Toyota’s 4th-generation Prius hybrid for 2018 ranges from $24,685-$30,565

Toyota completely redesigned the regular Prius hybrid model two years ago, bringing the fourth generation of the trendsetting gasoline-electric vehicle.

For 2018, the newest version returns with prices starting at

$24,685 (plus $920 freight) for the base Prius Two Liftback.

Other trim levels are the Prius Two Eco ($25,165), Prius Three ($26,735), Prius Three Touring ($28,115), Prius Four ($29,685) and the Prius Four Touring ($30,565), which we tested for this report.

These prices and trim levels do not include the Prius Prime, which is a plug-in hybrid version of the standard Prius, with prices ranging from $27,300-$33,300 (plus freight). The Prime model was introduced for 2017.

The regular Prius Liftback does not have plug-in recharging capability for its hybrid battery system, which is automatically recharged while the vehicle is operating on gasoline power or coasting.

With the makeover, the Prius improved on the already great combined 50 mpg EPA rating of the model it replaced. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 54 mpg city/50 highway/52 combined for the regular Prius Liftback models, and 58/53/56 for the Eco model, which is not to be confused with the Prime plug-in model.

Although not the first hybrid to be introduced in the U.S., the Prius is the one most associated with the hybrid phenomenon. Toyota says it expects to sell upwards of 350,000 a year of the car worldwide, even with the current relatively low gasoline prices putting a damper on hybrid sales. Most of the sales will come in the U.S. and Japan, the biggest markets by far for hybrid vehicles.

Prius, introduced in 2000, entered the new generation with a radically new design that makes it look more like a typical Toyota car than an oddlooking model that screams “I’m a hybrid.” It’s still readily identifiable as a Prius, though, in part because its rear end is still quite similar to that of the previous generation.

Toyota did a major restyling to make the car look more mainstream, a move brought about by falling sales over the past several years, attributed mostly to lower gasoline prices. Although gasoline prices have now rebounded slightly, there were about three years of relatively low fuel prices that affected sales of hybrids and other smaller economy cars with great gas mileage.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive system has two versions: one for the Prius Two, with a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack; and a different one, with a smaller lithium-ion battery pack, for the Prius Two Eco, Three, Three Touring, Four and Four Touring models.

Under the hood of all models is a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle inline four-cylinder engine with 95 horsepower and 105 foot-pounds of torque, boosted by a 600-volt DC motor/generator that produces 71 horsepower and 120 foot-pounds of torque. The gasoline engine and electric motor working together produce a total of 121 horsepower.

There is an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission and the car has frontwheel drive.

Surprisingly, there is plenty of power, which can be directly attributed to the low-end torque generated by the electric motor on startup or hard acceleration.

We drove the Prius on a variety of road types, including winding country lanes with and without pavement, and with varying degrees of slope. There was never a worry that we did not have enough power, even on some uphill runs and while passing on two-lane roads.

The latest Prius was the first