2023 Toyota Prius Delivers Superior Environmental Benefits
The extraordinary fuel economy of the Prius helped Toyota build its reputation as one of the world’s most environmentally progressive automakers. The trailblazing hatchback has been reducing transportation emissions for over two decades and is now in its fifth generation. The Prius models arriving in 2023 are far more attractive than their ancestors, and they accelerate much faster while maintaining their legendary efficiency.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s fueleconomy.gov website lists the standard 2023Prius as the second-most efficient hybrid, right behind the discontinued 2022 Hyundai Ioniq Blue. The Prius boasts a combined MPG rating of 57, one mile per gallon less than the first-place Ioniq. Its MPG rating is over twice as high as the average 2023 vehicle, which the website says is 26 MPG, and almost four times as high as the least efficient hybrids on the list, which are rated at 15 MPG. The all-wheel-drive version of the Prius is the second-most efficient hybrid to arrive in 2023, tied with the front-wheel-drive Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue at 54 MPG. The most efficient hybrid from a U.S. automaker is the 2023 Ford Escape, which gets 39 miles per gallon.
Toyota will soon be offering a plug-in version of the 2023 Prius, but its fuel economy ratings have yet to be published on the fueleconomy.gov website. The most efficient plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) deliver emission reductions that are comparable to those of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and the 2022 Prius Prime is currently listed as the most efficient PHEV. The remarkable plug-in earned an astounding combined MPGe rating of 133 when running on electricity and an MPG rating of 54 when running on gasoline.
The 2023 Prius Prime is likely to exceed the 2022’s fuel economy figures, and the all-electric range is expected to increase by a whopping 50%, rising from 25 to roughly 37 miles. The additional all-electric range will accommodate a lot more local driving, greatly reducing the percentage of travel powered by gasoline. When venturing out on longer excursions, the gasoline engine will deliver superior fuel economy and ample range. The standard 2023 Prius has an 11.3-gallon gas tank that allows it to travel 644 miles, and the plug-in version will be similar.
The Prius has been mercilessly criticized for its awkward appearance and sluggish performance, but the 2023 models will be doing away with both complaints. The frugal hatch is receiving high praise for its sleek exterior styling, and the new 2.0-liter engine is considerably more powerful than its 1.8-liter predecessor. Horsepower increases from 121 to 194 on the standard 2023 Prius, and the all-wheel-drive version will churn out 196. The 220-HP Prius Prime will be the most athletic Prius ever built and is said to accelerate from zero to sixty in just 6.6 seconds.
Efficient hybrids will continue to play an important role in the global effort to decarbonize transportation, especially those with plug-in capability. Nobody does hybrids better than Toyota, and the Prius remains their very best.