2012 Toyota Prius Review

2012 Toyota Prius Review

Bruce Sheridan

Overview

The 2012 Toyota Prius is the face of hybrid vehicles, and has been the best selling hybrid vehicle in America by far. Since the year 2000, the Toyota has sold over a million Prius units in the United States. The 2012 Prius is not redesigned for this year, but has several key improvements over its previous models.

Recent years have brought a big shift of focus for car buyers across the nation. Once just an afterthought, gas mileage is now one of the most important factors of new car sales . Not only that, but cars are expected to be packed with the latest technology and still be fun to drive and practical for your needs.

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The 2012 Toyota Prius hits the nail on the head for many of these factors. It sports the second best gas mileage of any gasoline burning vehicle; first place belongs to the smaller Toyota Prius C. It also comes with a plethora of technological and safety features, both standard and optional.

With a C and V model branching off of the original Prius model, Toyota looks like they have invested a lot in their flagship hybrid vehicle. It has been one of the best choices for years now, and it shows no sign of slowing down now.

2012 Toyota Prius

Starting MSRP	Max City / Hwy MPG
$23,015	51 / 48

Pros	Cons
Best MPG	Unexciting drive
Best selling hybrid	Polarizing exterior
Cargo room
Technology options

Trims

The 2012 Prius comes in five different trims, each creatively named in numeric order. With each next trim comes more standard equipment along with more luxury and comfort features. There is not a huge price differential between the One and the Five, and there isn't a significant difference in performance, so it is really up to what you want and what you can afford.

Prius Trims
Name	MSRP	Engine	Best MPG City / Hwy
One	$23,015	Hybrid 1.8L 4-cyl	51 / 48
Two	$24,000	Hybrid 1.8L 4-cyl	51 / 48
Three	$25,565	Hybrid 1.8L 4-cyl	51 / 48
Four	$28,235	Hybrid 1.8L 4-cyl	51 / 48
Five	$29,805	Hybrid 1.8L 4-cyl	51 / 48

Performance

The Prius is not a sports car, to say the least. If you expect to be blown away and have a white knuckled driving experience, you will be disappointed. However, for a vehicle that delivers so much affordable efficiency, it is still enjoyable to drive. The 2012 Toyota Prius comes with a 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid engine that gives it 134 horsepower and 105 lb/ft of torque. It has this same engine for all of its trims.

Interior / Exterior

The appearance of the Prius has been very divisive since its inception. Whether you like or dislike the appearance, it is pretty easily recognizable as a Prius. Toyota maintains that the design is exceptionally aerodynamic and greatly helps its gas mileage, so it has that going for it.

On the inside, the Prius can wow you right away with the amount of technology features. The console design is brimming with space age looking displays and controls. A pleasant surprise is its spacious interior, which provides ample cargo room in the back and even comfortable space for taller passengers.

Features

The 2012 Toyota Prius is a very well equipped vehicle, even at its base model. A 6.1 inch display radio and audio system with USB and iPod connectivity, cruise control and power windows are standard across the board. As you go up in the trims, more and more features become standard issue, like the rear view camera at the Three trim and heated seats at the Four trim. One of the more innovative options is the solar roof option, which can power itself to ventilate the cabin.

Safety

The 2012 Toyota Prius got excellent safety scores from both the federal government and the International Institute for Highway Safety. The government gave the Prius four out of five stars on the front and rollover tests and five on the side impact, which got it an overall five out of five score. The IIHS gave it a perfect score and gave it a Top Safety Pick for 2012.

The Prius comes with all the standard safety features, and it also comes with a number of optional safety features. Some of these features include the Safety Connect system and Intelligent Parking Assist.