An Early Look at the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime XSE Premium

[kobayashiGT]

Source: https://hypebeast.com/2023/4/toyota-prius-prime-xse-2023-early-look

Toyota has just revealed its latest Prius Prime model for 2023 and, with its clear restyling and hybrid performance improvements from the previous generation, it could be the new choice for the discerning car consumer in a “sea of electricity.”

The all-new Prius – which was announced earlier this year – arrived with fanfare around its substantially new design, and the Prime maximizes itself in the looks department. To summarize, the Prius Prime is sleek, with a radically raked front windshield that’s more “sports coupe” than “efficient city car.” A sloping rear roof that drops off suddenly at the hatch lip gives an almost boxy-yet-futuristic angle to the rear, while a flat rear bumper complements the front’s near-90º angled fascia. Speaking of the rear, the Prime is actually wider than the previous generation, which is a bold move from Toyota since a wider stance would actually harm efficiency. More on that and these decisions later.

The Prime XSE Premium is also equipped with 19” machine-finished wheels that sit two inches lower than the previous generation. This stance and the large wheels give the appearance of aggression and again goes against the grain of efficiency, yet works well with the Prius Prime’s appeal. Sharp angular LED headlights, a low and pronounced front air dam, rear LED light bar and rear door handles at the C-pillar are other visual choices that make the new Prius Prime stand out.

Inside, the cabin feels more refined and evolutionary, with driver-passenger enhancements to touch points and visuals being the main takeaway. Dashes of red – at the dashboard, shifter and even on the seats – adorned our test car’s interior that gave the rather-boring black upholstery a much needed pop. We also liked the dual digital screens, acting as the gauge cluster and infotainment center. Bonus points for all the climate controls being accessible through knobs and buttons rather than within menus, and for the volume knob too although it was a bit far for the driver to reach. The most surprising element within the cabin was the steering wheel, which felt small in hand, giving the impression that whoever designed it had handling and dare-we-say “sportiness” in mind.

Performance-wise, the Prius isn’t a sports car, but has shown improvement over the last gen. Inside are two motors: a 2.0L gas-powered engine good for 150 horsepower, and a 161 hp electric motor working in conjunction. The net total of both comes to 220 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque that allows the Prius Prime to accelerate from 0-60 in 6.6 seconds – the previous Prius was up in the sevens. While not sports car territory, acceleration in six seconds is competitive against the Audi A3 e-tron Sportback at 6.5s, the BMW i3 at 6.6s and even the turbo-four cylinder Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 at 6.5s. Overall the car felt zippy when it needed to be and the power should be more than enough for most people, but certainly not for the enthusiasts.

So why did Toyota create a new Prius with big wheels, a wider body and a lower stance, all of which go against the ideals of maximum efficiency? For once, the hybrid Prius is a contender against the “new norm” of electric cars you see on the road. The Prius’s design alone adds a new layer for consumers in search of a car that looks great and drives well, even if it sacrifices a bit of efficiency. Back in the early 2000s, most can remember looking at the Prius and scorning it for being bland and boring; for Toyota to flip that script and now be considered an alternative to a new defacto is invariably a bold statement, and that’s what makes the new Prius different, daring, and possibly even “cool.”

The Toyota Prius Prime XSE Premium starts at $39,170 USD and begins shipping in May. If you’re looking for something from Toyota that’s no compromises, the GR Corolla is the latest in the sporty offerings department.

Spoiler

 

 

[Fitvip]

Now the steering wheel looks like a keyboard!

[Heartbreakid]

Wonder will it be coming to SG?

Edited April 6, 2023 by Heartbreakid

[Jamesc]

Nice got hints of Mazda Astina the prettiest car ever built.

[Soya]

On 4/6/2023 at 11:54 AM, kobayashiGT said:

Source: https://hypebeast.com/2023/4/toyota-prius-prime-xse-2023-early-look

Toyota has just revealed its latest Prius Prime model for 2023 and, with its clear restyling and hybrid performance improvements from the previous generation, it could be the new choice for the discerning car consumer in a “sea of electricity.”

The all-new Prius – which was announced earlier this year – arrived with fanfare around its substantially new design, and the Prime maximizes itself in the looks department. To summarize, the Prius Prime is sleek, with a radically raked front windshield that’s more “sports coupe” than “efficient city car.” A sloping rear roof that drops off suddenly at the hatch lip gives an almost boxy-yet-futuristic angle to the rear, while a flat rear bumper complements the front’s near-90º angled fascia. Speaking of the rear, the Prime is actually wider than the previous generation, which is a bold move from Toyota since a wider stance would actually harm efficiency. More on that and these decisions later.

The Prime XSE Premium is also equipped with 19” machine-finished wheels that sit two inches lower than the previous generation. This stance and the large wheels give the appearance of aggression and again goes against the grain of efficiency, yet works well with the Prius Prime’s appeal. Sharp angular LED headlights, a low and pronounced front air dam, rear LED light bar and rear door handles at the C-pillar are other visual choices that make the new Prius Prime stand out.

Inside, the cabin feels more refined and evolutionary, with driver-passenger enhancements to touch points and visuals being the main takeaway. Dashes of red – at the dashboard, shifter and even on the seats – adorned our test car’s interior that gave the rather-boring black upholstery a much needed pop. We also liked the dual digital screens, acting as the gauge cluster and infotainment center. Bonus points for all the climate controls being accessible through knobs and buttons rather than within menus, and for the volume knob too although it was a bit far for the driver to reach. The most surprising element within the cabin was the steering wheel, which felt small in hand, giving the impression that whoever designed it had handling and dare-we-say “sportiness” in mind.

Performance-wise, the Prius isn’t a sports car, but has shown improvement over the last gen. Inside are two motors: a 2.0L gas-powered engine good for 150 horsepower, and a 161 hp electric motor working in conjunction. The net total of both comes to 220 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque that allows the Prius Prime to accelerate from 0-60 in 6.6 seconds – the previous Prius was up in the sevens. While not sports car territory, acceleration in six seconds is competitive against the Audi A3 e-tron Sportback at 6.5s, the BMW i3 at 6.6s and even the turbo-four cylinder Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 at 6.5s. Overall the car felt zippy when it needed to be and the power should be more than enough for most people, but certainly not for the enthusiasts.

So why did Toyota create a new Prius with big wheels, a wider body and a lower stance, all of which go against the ideals of maximum efficiency? For once, the hybrid Prius is a contender against the “new norm” of electric cars you see on the road. The Prius’s design alone adds a new layer for consumers in search of a car that looks great and drives well, even if it sacrifices a bit of efficiency. Back in the early 2000s, most can remember looking at the Prius and scorning it for being bland and boring; for Toyota to flip that script and now be considered an alternative to a new defacto is invariably a bold statement, and that’s what makes the new Prius different, daring, and possibly even “cool.”

The Toyota Prius Prime XSE Premium starts at $39,170 USD and begins shipping in May. If you’re looking for something from Toyota that’s no compromises, the GR Corolla is the latest in the sporty offerings department.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Middle screen so big. Liddat where to place the teksi meter?…..

 

[Watwheels]

Looks better than the current one 👍. No longer looks like 小强.

[Volvobrick]

On 4/6/2023 at 11:59 AM, Jamesc said:

Nice got hints of Mazda Astina the prettiest car ever built.

Almost bought this eons ago.... But Honda stole the deal with a more powerful engine then. 

[Watwheels]

On 4/6/2023 at 11:59 AM, Heartbreakid said:

Wonder will it be coming to SG?

 We dont get to see the prime version previously.

[Soya]

On 4/6/2023 at 1:10 PM, Volvobrick said:

Almost bought this eons ago.... But Honda stole the deal with a more powerful engine then. 

Me too. But COE car stole the deal coz no money then. Sob sob

 

[kobayashiGT]

On 4/6/2023 at 12:41 PM, Soya said:

Middle screen so big. Liddat where to place the teksi meter?…..

 

Hahaha. This one can. 

[Jamesc]

Backside look like Hundai leh!

Japanese copy Korea design.

[Jamesc]

But Ionic now look like Porsche

[Soya]

On 4/6/2023 at 1:26 PM, kobayashiGT said:

Hahaha. This one can. 

Yeah bring back the good old made for teksi toyota. Can fit 3 big suitcases in the boot no problem. Now Prius, Ioniq CMI hv to pay more for maxi cab. Knn

 

 

[Volvobrick]

On 4/6/2023 at 1:24 PM, Soya said:

Me too. But COE car stole the deal coz no money then. Sob sob

 

My choice was the Gen 1 with pop up headlights. No such things as COE cars then! 

[Soya]

On 4/6/2023 at 1:46 PM, Volvobrick said:

My choice was the Gen 1 with pop up headlights. No such things as COE cars then! 

Wah sei….Gen 1 is the nicer version. Limpeh still BMW then. Sometimes no a/c somemore…..lol

 

[Davidklt]

Looks good. Break the stereotype that Prius are for nerds.

[markw12]

On 4/6/2023 at 12:41 PM, Soya said:

Middle screen so big. Liddat where to place the teksi meter?…..

 

app on phone, super enlarged fonts on the big screen 😁

Edited April 7, 2023 by markw12