Toyota Prius Plug-In (2017 – 2022) Review

The Toyota Prius is arguably the most famous hybrid vehicle on the planet. It has become the brand generic for what Toyota calls a ‘self-charging’ car. Launched in 2017, the Toyota Prius Plug-in is a little different. As the name suggests, it’s a Prius that can be plugged into the mains to provide up to 30 miles of all-electric range, making it a rival to the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid. This, in theory, should make it more appealing than the regular hybrid. However, sales are dwarfed by the less expensive standard hybrid model.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in is the ‘other’ Prius. While the regular Toyota Prius has cemented a position as the default hybrid vehicle, the Prius Plug-in is the less well known and arguably less desirable sibling. It’s a hard sell, with prices starting at around £7,000 more than the regular Prius, which puts in competition with some impressive all-electric rivals.

It looks similar to the regular Toyota Prius. That’s to say that, at best, the styling is bold and dynamic, but some may view it as ugly. We’ll settle on the word ‘challenging’ to describe the look of the Toyota Prius Plug-in. It’s certainly… different.

Not that you’ll buy a Prius Plug-in for its styling. This is a car you purchase for its fuel economy, all-electric range and low running costs. It scores well for all three, even if the low running costs are offset by steep depreciation, which won’t be a problem if you’re leasing the car or using it as a fleet vehicle.

It actually looks subtly different to the regular Prius. Note the even bolder styling at the front, which is matched by a more sober approach at the back. Toyota could have made the two cars look identical, which is Hyundai’s approach with the Ioniq, arguably the Prius Plug-in’s chief rival.

Inside, the cabin architecture is largely the same as the regular Prius. There’s a genuine feeling of quality, albeit without the soft-touch materials you’ll find in premium rivals. Don’t confuse perceived quality with actual quality. The Prius Plug-in scores highly for the latter.

We can be less charitable about practicality. Although the rear bench offers excellent legroom for three adults, the aerodynamic roofline means headroom is severely restricted. A tall passenger will have to travel with their head pressed against the roof, which is far from ideal. There’s also a tiny boot, which is around half the size of a family hatchback when measured up to the tonneau cover.

On the plus side, you get a long list of standard equipment for your money, even on the entry-level Business Edition.

It’s so good, you have to question if it’s worth upgrading to the Excel trim, especially given the excellent safety kit, decent infotainment system and premium features. It’s just a shame that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t offered.

The driving experience is almost irrelevant. What matters is the efficiency, with the Prius Plug-in offering a claimed 217.29mpg on a combined cycle. To achieve this, you’ll have to charge the car overnight, taking advantage of the claimed 39 miles of all-electric range. If you don’t plug it in, we’d recommend the cheaper Prius hybrid.

However, if you have a short commute, it’s probably possible to complete your working week without using any petrol, which is something you can’t do in the regular Prius. That said, given the new breed of electric cars, it might be time to consider going full EV.

Practicality isn’t a strong point. With the rear seats in place, there’s just 191 litres of luggage capacity beneath the tonneau cover, making it smaller than a typical family hatchback.

Load the Prius Plug-in to the roof, and there’s 359 litres of space, but that’s still smaller than a Volkswagen Golf. Fold the rear seats and there’s an adequate 1204 litres of luggage capacity.

Things are slightly better in the cabin, but while there’s enough legroom in the back for three adults, the sloping roofline means tall people will have their head pressed against the roof. On the plus side, there are two Isofix points in the back, so carrying children won’t be an issue.

It’s a car that’s been designed for the comfort of people in the front. The driver’s seat has electric adjustment for height and lumbar, while the standard-fit head-up display makes things easier for the driver.

You won’t find much in the way of plush materials or soft-touch plastics, but the finish is superb and there’s a complete absence of squeaks and rattles. It will feel the same after 150,000 miles of use.

There are also some nice touches on the inside, including chrome interior door handles, a piano black centre console, chrome side air vent surrounds, and a black finish for the gear lever surround, steering wheel insert and lower part of the dashboard.

There are two screens in the Prius Plug-In, both mounted in the centre of the dashboard. It’s a visually impressive approach, with the top of the dashboard dominated by a pair of 4.2-inch multi-information displays.

Lower down, you’ll find a Toyota Touch 2 with Go multimedia and sat-nav system with an eight-inch touchscreen.

Both versions come with DAB digital radio, wireless phone charger, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, but you’ll need the Excel trim for voice recognition and a JBL premium audio system. The touchscreen is a little slow to respond to inputs, while the absence of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is disappointing.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in costs £32,125 in Business Edition trim, or £34,095 in Excel trim. Is it worth spending the extra £2,000 for the top trim model? Consider the extra spec, which includes front and rear parking sensors, park assist, 10-speaker JBL premium audio system, voice recognition and leather upholstery. 

The list price is almost irrelevant, as most people will order a Prius Plug-in using a lease or finance contract. The difference between the Business Edition and Excel trims is likely to be a few pounds a month.

At the time of writing, the Prius Plug-in Business Edition was available to lease for £328 plus VAT a month, after an initial rental of £1,968 plus VAT per month. Alternatively, the same car is available for £349 a month on a PCP deal, but this is after a £7,957 deposit and the same contribution from Toyota. There’s also an optional payment of £13,725 at the end of the 42-month contract.

Alternatively, it’s worth considering a used Toyota Prius Plug-in, especially since the car suffers from steep depreciation. It means that it represents excellent value for money on the used car market. Prices start from just £16,000. This is based on a 2017 model with up to 50,000 miles on the clock.

There’s a good split between Business Edition and Excel trims, but the Plug-in represents around 10 percent of the overall stock of used 2017-on Toyota Prius models.

Officially, the Toyota Prius Plug-in will achieve up to 217.29mpg but Real MPG suggests that you’re more likely to see 148.4mpg, which is still a good result.

To get the best from a plug-in hybrid, it’s important to charge the car overnight. If you don’t, you’re simply paying extra to carry a heavy battery pack and the associated electric motors around, so a standard hybrid or even a diesel engine would make more sense.

Plug the Prius Plug-in into the mains and you can expect to see up to 39 miles of driving range, but the actual distance will depend on a number of variables. These include your driving style, the topography, weather conditions and the use of equipment. Turning on the climate control or charging your smartphone will put a dent in the electric range.

Thanks to CO2 emissions of just 29g/km, the Prius Plug-in costs just £10 to tax in the first year. This increases to £140 in year two, but this is £10 cheaper than the standard rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Car insurance should be affordable, with the Prius Plug-in slotting into group 20 (out of 50).

The Prius Plug-in feels just like the regular Toyota Prius - there’s plenty of body-roll if you attempt to take a bend with too much enthusiasm. Has anyone ever attempted to drive a Prius with enthusiasm? It’s unlikely.

The car impresses in other areas, with the engineers focusing on delivering a soft and compliant ride. The fuel-efficient 15-inch alloy wheels help, which are small by modern standards, but are ideal for preserving ride comfort and delivering excellent fuel economy. It’s a very relaxing car to drive, especially around town, where the car’s excellent refinement is most evident.

It’s less impressive at higher speeds, where the weight of the battery and the soft suspension combine to make the car feel less tied down than a conventional car.

Power is sourced from the same 122PS 1.8-litre petrol engine you’ll find in the regular Toyota Prius. It’s paired with a 73PS electric motor at the front, plus an 8.8kWh battery. The 0-62mph sprint is completed in a leisurely 11.8 seconds.

It’s not quick, but the initial acceleration feels punchy, thanks to the pull of the electric motor.

Not that it’s as quick and responsive as an all-electric car. This is because it lacks the more powerful electric motor and battery you’ll find in a regular EV, but 39 miles of driving range could be enough to cover your daily commute. It’ll start in electric mode, but the petrol engine will automatically start up when you’re out of charge.

Although the Toyota Prius Plug-in hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, it’s likely to achieve the same five-star safety rating as the regular Prius.

The excellent Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assistance systems is fitted as standard. It comprises a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning alert with steering control, road sign assist, adaptive headlights and adaptive cruise control.

You also get multiple airbags, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, hill-start assist, two Isofix points and a colour head-up display. The Excel model boasts park assist and front and rear parking sensors.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in doesn’t have a towing capacity.

If you commit to charging the batteries overnight, the Prius Plug-in makes a lot of sense, especially if your commute can be covered by the electric driving range. If not, the regular Toyota Prius is more appealing, thanks to its excellent efficiency and cheaper price.

The alternative is a fully electric car, with some models available for a similar price to the Prius Plug-in. Either way, we’d recommend buying a used Prius Plug-in, as the heavy depreciation makes it look more appealing as a second-hand purchase.