Toyota’s 2023 Prius is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the lineup

Toyota has unveiled the latest Prius at an event on the eve of the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, and it says the model is the most fuel-efficient entry in the range to date. The company designed the 2023 Prius, which comes in LE, XLE and Limited grades, with a low center of gravity, a wider stance and a lower driving position. The roofline is 2 inches lower than its predecessor, and it’s one inch wider at the rear. Toyota clearly went for a sportier, modern look, helped by the larger wheels on the XLE and Limited variants.

Of course, the new Prius comes with performance improvements as well. It uses Toyota’s 5th generation hybrid powertrain and a new lithium-ion battery, which offers a 1[ads1]5 percent increase in performance compared to the range’s old nickel metal battery technology. That means the company was able to develop a smaller and lighter battery for the vehicle without compromising on performance. But since the Prius is still a hybrid and doesn’t rely solely on electricity for power, Toyota has also equipped it with a larger two-liter gas engine.

The automaker says front-wheel-drive variants make 194 horsepower and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, faster than the outgoing FWD vehicles’ 9.8 seconds. The four-wheel drive models have an output of 196 horsepower and the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds. All models have three driving modes: Eco, which improves fuel economy, and Power and Sport modes, which increase throttle response.

Other features include half a dozen USB-C ports and the Toyota Audio Multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Toyota’s Connected Service Drive Connect also gives owners access to an intelligent assistant that can follow voice-activated commands and cloud navigation, which can download the latest available map, traffic and route information from the cloud. And in case drivers are really having a tough time finding their way to their next destination, they can also use the Destination Assist feature to speak to an active agent at any time of the day

For driver assistance, the vehicle has a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, as well as front and rear parking assistant with automatic braking on all variants. The limited version has a Panoramic View Monitor that provides a 360-degree view around the vehicle and a hands-free system that can assist drivers with parallel parking or backing into a parking space.

In addition, the 2023 Prius comes with the latest version of Toyota’s Safety Sense generation, which enables a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist and cruise control. A new addition to the feature and to the Prius as a whole is Proactive Driving Assist which enables gentle braking when cornering or when it detects a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist in front of the vehicle.

Toyota has yet to reveal pricing and availability for the 2023 Prius, but they promise to make another announcement with those details before the end of the year.