2023 Toyota Prius makes its debut in the United States with all-wheel drive and an estimated 57 MPG combined

After releasing the new Toyota Prius PHEV in Europe, the automaker is now ready to present the US version. The 2023 Prius hybrid and 2023 Prius Prime plug-in are exactly alike as their European counterpart on both the interior and exterior; however, there is more detail about the US model including specifics about the all-wheel-drive edition.

Toyota will offer the Prius and Prius Prime in three trims. The regular hybrid gets LE, XLE, and Limited designations, while the plug-in is available in SE, XSE, and XSE Premium. The two entry-level trims sport 17-inch wheels and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The pair of mid-grade trims arrive with 19-inch wheels, two additional rear-seat cup holders, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and wireless charging.

Both top trims feature Toyota's 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (and over-the-air updates), an eight-speaker JBL premium audio system, and heated and ventilated front seats. Toyota Safety Sense is standard across both lineups.

The new hybrid is 2 inches (50.8 millimeters) shorter and one inch (25.4 mm) wider than the model it replaces. The hip point is also one inch lower. The fifth-generation Prius rides on the company's second-generation TNGA-C platform. In order to help lower the car's center of gravity and maintain its storage space, Toyota decided to put the battery beneath the back seats.

The Prius packs a larger 2.0-liter engine with a newly developed lithium-ion battery pack that offers a 15 percent increase in output, which all power the front wheels. The combined output is 194 horsepower (142 kilowatts), which can send the hybrid from zero to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 7.2 seconds, a 26 percent improvement compared to the outgoing front-wheel-drive model, which needed 9.8 seconds.

The automaker's estimate for the entry-level FWD model is a potential combined fuel economy of 57 miles per gallon. The 2022 Prius has an EPA rating of 52 mpg combined. Toyota will also offer the new Prius with an all-wheel-drive version. The vehicle's high-output interior permanent magnet motor will be driving the rear wheels. This car's 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain produces 196 hp (144 kW) and can propel the car to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds or less.

The Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is the sportiest of all the options. It also uses the new 2.0-liter engine and battery, but in this variant, the combo produces 220 hp (161 kW). The more potent powertrain propels the car to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. The new powertrain also increases the previous-generation model's electric-only range of 25 miles by more than 50 percent, but the math suggests 37.5 miles of pure electric driving. The Prime has an optional solar roof panel to help recharge its battery.

Toyota plans to release information on the pricing and sale date of the Prius later this year, with more specific Prime details coming in 2023.

Source: Toyota US