2024 Toyota Prius Limited AWD Review

Written By: Amy Plemons | Jul 26, 2024 9:50:51 AM

This week I bring you the award-winning 2024 Toyota Prius. A sedan that's all-new 2023 redesign catapulted it to 2024 World Car Design of the Year as well as 2024 MotorTrend Car of the Year. Two awards that a few years ago likely would never have crossed anyone's mind. Sure, the Prius is a pioneering hybrid, so technology was never its issue. However, its distinctive and polarizing style, that promised fuel efficiency more than it needed to, held it back. But that was before.

Exterior

Indeed the recently redesigned Prius looks far different from the second-generation hybrid that arrived on the scene in the early 2000s and helped it go mainstream. Even Hollywood was interested in the eco-friendly sedan, with the Prius attracting Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Portman.

Fast-forward roughly two decades, and it cannot be argued its recent makeover turned the Prius into the stylish sedan most of us never thought it could ever be. The roofline is two-inches lower than the previous generation giving it a sleeker, more modern distinctively aerodynamic silhouette.

2024-toyota-prius-prime-exteriors (1)

My Limited all-wheel drive test vehicle wears Reservoir Blue hue set against 19-inch lightweight aluminum alloy wheels with optional wheel locks. Up front, there are active grille shutters along with slim BI-LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.

Be forewarned you'll probably have to tell your rear seat passengers how to open the rear doors from the exterior as the door handles are untraditionally located and part of the window trim instead of on the door itself.

The back of the Prius continues the overall sleek and polished look, aided by a light bar stretching between the taillights. Prius LOGO lettering also looks great.

Performance

The Prius' fifth-generation 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain delivers 196-horsepower for all-wheel drive equipped models. It drops slightly to 194-hp for forward-wheel drive. The engine is paired with an Electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT). While off-the line acceleration is certainly ok, I'd like a bit more horsepower, (which you get with the plug-in Prius Prime which takes you to 220 hp.)

Interior

My Limited's two-toned interior gives off a clean, minimalistic vibe like the exterior. The 8-way power Gray SofTex driver seat with bolstering is comfortable, though the cushions are on the smaller side. The passenger must make do with a 6-way manually adjusting seat. Silver trim and glossy black trim adorns various areas. Though semi soft-touch door panels could benefit from a bit more texture or color.

2024-toyota-prime-interiors-2 (1)

If you're considering a new Prius it's critical to take a test drive in one to see if the seat and 7-inch digital tachometer set-up will work for you. The driver display's location, designed to be higher up and more line of sight that traditional displays, will dictate your seating, heated steering wheel adjustment and overall comfort. I still can't get quite used to it myself.

The Prius Limited benefits from a 12.3-inch touchscreen with excellent responsiveness and resolution. It runs Toyota's latest multi-media system that's compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also includes the "Hey Toyota" activated voice command system.

The whole system is fantastic. Be forewarned however that you will need a subscription to access navigation services. An 8-speaker JBL sound system replaces the Prius' standard 6-speaker system.

Below the display, you find traditional climate controls. A slim center console houses a short gear shift knob, two cupholders, two USB-Cs and a well-placed phone charger. There are also controls for various functions including the electric parking brake, auto brake hold and drive mode select.

A small center console bin houses another 2 USB-C ports. I'd wish for a thicker soft-touch material for the bin armrest.

Above there's a fixed glass roof with a manual sunshade.

A word about overall roominess. There is plenty of legroom, but the Prius falls a bit short on headroom especially in the 2nd-row due to its lower roofline and stadium-style seating.

60/40 rear split seats are optionally heated and will carry your passengers in comfort. There is a nice drop-down center armrest with cupholders in the second row along with soft seat back pockets, and 2 more UCB-C ports, but no A/C vents. High door panels have more plastic on them than in front.

2024-toyota-prius-back-seat-utility (1)

Cargo space is great, complete with a tonneau cover and cargo light, and the Limited is nicely equipped with a power liftback which I don't think I could do without as the liftback itself is on the heavy side. The optional cargo mat adds a nice element.

Ride and Drive

Engineers did a great job giving the current-generation Prius a refined, smooth ride and drive. That's due to a bunch of factors which include the newer, lighter, smaller battery which is placed under the rear seat to really optimize a low center of gravity. The Limited's larger wheels also improve ride quality, along with performance and handling. My model is also equipped with available all-wheel drive which always adds to a confident ride. All of this is to simply say the Prius is an easy and enjoyable sedan to drive. You can opt between Sport, Eco and Normal drive modes. Sport makes steering a bit more engaging.

Safety

The Prius lineup is equipped with Toyota's latest safety - TSS 3.0. This excellent suite of driver assistance systems includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beams, Proactive Driving Assist.

Other standard lineup safety features include Safe Exit Alert, Rear-Seat Reminder, Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert.

Limited is additionally equipped with available Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking. Advanced Park is an option in the Advanced Technology Package which also includes a panoramic view camera.

What You'll Pay

Options include a Digital Rearview Mirror ($200), an Advanced Technology Package ($1,085), heated rear seats ($350), carpeted floor mats and cargo mat ($299) and alloy wheel locks ($80). This brings the MSRP to $39,474 with destination.

Verdict

The 2024 Prius Limited brings style to the road along with an extremely fuel efficient and comfortable ride that makes this an award-winning, great daily driver.