Why the 2023 Toyota Prius Looks Like It Does, Inside and Out

The new 2023 Toyota Prius is a complete departure from the older models in terms of style, design and performance. When it was unveiled, it showed how Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers have got it wrong.

The anti-Tesla

Toyota is committed to all major propulsion systems: hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fuel cell, internal combustion and pure battery electric. The only system the company lacks is a solar car. This spread bet is based on Toyota's position as the largest mainstream automaker with the resources to credibly chase that many visions.

Even if a hybrid car has great propulsion technology, it's not going to help the environment much if people think it looks bad and don't want to buy it. With the 2023 Prius, you won't have that problem: The first thing you'll notice is that it's significantly more attractive than previous models.

Wow, that's a Prius?

The new car has a longer wheelbase and can take 19-inch wheels without any trouble. The body curves subtly from front to rear, which gives it an look of power and gracefulness. In contrast, the styling of previous Priuses seemed more about makinga political statement; for example, some rich celebrities who could afford other luxury cars would choose to drive a Prius instead in order to stand out from the crowd.

Primacy under the hood

The new Prius is powered by a larger 2.0-liter combustion engine that uses clean burning Atkinson Cycle technology. This results in an increase in fuel efficiency to 57 miles per gallon, higher than the outgoing model. The car is available as either a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds.

The Prius will once again be the most efficient car you can buy in America with a projected 57 mpg, higher than the Ioniq Blue hybrid. With gas cars still being largely dominant in the market, this is good news for those who prefer more efficient vehicles.

A free electric car?

The new Prius will still be available as a plug-in hybrid for those interested in electric cars, which Toyota promises will have 50% more battery-only range -- about 37 miles without using gas. For many people, this amount of range would suffice to get them through an entire day's worth driving. In other words, buying a Prius could very likely mean purchasing the vehicle on the market with the highest mpg that comes with a free EV included.

Goodbye golf cart

The 2023 Prius has a much-needed driver instrument panel. In the past, drivers were met with an empty dashboard that was extremely off-putting. The high mid-dash display in older models made thePrius feel bogged down and less than appealing.