I must admit, it’s fun to explore the 2013 Toyota Prius given its gasoline engine, incredibly high mileage and the lowest operating cost of any car. Not only does it have superior fuel economy, but it also has a spacious back seat and cargo space along with top-notch safety features. Although the acceleration may not be the fastest, this all new Prius Plug-In hybrid is smooth, innovative and remarkably eco-friendly making it worth the investment.
If you are a hybrid kind of person, this might be an option for you. The Prius Plug-In unites a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with a powerful electric drive motor. It also gets 50 mpg, so if you run out of electric charge, it shifts to hybrid mode. It’s estimated that you would save $7,600 in fuel costs over 5 years when compared to the average new vehicle.
And even more amazing are its safety components. Standard safety technologies include anti-lock brakes with brake assist, vehicle stability and traction control systems and a tire pressure monitor, as well as front side-impact airbags, front and rear overhead curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag. A rear backup monitor is also available, and the optional Advanced Technology Package offers a pre-collision system, radar cruise control, lane keep assist, heads up display, advanced parking guidance and a Safety Connect with Mayday system. However, rear vision is decent, but should be promising once drivers get used to the horizontal line that appears in the rear-view mirror due to the two part rear window. Toyota also offers its own Intelligent Parking Assist., which steers the car into a parallel-parking space. In this case, the driver provides the acceleration and braking while the software steers the car automatically.
Not only does this all new Toyota Prius Plug-In have superior fuel efficiency and safety features, but it also has a nice interior and overall exterior. It started with its 2004 model, and since then hasn’t changed shape, but it is undeniably unique in construction. The Prius gained a mild front-end restyling that added LED daytime running lights to updated headlamps, with slight taillights as well. Most of the interior features hard plastic, though patterned and grained in such a way that it works well with the design theme. Overall, the fabrics and materials of the Prius interior have the appearance of an inexpensive economy car, and there is limited knee room for tall drivers.
This 2013 Plug-In Prius drives quietly with little wind noise. This is all due to its aerodynamic drag. However, there are some faults when it comes to the drive of this hybrid. It has a slow acceleration, and when the car is driven hard, the high-revving engine ruins its quiet nature.
The 2013 Toyota Plug-In Prius seems promising given its large cargo and backseat space, safety features and its incredible fuel efficiency, but that’s only if you aren’t so concerned with its slow acceleration and less than desirable interior. Overall I would consider buying it because of how much money I would save in gas.
