Payne: Toyota Prius 2020 Edition celebrates 20 years as a electric icon

Posted by Talbot Payne on January 21, 2021

Slipping into the 2021 Toyota Prius special edition one night, I stared into the black abyss behind the steering wheel. No gauges. No instrument display. Just dashboard.

It’s a reminder the Prius is the O.G. The godfather of Tesla Inc.’s Model 3.

Toe celebrate 20 years in the US market, the 2021 Toyota Prius gets a 2020 Edition (confusing I know) to celebrate. 2020 versions will be built.

Prius was the first battery-powered vehicle to sell 100,000 units in the U.S. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine Tesla and the dozens of other electron burners available today without the old-school hybrid Toyota. Before the Tesla moved all functions to its center screen, Prius moved its twin screens to the center console. Before Tesla was the green darling, the “Pious” was the must-have tree-hugger accessory. Before Tesla rocketed from 0-60 mph in sub-3 seconds, well. . . .

That was how Tesla transformed EVs. With performance that motorheads like yours truly couldn’t ignore. Prius, on the other hand, was always the class geek. Tesla owners have posters of Chris Hemsworth on their wall, Prius owners ogle. . . Urkel. Its battery was channeled for efficiency. Stomp the gas pedal and the Prius yawned to 60 mph in 13.7 seconds.

My latest gen, the 2021 Prius, is dubbed the “2020 Edition” to celebrate its 20 years as a U.S. icon.

Before the Tesla Model 3, the Toyota Prius was the first car to move the instrument display to the center of the dash.

Even as Prius sales have plummeted from a high of 236,655 in 2012 to a low of 43,525 last year, its hybrid torch has been picked up by more mainstream badges like Toyota’s best-selling RAV4 SUV. RAV4 hybrid sales eclipsed Prius in 2019, and even hybrid RAV4s outsold standard RAV4s for a time last year.

With their long range and peppy low-end torque, hybrid SUVs like the RAV4 and Ford Escape Sport have become affordable family options — and they don’t make owners look like geeks.

Despite its sporty XLE trim with blacked-out grille and wheels, my Prius tester still reveled in its nerdiness. For its fourth generation, 2015 remake, Prius shed its potato profile for the sci-fi geek look, Tron tail lights, raked profile like a Jedi Starfighter, Pikachu fascia.

I liked it.

In this era of lookalike SUVs and soap-bar sedans, Prius stands out, as a halo car should. The look only further polarizes Prius as the nerd at the high school ball, but get it on the dance floor and it can cut some rug. Credit a switch away from Prius’ original wet noodle chassis to the tighter TNGA platform common to other Toyota sedans.

The innovative interior of the Toyota Prius includes both screens located in the center console - and a gear shifter high on the dash to open console space.

The interior is much improved too. Gone is the toilet-bowl white console that greeted us in 2015. Prius XLE has a proper gray-with-black trimmed console — its horizontal dash design shared with big brother Toyota Highlander (which in turn borrows Prius’ hybrid tech).

The high-place instrument display offers useful graphic displays, including fuel-sipping stats. There’s a Tesla-like digital readout for mph — no tachometer needed. Not that you would ever need it as Prius’ 0-60 sprint is still a 9.8-second crawl.

The display also illustrates what gear you’re in — a helpful guide since the shifter sticks out of the console like a joy stick.

The back seat remains cramped for 6-footers like yours truly. But over its 20 years, Prius has made significant changes. Introduced as a sedan, it became a more utilitarian hatchback in 2003. It gained Eco and Power modes in 2009. Speaking of Power mode, my favorite Prius upgrade was undertaken by New York mod shop America Racing Headers, which stuffed an 800-horse Hellcat engine under the hood. Called the SRT8, they bring it to the Dream Cruise each year to drag race down Woodward.

The Toyota Prius has always been tight on rear legroom for 6-footers like Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne.

The standard Prius may have been replaced by Tesla as class hottie, but don’t count out its hybrid tech. As battery-powered cars mature, owners may return to hybrids for their ease-of-use. Never once did I worry about range.

Over two decades, Prius has gained 6 mpg in efficiency over the 50 mpg original. At 44 mpg I didn’t come close to depleting its 540-mile range tank — but if I had, I would simply have pulled into a gas station.

My experience with electrics is different — I’m always aware of my range should I need a recharge to reach my destination. Purists scorn hybrids for using the demon gas, but it’s an easier solution for the earth-conscious given that Prius can use existing fueling infrastructure. Easier on the planet? Hybrids are easier on the nerves.

You can floor the Prius around town anytime you want, while too much lead-footing a Tesla will drain your battery.

Alas, it won’t you get any looks from Chris Hemsworth.

2021 Toyota Prius

Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger hatchback

Price: $25,520, including $995 destination charge ($30,870 2020 Edition as tested)

Powerplant: 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine with nickel-metal-hydride battery and AC motor assist

Power: 121 horsepower combined

Transmission: Continuously variable transmission

Performance: 0-60 mph, 9.8 seconds (Motor Trend); top speed, 112 mph

Weight: 3,100 pounds (est.)

Fuel economy: EPA 23 mpg city/33 highway/27 combined

Report card

Highs: No range anxiety hybrid driving; funky interior

Lows: Snail-like acceleration; tight back seat

Overall: 3 stars

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