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By Matt Degen
Updated October 02, 2019
The Toyota Prius has been synonymous with “hybrid” for roughly two decades, and it continues to be an easy and excellent choice for drivers seeking exceptional fuel economy. While there are now other vehicles that are even more efficient, they usually require a plug to charge batteries, including the Prius Prime plug-in. But with the standard Prius, attaining 50 mpg or more is as simple as getting in and driving.
Following the recent introduction of an all-wheel-drive model that is a good choice for drivers who deal with slick roads and wintry conditions, the Prius ups its tech game by finally incorporating standard Apple CarPlay connectivity. The 2020 Toyota Prius faces fresher, more stylish and less expensive hybrid rivals like the Kia Niro, Hyundai Ioniq and Honda Insight, but none can touch the Toyota Prius’ history of reliability and sterling reputation among the eco-minded.
Used 2020 Toyota Prius pricing starts at $19,429 for the Prius L Eco Hatchback 4D, which had a starting MSRP of $25,320 when new. The range-topping 2020 Prius Limited Hatchback 4D starts at $23,588 today, originally priced from $33,495.
Original MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
$25,320 | $19,429 | |||
$26,530 | $20,448 | |||
$29,370 | $21,712 | |||
$33,495 | $23,588 |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for used 2020 Toyota Prius models in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly.
Which Model is Right for Me?
7-inch touch screen
Apple CarPlay & Amazon Alexa
Automatic emergency braking
Lane-keeping assist
Radar cruise control
Blind-spot monitoring
Rear cross-traffic alert
Parking sensors
Cargo cover
Similar features as standard LE
All-wheel-drive system
Fog lights
SofTex faux-leather upholstery
Power-adjust driver’s seat
Heated front seats
Heated steering wheel
17-inch alloy wheels
Similar features as standard XLE model
All-wheel-drive system
11.6-inch vertical touch screen
Navigation
JBL premium audio system
Color head-up display
Adaptive front lighting system
The Toyota Prius’ best driving trait is its high fuel economy, which now reaches up to 58 mpg. The second is comfort. Indeed, Toyota’s hybrid hatchback is a great commuter vehicle because it goes miles and miles before fill-ups and does so in a relaxed manner. Whether you’re using your Prius as a primary means from getting from point A to B or as a ride-share driver, you and your passengers will enjoy its easygoing attitude.
Despite some stigmas, the Prius actually isn’t ponderously slow. It’s not fast by any means, but it’s also not laggardly. There’s even a Power setting that optimizes the gas/electric powertrain for more get-up-and-go. We don’t recommend trying to hustle the Prius aggressively through corners, but you also needn’t fear getting stuck in the grille of an 18-wheeler while getting on the freeway. Just put your foot into the accelerator and you’ll be fine.
Regarding the Prius’ hybrid powertrain, transitions between the 4-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor are quite seamless. Toyota has been making hybrids for a long time, and its expertise shows. The latest addition to the Prius lineup, the all-wheel-drive model called the AWD-e, is intended to grant extra traction and confidence on slippery roads (the standard Prius is front-wheel drive/FWD).
Unlike the Subaru Crosstrek hybrid, the all-wheel-drive system on the Prius AWD-e operates only at lower speeds. An electric motor powers the rear wheels at speeds from 0 to 6 mph to help with launches and when there’s the greatest potential for slippage. Then, at speeds up to 43 mph, it powers the rear wheels only when traction is compromised. A similar system is used in the Prius’ luxury cousin, the new Lexus UX crossover SUV.
Just last year the Toyota Prius received an interior makeover that freshened its 5-passenger cabin with more upscale features like piano-black trim on the steering wheel and center console, and a Tesla-like 11.6-inch touch-screen display on the top-end Limited trim. This year, all other models get an upgraded infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen that replaces the previous 6.1-inch unit. We actually prefer this smaller screen over the massive one in the Limited. While the vertical 11.6-inch screen is impressive in size, it tends to get washed-out in sunlight and suffers from glare. You can save yourself aggravation — and several thousand dollars — by choosing an XLE or lower trim.
The Toyota Prius’ seats are wide and supportive, with good legroom front and rear. The Prius’ futuristic dash concept remains to this day, with the center-mounted instrument cluster placed high up at the windshield’s base. The wireless-charging pad grew last year, and the heated-seat buttons moved to a position just forward of the cup holders. Faux leather is offered on higher trims and is also used on the steering wheel that is now heated on XLE and Limited trims.
Because the Prius is a hatchback, that means it has great cargo flexibility and roughly twice the space as the trunk of a comparable compact sedan.
Let’s just say it: Past Prius models were pretty boring to look at. They weren’t unattractive, but neither were they all that visually exciting. For the latest-generation Prius, Toyota’s design team took a few chances, creating an exterior that is anything but uninteresting. To our eyes, the latest Prius looks something like a spaceship on wheels. It might just border on controversial and probably won’t win any beauty contests, but its futuristic lines and avant-garde lighting certainly stand out in a crowd. This Prius has presence.
It’s larger too, longer, lower and wider than previous models, and more aerodynamic. Its low hoodline doesn’t just cheat the wind to improve fuel economy, but also improves visibility for the driver, which helps in tight parking lots. Lower-trim Prius models ride on 15-inch wheels, while high trims roll on 17-inchers.
NEW INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH CARPLAY
For its 2020 update, the Prius finally gets a feature long absent: Apple CarPlay. In addition to working with iPhones, the system also features a larger, 7-inch screen and Amazon Alexa integration (but still no Android Auto).
TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE P (TSS-P)
Every new Prius, even a base model, comes with Toyota’s impressive safety and driver-assist system. It includes pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
The Toyota Prius comes in four main trims: L Eco, LE, XLE and Limited. Even the L Eco is recommendable, and in addition to being the least expensive Prius, it’s the most efficient with up to 58 mpg. That base model includes keyless entry with push-button start, 6-way manual-adjust driver’s seat, and a robust safety suite (see Favorite Features) that includes important features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control.
Even this base model gets an a new 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration, a USB port in front and two USB charge ports in back. The CD player of yore is gone, but all grades of the Prius now include a 3-year trial of Toyota Safety Connect, which includes an emergency-assistance button, a stolen-vehicle locator and other services. The 2020 Prius also comes with two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.
Most major extras for the Prius come as you climb trims. The LE adds features like blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, rear cargo-area cover, while the XLE trim brings 8-way-power driver’s seat, faux-leather upholstery, heated front seats and heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 17-inch wheels, and wireless phone charger.
The top-line Limited model has features including JBL premium audio system, 11.6-inch vertical touch screen, and color head-up display. A moonroof is available on XLE and Limited trims. LE and XLE models of the all-wheel-drive Prius AWD-e models mainly mimic those of the standard models.
The 2020 Toyota Prius hybrid uses the company’s well-established Synergy Drive system that combines a 1.8-liter gasoline engine and a 2-motor electrified system. While it’s a marvel of ingenuity and efficiency, the real beauty is how simple it is to use and live with on a daily basis. With a Prius, you never have to worry about plugging in, recharging batteries or the like. Treat it just like a normal car by filling it with gas. Unlike almost every other car on the road, you’ll likely be filling it far less often thanks to the Prius’ 50-plus-mpg rating.
The all-wheel-drive Prius operates similarly, but with an electric motor that powers the rear wheels at speeds up to 43 mph. All-wheel drive (AWD) is permanently engaged at speeds up to 6 mph, after which it becomes a part-time system only coming online when it senses the front wheels slipping. The Prius runs on regular-grade gasoline to keep operating costs low. All Prius models use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
This Prius is a traditional hybrid; if you’re looking for a plug-in hybrid that can travel several miles on electricity alone and can qualify for the federal tax rebate and carpool stickers in states like California, look to the Toyota Prius Prime.
1.8-liter 4-cylinder
96 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
105 lb-ft of torque @ 3,600 rpm
Permanent magnet AC electric motor
71 horsepower, 120 lb-ft of torque
Magnet-less electric motor (AWD version)
7 horsepower, 40 lb-ft of torque (AWD version)
Total system output: 121 horsepower
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 58/53 mpg (L Eco), 54/50 mpg, 52/48 mpg (AWD)
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
Curb Weight | 3010 lbs. | ||
---|---|---|---|
EPA Passenger | 93.1 cu.ft. | ||
Fuel Capacity | 11.3 gallons | ||
Front Head Room | 39.4 inches | ||
Front Leg Room | 42.3 inches | ||
Max Seating Capacity | 5 | ||
Minimum Ground Clearance | 5.1 inches | ||
Overall Length | 180.0 inches | ||
Front Shoulder Room | 55.0 inches | ||
Trunk or Cargo Capacity | 27.4 cu.ft. | ||
Turning Diameter | 33.5 feet | ||
Wheel Base | 106.3 inches | ||
Width with mirrors | 69.3 inches |
Alloy Wheels | Available | ||
---|---|---|---|
Number of Doors | 4 doors | ||
Roof Rails | Available | ||
LED Headlights | Available |
City | 54 mpg | ||
---|---|---|---|
Highway | 50 mpg | ||
Combined | 52 mpg |
Drivetrain | FWD | ||
---|---|---|---|
Transmission Type | Automatic | ||
Recommended Fuel | Regular | ||
Hill Start Assist | Available |
Horsepower-Combined | 121 @ 5200 RPM | ||
---|---|---|---|
Torque | 105 @ 3600 rpm | ||
Engine | 4-Cyl, Hybrid, 1.8 Liter |
Basic | 3 years / 36000 miles | ||
---|---|---|---|
Powertrain | 5 years / 60000 miles | ||
Corrosion | 5 years / Unlimited miles |
Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P)
All 2020 Toyota Prius models include this suite of safety and active driver-assistance features. It bundles a pre-collision warning system, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning/lane-keeping assist, radar cruise control and automatic high beams.
Blind-spot monitoring
Standard on LE trims and above, this feature warns of vehicles in your rear blind spots and also has rear cross-traffic alert, which can warn of a vehicle approaching as you back up.
Safety Connect
This system includes emergency assistance, stolen-vehicle locator, roadside help, and automatic collision notification. A 3-year trial is included.
Used 2020 Toyota Prius | Used 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid | New 2024 Toyota Prius | Used 2020 Honda Fit | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Price | $20,449 | $18,963 | $29,045 | $16,942 | |
KBB.com Rating | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.6 | |
Consumer Rating | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.4 | |
Fuel Economy | City 54/Hwy 50/Comb 52 MPG | City 57/Hwy 59/Comb 58 MPG | City 57/Hwy 56/Comb 57 MPG | City 33/Hwy 40/Comb 36 MPG | |
Fuel Type | Hybrid | N/A | Hybrid | N/A | |
Safety Rating | 5.0 | N/A | N/A | 5.0 | |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Basic Warranty | 3 years or 36000 miles | 5 years or 60000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | 3 years or 36000 miles | |
Horsepower | 121 @ 5200 RPM | 139 @ 5700 RPM | 150 @ 6000 RPM | 128 @ 6600 RPM | |
Engine | 4-Cyl, Hybrid, 1.8 Liter | 4-Cyl, Hybrid, 1.6 Liter | 4-Cyl, Hybrid, 2.0 Liter | 4-Cyl, i-VTEC, 1.5 Liter | |
Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD | FWD |
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The Toyota Prius hybrid starts at $24,200 and extends to over $32,000 for a loaded model.
Yes, especially if you like efficiency and value. Every Prius model attains 50 mpg or more, which means far less money spent on gas. It’s also comfortable and easy to drive.
It’s hard to go wrong with any model, as even a base trim is well-equipped. If it were our money, we’d get the Prius XLE version.
Absolutely. In fact, it’s been making this popular hybrid for about two decades now.