Fifth-Gen Toyota Prius Debuts With New Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid Powertrains

Toyota has unveiled the fifth generation of the Prius for global markets ahead of sales commencing later this year. The latest iteration of the Prius debuts with a pair of strong hybrid powertrains – a self-charging hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The self-charging hybrid will be the first model to hit markets with the PHEV to go on sale in 2023.

Underpinned by the second generation of Toyota’s TNGA platform, the new Prius retains the silhouette from its predecessors though the design is sleeker and sportier than past iterations. The nose is characterised by slim C-shaped headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, a slim grille and a smooth bumper with a central air vent. The rising bonnet and raked A-pillar additional aid in giving the car a sleek appearance.

From the sides, the monobloc silhouette of past models of the Prius is apparent. The fifth-gen hybrid gets a sleeker profile with the roofline now more reminiscent of a coupe. Round the back, the boot lid features a prominent blacked-out section housing a lightbar and the third stop light. The bumper lower down gets a smooth finish with a blacked-out section – mirroring the front bumper vent – housing the number plate.

The new more coupe-like design makes the Prius 50 mm lower than the outgoing model with the wheelbase too stretched by the same amount. Interestingly the car is 46 mm shorter in length as compared to the fourth-gen sedan while width is up by 22 mm.

Inside, the dashboard design bears some resemblance with the bZ4X with a pair of free-standing displays positioned on the dashboard. The display for the instrument cluster is positioned within the driver’s eyeline while a large central touchscreen sits atop the centre console.

Coming to the powertrains, the self-charging strong hybrid powertrain is available with two engine options – a 2.0-litre petrol or a 1.8-litre petrol. The 2.0-litre petrol paired with the hybrid system develops 193 bhp with the variant also getting Toyota’s e-Four all-wheel drive system. The smaller-hearted variant meanwhile develops 138 bhp.

The PHEV also features a 2.0-litre petrol engine under the hood but here total system output is a stronger 220 bhp. The 13.6 kWh battery pack (up from 8.8 kWh) for the PHEV system sits below the rear seat with Toyota claiming a 50 per cent higher EV range over the outgoing model.