The Prius Prime was one of the 10 Most Awarded Cars when it was introduced. This vehicle has claimed the Kelly Best Buy Award. With its low starting price, it was named the Best Plug-in Hybrid Car Under $40,000. At the New York International Auto Show, it won the prestigious Green Car of the Year Award. The Prius Prime also earned the Altair Enlighten Award from the Center for Automotive Research. This honor recognized the vehicle for its innovations in weight reduction. Motor Trend included it as a finalist for its 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named it a Top Safety Pick in 2017 and again in 2018. The Prius Prime is the only electric car to have a full suite of crash avoidance features. Consumers appreciate Adaptive Cruise Control with their new car purchase. They also get a forward collision warning and a pedestrian watch. These are paired with an auto brake, which operates at low- and high-speeds. It can reduce or prevent impact. A lane assist works with the lane departure watch to straighten out the car’s trajectory.
The Prius Prime runs for 25 miles on pure electricity. It has a best-in-class MPG-equivalent rating of 118. In the city, it earns 55 mpg. All of this adds up to the best range of an electric vehicle. It can go 640 miles without a fill up or a charge. This keeps operating costs low.
With the Prime, owners don’t have to invest in an advanced charging system. They can just plug it into a 110-volt household outlet. It’s as easy as charging your cell phone. Since it takes seven hours to achieve a full charge, you can stay out late and still have it ready the next morning. If you want to use a 240-volt charger, such as the ones available at public charging stations, you can. These can bring you back to a full charge in two hours. Like other Toyota hybrids, the system also recharges itself while in motion. Brake regeneration captures energy and recycles it through the system.
The Prius Prime has 19.8 cubic feet in its hold. That’s more than the Toyota Corolla. It’s also more than rival Chevy Volt. The backseat is more spacious than the Volt. The features package is also a win for the Prime. Although, it has a lower starting price than the Ford Fusion Energi or the Chevy Volt, the Prime offers more. There’s a seven-inch touchscreen and an available 11.6-inch, best-in-class touchscreen. The standards of the vehicle include Pandora, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera. You also have the option of a wireless charger, a remote climate control system, and a head-up display. The Prime’s 55 mpg city/53 mpg highway exceeds all rivals, even the regular Prius. The all-electric Chevy Bolt has a range of 238 miles, falling far short of the Prime’s 640-mile range.