2016 Toyota Prius 1.8L VVTi CVT FWD (122 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Toyota’s engineers burned the midnight oil and released the fourth generation of the Prius in early 2016 in Las Vegas, and the new model surprised everyone again.

In two decades since the initial model’s launch, the Prius became a phenomenon, with over 3.5 million units sold worldwide. From the ugly-duck-looking first generation to the fourth, it evolved constantly. It started from an embarrassing over-14 seconds acceleration time from zero to 60 mph (0-97 kph) to a decent sub-ten time for the same test. It reached an iconic status, a statement for those who wanted to pollute less and still enjoy their daily commuter vehicle even on longer travels. Toyota revolutionized the automotive industry with its gasoline-electric car, and other automakers had already begun to follow the same steps. However, there was one side that was often overlooked by the automaker: the exterior design. Even though the third generation of the Prius was less bland, it still didn’t shine, and there were few who bought it just because it was an attractive car. With the fourth generation, the Prius started to become exciting not just to look at but also to drive it.

The 2016 Toyota Prius came with a sharper-looking front fascia featuring intriguing-shaped headlights that breached into the bumper. Furthermore, these were using LED technology, which dramatically improved the night driving experience. Its angular styling matched the car’s futuristic look and technology. Like its predecessor, the fourth generation of the Prius had the carmaker’s badge attached to a beak-like element of the bumper, taking a small side of the wide grille. Lower, the automaker placed an additional air intake that ended on the lower side with a lip spoiler.

With its liftback styling and Kamback design, the Prius was instantly recognizable on the streets. However, Toyota pushed even harder on the styling team, which created an ascending shoulder line stretched from the A-pillars to the rear deck. The curved roofline ended in a sloped panoramic rear window, which was already a design signature of the Prius, and Toyota didn’t want to spoil that. However, it chose to upgrade the car’s profile with sculptured doors and an aerodynamic package that included side winglets-type elements in front of the rear wheels. Like in the 2011 model year, the fourth generation of the Prius came fitted with a set of 15-inch alloy wheels as standard, with an option for a set of 17-inch ones. Finally, at the back, the car featured LED taillights with a vertical, blade-like design.

Inside, the TNGA platform used by Toyota allowed the Prius access to multiple enhancements in the interior as well. Besides the longer wheelbase, which resulted in more legroom for the rear-seated passengers, the car boasted a high level of onboard technology. It also featured the TSS (Toyota Safety Senses) bundle that included pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, radar-based dynamic cruise control, and automatic high beams. Ever since the Prius’ first generation, Toyota installed the instrument panel in the middle of the dashboard, closer to the windshield, and that’s where it placed it even on the fourth generation of the Prius. In addition, it included a head-up display, which was a relief for those who had trouble looking for numbers on a digital display. In addition, atop the center stack, the car featured a touchscreen for Toyota’s Entune multimedia system with nine JBL speakers as an option.

The 2016 Toyota Prius was powered by an improved drivetrain. Its naturally aspirated 1.8-liter inline-four engine was mated to an electric motor for a combined total output of 124 PS (122 hp). This power source sent its torque to the front wheels via an electronically-controlled CVT (eCVT), leading to an optimized power flow and lower fuel consumption.