Recent Consumer Reports Review of 2023 Prius

they'll probably lose some customers and gain some. that's why they aren't planning production for more than last year

 

This is what Toyota is thinking with the design. What CR is saying is that it was the jack-of-all-trades ability of the past models that sold the car when gas prices weren't high. It was efficient, and did a good job hauling people and stuff. Models better at hauling aren't as efficient, and any more efficient models at Toyota will haul less.

The original goal of the Prius was to have low emissions, with high efficiency as a side benefit, in a practical car for a family. The gen1 was mostly a proof of concept; it wasn't sold outside of Japan until the midcycle refresh. The gen2 was what the car was envisioned as. The gen3 was refinement of it. The form following function design stood out in the US, but that was changing through the years as other car designs started paying more attention to aerodynamics. The gen 2 and 3 were the biggest sellers globally.

I think the gen4 was when the model 'jumped the shark'. It continued with the efficiency improvement, but its styling was polarizing. That is said of the 2 & 3, but the in the 4 it was intentional. Somebody at Toyota took all the comments about the model being odd, weird, and ugly, processed them as the reason why people were buying the car. When they were buying it despite of that. Then there were little things, like less storage compartments, that were pointing to styling being more important than function.

Prius sales in the US do follow gas prices, but the 4's had really dropped. The Prime saved it here, but that is partly because many got incentives that lowered the effective price to below that of the Prius.

The gen 5 is just a continuation of of the style over function. I agree with the performance improvements. Toyota needed to distinguish the Prius from other hybrids, including other Toyotas. But they could have done so without abandoning a core attribute of the model. The styling has been compared to that of a Model 3, but the Prius coefficient of drag is worse. It's like the Insight2. That looked like the gen2, but also had worse aero than the Prius c.

The design process and priorities of the new Prius were no different than most other car models. That is what has disappointed current Prius fans, and being just another car isn't going to bring many new ones.

 

I just posted this in another thread; it's equally succinct here:

I think they've lost direction, see the sales numbers dropping, and are looking to reverse that in all the wrong places.

In one of the 5th threads here someone asked about trailer hitches, which struck me as humorous. Toyota wants the sales dialogue to be about all the amazing new innovations, not trivia like towing capacity, spare tires, ergonomics, head room, parts cost.

 

Is the Niro using an actual key? My understanding of the Hyundai/Kia issue was that they decided the old style key ignitions no longer needed an engine immobilizer chip. It was a stupid decision, but not one impacting cars with a push button start.

 

This is a really good analysis, and I think it's the nail in the coffin for me. I've bought 3 new cars in my life, all of them Priuses (2005, 2010 and 2016). I have a 13 year old about to start highschool, and we will be driving her and a friend, so I don't want a much smaller car. I'm probably going to order a Bolt EUV.

Maybe when she is off to college, I can live with a smaller sportier car, maybe I'll love it. Maybe I'll get a Prius then, but I regret to say that I am probably going to jump ship this year. Its a little sad, I was really excited when I heard about the redesign, but ultimately function matters more to me than form.

 

But they haven't said much about those new innovations. Is there actually any? The hybrid systems appear to be just the ones already in the Corolla.

I recall a statement early on about the battery being a new Li-ion. Have they released any details on what makes it new? It could be bipolar, like the NiMH in the new Aqua. Toyota said they were going to put their solid state batteries into hybrids first. Would be cool if they did so with the Prius. Being the first model with it would go with the name. It would also explain the higher price, and possibly slow start to production. Or they could have just stacked the cells differently. Any one know?

 

I agree with most of your analysis Bro. About the Kias, it's only the base trims that don't have engine immobilizers (the EX and above do). Base models use a regular key (I don't know if the Niro has an engine immobilizer but several models did not), EX and above are push button.

 

I can get 120 mpg round-trip real fuel economy (125 mpg on MFD) with my 2021 Prius Prime Limited in freeway stop-and-go driving in the summer.

Will a 2023 Prius Prime SE be able to achieve that?

I saw that they really downsized the HEV battery in the Gen 5 Prius. Perhaps this is contributing to the inferior fuel economy. I wonder the large PHEV battery in the Gen 5 Prius Prime will result in a better fuel economy than for the non-plug-in Prius.

 

toyota has lost its way only in the sense that prius are done, and there's nothing they can do to resuscitate the patient.
they need bevs, and more hybrids in their other models.

 

Downsized the battery? What physically? It is higher voltage than the previous packs, and possibly higher capacity. Wikipedia reports 4.06amp-hrs.

 

It is only 0.901 kWh (0.222 kV × 4.06 Ah).

Apparently Gen 4 had 0.75 kWh. I thought it was over 1 kWh.

I believe Prius Prime uses a higher reserved capacity than that.

 

This is a bit disconcerting. I have always held CR in high regard and I understand their gripes. As a proud original owner of an ‘07 pushing 300k, I understand loving the old models for the quirky tanks that they are, and I suspect the writers of CR did too. This model seems like a deviation from that quirkiness more than an evolution of what we love. That said, I am still excited to try out the V and really hopeful that even Prius lovers can find a lot to enjoy here. The only gripe that might be a deal breaker for me is the noise. Prii shouldn’t be annoyingly loud. It’s just not right. I’m not seeing a lot of better alternatives out there. It seems like a Corolla if you want efficiency or an Accord if you want performance. The new Prius might be the best compromise of the two. I’m still hoping it will drive as good as it looks.

 

The Gen 4 Wikipedia article gives a choice of 0.75 kWh Li-ion or 1.2 kWh NiMH for the AWD.

The bog-standard older Prius NiMH modules have been nominally 6.5 Ah since forever, which was nominally 1.78 kWh in the 38-module Gen 1, or 1.31 kWh in the 28-module later models. But of course with NiMH batteries the car tried never to use more than 40% out of the middle.

 

This is not the Consumer Reports review of the 2023 Prius. They made it very clear that this video reflects their “first impressions” based on a “rented version of the Prius.” As always, CR added that they would buy and test their own Prius “as soon as one becomes available.”

I am sure most people here are aware that CR makes car purchases anonymously at various dealerships. Only then, and after several members of their team take turns driving at least 10,000 miles, do they release their official review.

The mileage numbers account for a major failure by Toyota to retain a tiny semblance of what Prius customers desire.

 

Perhaps we should wait and see some real world MPG results from PriusChat'ers and others who are truly interested in efficiency.

I think we just might be surprised...especially with the base model MPG.

Frankly, I'm not believing a dang word form any of these first drive 'reviews'.

 

Umm, the last few years the Prius has been selling for msrp or higher and never stays on the lot more than a few weeks. The only reduction in sales they've gotten hasn't come from competition but rather from supply.

 

Few was probably a misspoke. Before the pandemic, Prius family sales in the US were about a third of the peak in 2012. The slide started because of fuel prices, but the rate picked up as more fuel efficient options came to market.

 

maybe california, idk. but it's a big world, and until the pandemic, you could have your choice off the lot in the northeast for big discounts. regular prius or prime

 

That’s not the consumer reports I know. It’s 3 people in a podcast “blah blah blah” for 30 minutes.

 

Probably gonna be a while then.