Skip advert
Advertisement

Toyota Prius Plug-in

The Toyota Prius Plug-in offers staggering fuel economy, but is it worth the premium over a regular Prius?

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£1,186 off RRP*
Find your Toyota Prius
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Prius Plug-in is an excellent all-round eco car, with space, practicality and outstanding fuel consumption. It takes advantage of its EV capabilities to make an excellent short-distance commuter, yet because it's a hybrid, you don't have to suffer from range anxiety. It shares the regular Prius' bland driving experience, but in the name of economy, it's an outstanding real-world eco car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Is this the best Toyota Prius on sale? The all-new Plug-in version promises greater economy, as its more efficient batteries give an even longer electric-only range. The car is Toyota’s answer to range-extenders like the Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt – and it undercuts them, too, at £27,895 after the £5,000 Government EV grant (the Ampera costs £33,995 after the same discount).

On the outside, this Prius looks like any other, with only minor touches like the chrome front bumper details, silver number plate shroud on the bootlid and badging setting it apart. But under the skin, new lithium-ion batteries replace the regular nickel versions, and they take the electric-only range from around two miles to 15 miles.

After testing 600 plug-in research vehicles in Europe 
over the past few years, Toyota found that most had an average daily journey of 12.5 miles – so the Prius Plug-in should be able to complete most commutes 
on electric power. It takes just 
90 minutes to charge, and this can be done at a regular socket. But if the battery runs flat, the Plug-in behaves like a regular Prius, running on petrol power, 
so there’s no range anxiety.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Prius

2020 Toyota

Prius

34,796 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £16,200
View Prius
Prius

2020 Toyota

Prius

6,933 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £18,000
View Prius
Prius

2020 Toyota

Prius

39,295 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £16,951
View Prius
Prius

2020 Toyota

Prius

50,351 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £17,500
View Prius

Due to the batteries’ greater range, however, the petrol engine – which is the same 1.8-litre as used in the Prius – doesn’t have to cut in as often, and won’t use as much fuel. Toyota claims a staggering economy figure of 134.5mpg, backed up by CO2 emissions of 49g/km. The Prius’ 72mpg and 89g/km suddenly don’t look quite so impressive.

Advertisement - Article continues below

But all this comes at a cost: 
the batteries add 50kg of weight to the package and 0.9 seconds to the 0-62mph time, taking the latter to 11.3 seconds. There’s also the price: the standard Prius range kicks off at £21,600, which is a massive £6,295 cheaper. Still, the £27,895 Prius 
Plug-in is based on the top-
spec T Spirit, so you get plenty 
of kit for the money, including sat-nav, Bluetooth, a head-up display, JBL stereo and leather seats. 

The driving experience is 
near-identical, too. You can switch between full EV and hybrid modes, an EV City setting – which requires a more forceful right foot to get the petrol engine to cut in – and an Eco mode that makes the throttle softer to conserve energy.

The steering is accurate and light, the ride comfortable (even though it thumps a bit over bumps) and overall the Prius 
is easy to drive. The only real 
negative is the drone from 
the engine due to the CVT 
gearbox, but that’s the 
same with the regular car.

The big question is whether the Plug-in is worth the extra? You’ll have to do your sums. If you do frequent short trips, you’ll hardly spend anything on petrol. Plus, drivers will benefit from the likely drop in the threshold for road tax exemption from 99g/km to 85g/km, and those in London will be able to cash in when the Congestion Charge threshold falls to 80g/km at the end of this year. Outside the capital, however, you’re probably still better off with the regular Prius.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius

RRP £37,425Avg. savings £1,186 off RRP*Used from £33,499
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £8,094 off RRP*Used from £13,199
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,310 off RRP*Used from £12,420
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,513 off RRP*Used from £5,500
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025
New Volkswagen ID.3 Match 2025 review: attractive price boosts EV’s appeal
Volkswagen ID.3 Pure Match - front

New Volkswagen ID.3 Match 2025 review: attractive price boosts EV’s appeal

The value-focused Volkswagen ID.3 Match performs well and is easy to live with
Road tests
28 Apr 2025