The 2020 Toyota Prius Prime is headed to U.S.
dealerships this summer with a host of updates. Most of the upgrades occur in the
cabin and the biggest change is the addition of a newly available rear bench
which enables the model to seat up to five people. It replaces the two captain
chairs which were separated by a small center console.
Elsewhere, black interior accents replace previous
white accents for a “more premium feel.” The model also gains a new sun visor
extender and relocated heated seat buttons. On the technology front, there
are two new USB charging ports for rear seat passengers. The
Prius Prime gains standard SiriusXM satellite radio as well as Amazon Alexa and
Apple CarPlay compatibility.
Additional changes are limited, but Toyota has
renamed the Plus, Premium and Advanced trims levels the LE, XLE and Limited.
This is a minor change, but these trims are common across the Toyota lineup. The plug-in hybrid powertrain
carries over and consists of a 1.8-liter four-cylinder, an electric motor and
an 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This enables the model to produce a
combined output of 121 hp.
While the Prius Prime isn’t powerful, it is
incredibly efficient as it has a fuel economy rating of 55 mpg city / 53 mpg
highway / 54 mpg combined. Furthermore, the model can travel up to 25 miles
(40.2 km) on electricity alone.
Prices have crept up a little bit as the Prius Prime
LE starts at US$ 27,600 which is US$ 250 more than the previous Plus variant. The XLE
sees a US$ 450 price hike to US$ 29,500 while Limited climbs US$ 150 to US$ 33,500.
