Model overview

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid also named Prius PHV and Prius Prime in the U.S. is a plug-in hybrid produced by Toyota. Offerings of the production model started in the United State in 2012. The second-generation variant was available in 2016 and is currently being built.

The first-generation Prius plug-in was built from 2012 to 2016. The EPA fuel economy evaluation is 95 mpg in charge-depleting (all-electric or EV mode) and a combined city/highway rating of 60 mpg in hybrid mode. The first-generation Prius plug-in was based on a third-generation Toyota Prius equipped with a 4.4 kWh lithium-ion battery.

The second-generation Prius plug-in is named the Prius Prime in the United States and Prius PHV in Japan and Europe. It was initially available in 2016 and is currently being built. It has an EPA-rated all-electric range of 40 km (25 mi), twice the reach of the first-generation model. The second-generation Prius plug-in is based on the fourth-generation Toyota Prius equipped with an 8.8 kWh lithium-ion battery.

The new Toyota Prius Prime comes in three trim levels: LE, XLE, and Limited. All get the same hybrid powertrain with EV mode and perform the same. The LE is the best value option, with a decent list of standard equipment. The XLE, meanwhile, brings comfort-oriented details. The Limited level adds a lot of features and comes with a big rise in price.

Toyota Prius Prime known problems

Some of the common problems or complaints owners have about the Toyota Prius Prime are:

• Slow acceleration and noisy engine
• Smaller cargo area compared to the regular Prius
• Windshield chips and breaks easily

Toyota Prius Prime PDF owner manual

Posted by, John Mana

A passionate guy about car models, makes, and manuals.