, which would have come in handy if we were driving in the famously frigid Utah winter. I’ve driven plenty of high-end vehicles that offered much less, so props to Toyota for the inclusion. 

Cargo space and cabin storage 

You get 20.3 cubic-feet of cargo space when you open up the hatch, which is 3.5 cubic-feet less than the previous model. As for cabin storage, you’re limited to a small center console storage cubby and whatever you can fit into the side door pockets. But at least the cupholders are slightly bigger than they used to be! There’s also a unique wireless charging pad for your phone that’s more of a slot than a pad so you don’t have to worry about your phone sliding around while you drive. 

Infotainment system 

The Limited trim comes standard with a sizable 12.3-inch touch screen up front that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as the helpful “Hey, Toyota” voice control feature. The system was responsive and user-friendly.

Shop Toyota Prius models.

Exterior appearance and functionality 

There’s no question that the 2023 Toyota Prius looks better than ever with its sleeker design and sportier appearance — but this does come with a slight cost in terms of visibility.

Wheels 

The 19-inch alloy wheels are easy on the eyes and the road. We did notice a lot of road noise at high speeds, however. 

Lights and turn signals 

The Limited trim came with Bi-LED headlights and LED daytime running lights. All lights and turn signals appeared to function as expected and helped with visibility on the road.

Front and rear windshield 

As for visibility inside the car, this is where we have a few “notes” for Toyota. The lower roofline, while easy on the eyes, is not easy on the body. Even at 5-foot-9-inches tall, I had to crouch down to avoid smacking my head as I entered the car. The A-pillars stuck out so far in front that they often created blind spots while driving. And the rear view was virtually nonexistent. If there was a way to somehow increase visibility, we’d run out and buy this car in a heartbeat. As it is, this one feature alone has us hesitating slightly. 

Cameras and side mirrors 

As with many cars these days, the camera system does a good job of mitigating many of the visibility issues. With the Limited Premium Package on the Limited trim, we had the panoramic view monitor, which helped immensely in tight situations. Also helpful was the added digital rearview mirror option, which is well worth the $200 price increase. 

Safety 

Once again, for a sub $40k vehicle, the 2023 Toyota Prius offers an impressive assortment of standard safety features. These included:

• Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 with pre-collision

• Front and rear parking assistance with automatic braking

• Safe exit assistance

• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert

• Lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

• Automatic high-beams

Awards and ratings 

Here’s some more good news: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Toyota Prius a Top Safety Pick in the Small Car/4-Door Hatchback category. 

Final impression 

The 2023 Toyota Prius checks so many boxes and has vastly improved in a myriad of ways. It’s affordable, fuel-efficient, more fun to drive and better looking than ever. If Toyota could fix the visibility issue, we’d have a total winner on our hands — though that may not necessarily be a deal-breaker for some people. Hop in the car and test out the specs for yourself. You might find that it’s the perfect fit.

Shop Toyota Prius models.

FAQs 

How long does a Prius battery last? 

According to Toyota, a Prius battery should last between 100,000 to 150,000 miles or roughly eight to 10 years. Under the manufacturer warranty, the hybrid battery is covered for 10 years from the date of first use or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. 

What’s the difference between the 2022 Prius and the 2023 Prius?

Aside from a cosmetic redesign, the 2023 Prius has more horsepower than its predecessor — 194 instead of 121. However, it also has slightly less cargo space — 20.3 instead of 23.8. 

What’s the difference between the Prius and the Prius Prime?

The 2023 Prius Prime is slightly different in that it’s a plug-in hybrid, not just a hybrid. Per Toyota’s website, the Prius Prime “works similarly to a standard Prius, but with an increased all-electric mode driving range, more powerful electric motors and enhanced fuel efficiency.”

Find a new or used 2023 Toyota Prius on KSL Cars today!

Follow KSL Cars on Instagram and Facebook for car news, local spotlights and giveaways. Do you or someone you know have an awesome car story? We want to feature it! Send us a message at cars@ksl.com.

The makes and models mentioned in this article are not placed in any particular order, nor intended to be viewed as a ranked list. KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.