Used 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Hatchback Consumer Reviews
Used Prius Prime for sale
Thrifty Gem
John Castellano, 08/17/2017
updated 02/20/2019
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
Ideal for elderly retired couple that we are - don't do much or go very far. Though range is rated at 25 miles, we routinely get a bit more, mostly low speed and non-highway driving. In seven months of ownership we've used little gas. Should be also ideal for working stiffs who commute 25 miles round trip or 25 miles one-way with the capability to plug into standard 110V receptacle at place of employment. Gas saving was not the driver for buying the Prime but rather to experience the technology before we die at a price we can afford; availability and price precluded the Tesla, Bolt, or others. Having driven the Prime for nearly two years, we are no less happy with it than on day one. The only problem, a faulty charging cable, was under warranty and taken care of by Toyota.
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Excellent commuter car full of great features
Sharon, 08/13/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Cons: Acceleration is a bit sad, especially comparing to my previous vehicle which was a WRX. Cargo space is limited because of the battery (can fit large stroller and diaper bag in the trunk, but not much else). Pros: pretty much everything else. The room for passengers is generous. I can fit a rear-facing car seat behind the passenger seat, and my 5'11 husband still has plenty of room up front. After driving over 650 mi, I still have 80% of the gas that the dealer filled the tank with, since I plug in at home and at work. The ride is quiet and comfortable, controls are easy once you get used to them, it's packed with safety features, it has great expected reliability, there's no range anxiety, and it's more luxurious than I expect for the price (heated leatherette seats with lumbar support, huge touchscreen). It's a tremendous value. I was looking for a little commuter car, but the Prius Prime ended up in the same price range after an expected $6500 back in electric vehicle incentives. I get to decrease my carbon footprint, and it's way more affordable than similarly equipped entry level electric vehicles and most other plug in hybrids.
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2017 Toyota Prius Prime for sale near you
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- Advanced Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $20,800300 mi away
- Advanced Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $18,500460 mi away
- Premium Plug-In Hybrid 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $21,590478 mi away
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Everything we hoped for and more
Rick Just, 05/28/2017
updated 05/31/2018
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
We've had the car a year, now, and have put over 15,000 miles on it. We use it mostly around town, so rarely gas it up. I filled the tank in November. As I write this, I still have half a tank at the end of May. My wife has macular degeneration, so the extra driving help all the sensors provide are very useful. We can drive it across state touching only the steering wheel and turn signal on the interstate.
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Excellent Car - Poor man's Tesla
Alan, 06/08/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
No complaints so far - riding the Prime in EV mode is a joy. I did have a minor parking lot collision and the cost for OEM parts were very high - luckily covered by insurance.
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A millennial owner perspective 24,000 miles
jpep11, 10/21/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
11 of 13 people found this review helpful
I give Toyota credit for the car's styling. I grew up a car guy, into exotic sports cars, and always laughed at the Prius. Previous models looked ugly. When it came time to buy my first new car, all of a sudden, practicality set in and I wanted to make a smart purchase. The tax credit appealed to me, and so didn't the tech. Working in manufacturing, I appreciate and respect Toyota's manufacturing processes and felt I would be better off getting a well-built, reliable car with the Toyota over other brands. I also liked the fact that Toyota seems to always take care of their customers in the event of recalls. I remember my aunt getting a new truck when her frame had rusted on her T100. If there was going to be any problems with the car, I wanted to give my business to a manufacturer that would make things right with me, the buyer. I was also really attracted to the looks of the Prime - I don't believe I'm that crazy to say the front end looks similar to Acura's new NSX supercar. My first impression was great - the handling and power (especially with a charge in power mode) surprised me. I had an Audi A4 with Quattro AWD before, so the handling in winter (New Hampshire) wasn't as good as my Audi, but that's to be expected. I also don't like the glare on the touchscreen or how easily the acrylic front bumper chips and cracks. I literally have a hole in mine from a rock that kicked up. When I went to fix this, I found out that it is only sold as the entire grille sub-assembly for $550, so I drive around with a hole in my bumper now. To see what I'm talking about, I filmed this to show: https://youtu.be/dLOSR0gQ84M . The ground clearance is also really low which I think makes it look good, but I've scrapped my bumper multiple times so if you have a steep driveway or go over speedbumps often, consider the ground clearance. The low ground clearance also makes it get stuck in the snow easily. I don't have a garage so after a snowstorm, the snow will pack underneath the car and make it nearly impossible to get unstuck. If you have a charge, it defaults to EV mode too, which will not allow the wheels to spin, so you press the accelerator to try getting unstuck, and literally nothing happens. It is extremely frustrating. If you live where there is snow, make sure you plow or shovel a path. I no longer charge mine though, because it is less expensive for me to run on gasoline than to charge it (I have flat-rate electric rates, so I can't take advantage of off-peak hours). If you have flat-rates too, do the math to figure out what makes most sense, do not assume that plugging in will save you money. Plugging in or not, its still a great car and I have averaged 52 mpg over 24,000 miles, nearly all of which were in hybrid mode with no charge. I also drive on the interstate to and from work so that's also at highway speeds. When I tried to get good fuel economy on a recent 317 mile road trip, I was able to get 77.3 mpg without a charge: https://youtu.be/8fAm7YuebWU . The fuel mileage, tech, futuristic looks, and the fact that its a Toyota, and my experience so far, would make me buy this car again and recommend to most people that they get one too, but pay attention to the low ground clearance and snow concerns.
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