2024 Toyota Prius XLE

For more than 20 years, the Toyota Prius has been lauded for its awesome fuel efficiency—and derided for its quirky looks. With the introduction of the fifth-generation Prius in 2023, however, the latter part of that statement is no longer true. That’s because the latest Prius received a complete cosmetic makeover, dramatically improving its appearance. But thankfully, some things don’t change. The Prius continues as the fuel-economy champ among hybrids, getting up to 57 mpg in combined city/highway driving, according to the EPA. That number is even more impressive when you consider that Toyota bumped up the Prius’ powertrain from 121 hp to 194 hp. The Prius remains a high-value vehicle as well. Our midlevel XLE-trim test car had an MSRP of $35,500, about 25 percent below the cost of the average new car. Desirable standard features on all Prius models include alloy wheels, LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 comprehensive set of advanced safety features. Alas, the Prius isn’t perfect. Arguably its most annoying quality is the amount of engine, road, and tire noise that gets into the cabin. Also, vision to the sides and rear is restricted by the slope of the roof; the view of the instrument cluster is obscured by the steering wheel; and the automatic climate control is only single-zone.