2023 Toyota Prius Gets 60% More HP, Drives Better—and Looks Fantastic

• It's been many years since the Toyota Prius' combination of efficiency and practicality reigned atop the sales charts.

• But the redesigned '23 Prius asks whether a striking design, slightly improved fuel economy, and enhanced drivability can revive interest in the iconic hybrid as we enter the EV era.

• With its new sense of style, there really is nothing to sacrifice for the sake of outstanding fuel economy.

The Prius hybrid has defined Toyota's green efforts, especially in California, where the hybrid had been the best-selling compact car in the state. Not the best-selling hybrid, but the best-selling compact of any kind.

The Prius reached its Golden State heyday in the 2010s, right around when the current-generation model (the fourth) debuted. Toyota sold over 70,000 Prius models in 2014 and 2015 in California, alone. Nationwide, Prius sales topped 200,000 units each year from 2012 to 2014 before trailing off to a mere 59,000 in 2021.

The point is, it's been many years since the Prius' combination of efficiency and practicality reigned atop the charts.

The Prius' strong sales history remains clearly visible on California streets, where I recently tested the new fifth-generation Prius, which goes on sale in January.

I kept track, and at some point during the day, I saw every earlier model of the Prius except for the first-gen. The question the new Prius asks is whether a striking design, slightly improved fuel economy, and a splash of enhanced drivability are enough to revive interest in the iconic hybrid as we enter the EV era.

A Prius needs to be aerodynamic, and the 2023 model looks like it can make serious cuts through oncoming air. Thin lines spread across the front end, ending in compact, hooked headlights. The car looks squatter because it is.

Coming in two inches shorter than the outgoing model and with a bit more ground clearance, the new Prius feels roughly the same inside as the '22 but with a bit less headroom. The 2023 Prius' interior is sparse and usefully arranged for the most part, with a mix of materials that aren't luxurious but certainly don't feel cheap.

A Prius also needs to be fuel-efficient, and the 2023 model offers the best fuel economy of any Prius ever—57 mpg, but only in the FWD LE trim. The combined ratings for the different trims start at 49 mpg with the XLE or Limited versions with all-wheel drive. The FWD XLE I tested is rated at 52 mpg, but I got just under 48 mpg.

This brings us to a factor that a Prius hasn't needed before: drivability. The gas-electric powertrain produces up to 196 hp, more than a 60% increase over the 121 hp in the 2022 Prius. Toyota doesn't release 0-60 mph times for the Prius but did have fourth-generation models on hand to compare.

If you're used to how that or even older Priuses accelerate, do not expect that same sluggishness here. The 2023 is not spritely, but with a stiffened suspension and tighter steering, it can be moderately fun to drive.

Putting all of these pieces together gives Toyota marketing a chance to attract a younger buyer and, in turn, a wider audience.

"We want to use design and then performance to make a car that looks fun and is more emotional for the driver, and I think you'll see that in the [ad] campaign," Toyota spokesperson Chad Moore says. "The engineering and design lean into that and allow our marketing strategy to focus on that, which is different from pretty much every other generation of Prius, right?"

Design is subjective, but the emerging consensus on the 2023 Prius is that it's a great-looking hybrid that offers more in almost every aspect than the version it replaces.

So, anyone who likes the current Prius is likely to consider the 2023 model, which also could be appealing to someone who has been driving gas-only vehicles and is ready for the step toward electrification.

The Prius can now hold its own in the drivability discussion among people who would seriously consider a Prius in the first place. And with its new sense of style, there really is nothing to sacrifice for the sake of outstanding fuel economy.

My time behind the wheel was a full re-evaluation of what a Prius is, and I quite enjoyed this new definition.

How do you like the new Prius? Please comment below.