There are a number of plug-in hybrid SUVs. But there are very car PHEVs, unless you move up to the luxury brands. The Honda Clarity and original Hyundai Ioniq are gone. The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV is the only one left. So, why did it survive where the others have failed?
Performance
Engine – The Toyota Prius is no longer called the Prime. This version is now referred to as the PHEV. I guess new customers to Toyota don’t know what Prime means?!
Anyway, under the hood is the same 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine as the standard hybrid version of the Prius. But in the PHEV version, it is aided by a more powerful electric motor to provide a combined output of 220 hp (164 kW). Toyota doesn’t say the combined torque but the engine torque is 139 lb-ft (188 Nm).
With a curb weight of 1,595 kg (3,516 lbs), the Prius PHEV feels pretty quick off the line. Obviously, it won’t set any drag time records but in city traffic, it never feels as though it needs more power. It’s the same story when merging or overtaking on a highway. Put your foot down and the Prius builds speed gradually. You can also drive the Prius PHEV on highway whilst using only electricity as the electric motor is powerful enough. Just make sure you plan an overtake move ahead of time as the acceleration is not as quick as when the engine is also providing power.
The Prius PHEV has an Auto HEV/EV mode which will let the computer decide the best use for the battery charge. EV mode allows the Prius to drive just on electricity while HEV mode lets the Prius behave like a traditional hybrid. It will hold the battery charge and alternate between using the engine to accelerate up to speed and the electric motor to keep it going at speed for brief periods.
Battery, Range, & Charging – The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV has a 13.6 kWh battery pack which allows it to drive for up to 72 km (45 Miles) while using only electricity. The top spec XSE trim has a slightly lower estimated range of 64 km (40 Miles) which I can only assume is because of the larger wheels. I managed to squeeze 70 km (43 Miles) out of a full charge with climate control running at all times and an observed efficiency of 18.5 kWh/100km (3.36 Miles/kWh). Recharging the battery takes approximately 4 hours from a level 2 charger and about 11 hours from a regular wall socket.
Fuel Economy – If you drive the 2026 Prius PHEV with a depleted battery or in the HEV mode, then it is rated to return up to 4.4 L/100km (53.4 MPG) in a city and 4.6 L/100km (51.1 MPG) on a highway. These numbers are slightly higher for the XSE trim. While in this hybrid mode, I averaged around 4.3 L/100km (54.7 MPG). With constant charging, my overall fuel economy figure for the week with the car was 2.7 L/100km (87.1 MPG).
Transmission – Like many other hybrid vehicles, the 2026 Prius utilizes an eCVT automatic. This transmission does a great job of helping the engine achieve the low fuel economy figures. It will hold the engine rpms while the car is accelerating and then drop them down as quickly as possible to increase the fuel efficiency.
Braking – The battery gets recharged partially through regenerative braking. The Prius PHEV does not have adjustable levels of regen braking like in some other hybrids, and instead it’s all controlled through the brake pedal. However, you can switch the gear selector to “B” and have a strong regen mode. The good thing is that the switch between regen braking and the physical brakes is seamless. Additionally, the brakes provide an adequate amount of braking force under emergency situations but the pedal travel is on the long side.
Handling – The Toyota Prius was never designed to be a fun car on a twisty road. This one is the same. But with that being said, this new generation Prius handles quite well around corners. Steering is sharp and the car doesn’t give you the feeling that it’s going through a corner at 45 degrees. There are definitely more fun-to-drive mainstream cars out there but this Toyota Prius is surprising and a huge improvement compared to the previous generation. Unlike the regular hybrid Prius, this PHEV version does not have an AWD system. It is FWD only.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV has a compliant ride over most roads. Moderately sized potholes and road imperfections are absorbed well by the suspension. It’s only the roughest of roads that spoil the ride of the Prius but then again, it would take S-class levels of luxury to cope with those types of roads.The front seats provide adequate support as well as cushioning. The rear seats are also comfortable but space becomes an issue for some.
Interior Space – In the front, tall adults like myself at 6’4”, have enough space. Legroom is more than plentiful and headroom is good so long as the seat is lowered. Unfortunately, this new generation Prius has a lower roofline than the previous which does impede on interior headroom. In the back seats, this lack of head space is much more noticeable. But at least legroom is decent with my knees brushing against the back of the front seat behind my tall driving position.
The trunk accommodates 575 L (20.3 cu-ft) of space. That is a significant drop compared to the previous generation’s 776 L (27.4 cu-ft). There is some small item storage under the trunk floor and the rear seats can fold down 60/40. It does not have a spare wheel and instead uses a tire repair kit.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – In everyday, rush hour traffic, the 2023 Toyota Prius is generally a quiet car. On highways, you do notice a bit more tire and wind noise but more so tire noise. When the engine turns on, you can feel the action but only if you pay very, very close attention for it. Otherwise, it’ll never bother you and you won’t notice it. What you will notice is how buzzy it can get when it is under load. When going up a steep hill or overtaking on a highway, it could be louder than the stereo system.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV starts at $40,050 CAD ($33,775 USD) for the SE trim. The XSE starts at $44,785 CAD ($37,025 USD) with the XSE Premium costing $48,535 CAD ($40,470 USD). The one I got to drive was the XSE with the Nightshade package which cost an additional $895 CAD ($770 USD).
Gadgets – The 2026 Prius is packed with more technology than ever before. The usual features are still present like heated front & rear seats, heated steering wheel, automatic climate control, wireless phone charging pad, keyless entry with push button start, power driver’s seat with memory, and so on.
But it now has a lot of extra convenience features such as ventilated front seats, a dual-pane fixed sunroof, surround view cameras (that can display an invisible car), a rear camera mirror, a large 12.3” touchscreen, power liftgate (which is no longer made out of carbon fiber like before), and a parking assist feature.
The infotainment system is Toyota’s latest which looks good and is intuitive to use. If you’re coming from the older system, take 10-15 minutes to play around with this new one and it’ll become very familiar. It allows for wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto and you’ll want to use those systems if you want navigation. Toyota’s new infotainment has a subscription based navigation system. This demo vehicle did have it enabled and it looks quite similar to Google Maps. The one thing that irks me is that the map settings are always reset every time you move away from the navigation screen.
Interior Design – One of the most polarizing changes to the interior of the 2026 Toyota Prius is the new driver instrument cluster. It is positioned far away from the steering wheel and close to the bottom of the windshield. This allows the digital display to be closer to the driver’s field of vision when looking ahead. However, it has a huge problem. No matter how you adjust the steering wheel, it either blocks a portion of the display or the steering wheel is touching your legs. Worse yet, if you’re the type that likes to hold the steering wheel at the 12 position, your hand will completely block the driver instrumentation screen.
The rest of the interior is a nice update over the last generation. The climate controls are still physical, the touchscreen is large but not over the top, and there’s even a strip of ambient lighting incorporated into the dash. I also get the feeling that Toyota is aiming this car towards millennials and early Gen Z as there are printed hashtags on some parts of the interior. There’s a “#WirelessCharging” strip if you look inside the phone holder and there’s “#SecretCompartment” under the lid in front of the gear selector.
Exterior Design – The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV looks as though it belongs in 2077. This is one of the most stylish cars on sale today, and it’s an eco car, not a sports car. I particularly like the double slit daytime running lights. There are also little details such as the portion of the body just in front of the rear wheels that folds in on itself which seems to direct air under the car.
Safety – The 2026 Prius comes equipped with every available safety & driver aid on both trim levels except for the surround view cameras & the advanced park assist feature. Everything else such as emergency braking, blind spot sensors, full-speed range adaptive cruise control, auto high beams, lane departure warning with steering assist, and so on are all standard.
Warranty – The 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty while the battery itself is covered by a 10 year / 240,000 km warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here. (Scroll to bottom of page)
Conclusion – In the end, this is not your parents Prius anymore. It looks like something you’d actually want to own, it’s the most powerful version of the Prius yet but without sacrificing fuel economy, and it can be equipped with every feature that one would want in a city car. Why is it the only PHEV car left on the market? First off it’s a Toyota so it should last longer than anything else. But I suspect the biggest reason is the manufacturers who are betting their money on EVs. Whereas Toyota is putting their chips in the hybrid basket. Either way, this one is the best of the ones that survived.
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the Prius PHEV. www.Toyota.ca
2026 Toyota Prius PHEV Gallery
