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YARMOUTH PORT, Mass. – Toyota now offers hybrid powertrains in the majority of its cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs, but the vehicle which put Toyota’s hybrid technology into the American mainstream was the Prius. I recently spent a week in a new model – what Toyota calls a grade – the 2025 Prius Nightshade AWD.
The Nightshade grade indicates black trim, including a black finish for the alloy wheels, producing a striking contrast to the mustard-painted five door in my driveway. The low, angular, new futuristic, car evoked comments like this is really sporty from a non-auto-enthusiast guest, further evidence of the strides Toyota has made from the ungainly four-door which started the Prius-hybrid revolution in 1997.
Driving a 2025 Prius does not mark its owner as a nerd.
Three motors and an ICE
The latest iteration of the Prius, introduced in 2023, features the fifth generation of the company’s hybrid powertrain, one which provided both excellent performance with superb fuel economy.
The internal-combustion portion of the powertrain is a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, aluminum-block and head, double-overhead camshaft (DOHC), 16-valve engine. The ICE produces 150 horsepower and 139 pounds-feet of torque.
Toyota added three electric motors to create the hybrid system. A compact high-output/low-loss drive motor for the transaxle/motor uses a six magnet and electromagnetic steel plate configuration to support drive functions with 111 horsepower and 150 pounds-feet of torque. This motor, along with a smaller one, also act as generators to charge the 4.08 Ampere hour lithium-ion battery.
The third motor onboard AWD Prius models, an interior permanent magnet one producing 40 horsepower and 62 pounds-feet of torque, provides rear-wheel power.
The combined output of the hybrid system is 196 horsepower as the onboard computer controllers determine the most efficient combination of engine/motor use depending upon driver input, sensor readings and selected drive modes (Normal, Eco and Sport) including an EV one which allows for pure electric operation.
Part of this efficient operation was the result of Toyota’s Electronically Controlled Brake system, which coordinates operation between the regenerative braking force of the electric motors and the hydraulic braking system force to provide optimal stopping power. By proactively using the electric motors to recover as much electrical energy as possible from the regenerative braking system, this efficient cooperative control helps to maximize fuel economy.
Operating efficiency remains a major goal of any hybrid vehicle, the Prius being a prime example. The Nightshade went approximately 52 miles on each gallon of gasoline during my time behind the wheel. This bested the federal Environmental Protection Agency rating of 49 mpg overall (49 urban, 50 highway).
Producing this level of fuel efficiency comes without penalizing performance. The latest Prius AWD managed 0-60 miles-per-hour times in the 7, 7.1-second range in testing by several automotive-enthusiast publications. This is far superior to previous generations which often struggled to perform in the single-digit range.
The platform works
The suspension system of the 2025 Prius is straightforward, including MacPherson-type struts and stabilizer bar up front and a multi-link setup with stabilizer bar in the rear. Steering is electrically assisted, rack-and-pinion with a turning circle of 35.4 feet between curbs.
The electronically controlled friction braking system features 12-inch vented rotors up front and 11-inch solid ones in the rear. This braking system provides the heart of the Toyota Star Safety System™ which includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Anti-lock Brake System, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist and Smart Stop Technology®.
The friction brakes operate with the black-finished alloy wheels wearing 195/50R19 all-season tires.
The sum of these parts, including the 196-horsepower powertrain and low-slung stance, is a car which is fun to drive aggressively on twisting roads, all the time knowing you are getting nearly 50 miles to every gallon of gas! This is an incredible combination hybrids can provide.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 headlines ADAS
The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 with Pre-Collision system headlines the advance driver-assistance systems (ADAS) of the 2025 Prius Nightshade. These include Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection; Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control; Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist; Auto High Beams; Road Sign Assist; Lane Tracing Assist, and Proactive Driving Assist.
In addition, the Nightshade features blind-spot monitor, cross-traffic alert, and front & rear parking assist with automatic emergency braking (AEB).
Cabin provides modern comfort, features
The 2025 Prius is a low, four-door sedan. Once lowered into the driver’s seat (electrically adjusted, including lumbar support, with heat, like the front-passenger one), the dash view is modern, futuristic – all angles and straight planes.
The seven-inch customizable digital information cluster sits high enough on the dash behind the manually adjustable steering wheel a head-up display would be redundant.
At the top, center of the dash is an optional ($735) 12.3-inch color LCD touchscreen at the heart of the infotainment system (entitled Toyota Audio Multimedia system) and vehicle-system control (an eight-inch screen is standard). Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Bluetooth-streaming audio, all playing through a six-speaker sound system.
Other interior features include six USB-C ports, wireless mobile-device charger, and, letting in the sunshine, an optional ($1,000) large fixed-glass roof panel.
The Prius price
The 2025 Toyota Prius range consists of four grades (or models) of sedans, two available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive configurations, two with standard AWD. The entry-level version, at $28,530, is the FWD LE grade while the AWD Limited, at $36,965, represents the top model.
The 2025 Toyota Prius Nightshade I drove carried a base price of $34,200. The two options (12.3-inch touchscreen at $735 and fixed-glass roof at $1,000) plus the $1,135 delivery, processing and handling fee brought the as-reviewed total to $37,070.
If your needs and desires are for a sedan rather than a SUV and the thought of great fuel economy coupled with good performance appeals to you, the Prius Nightshade would make an excellent, solid-value choice.
TBR Drive will be on hiatus for the next few weeks.
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