Used 2018 Toyota Prius Prime Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Prius Prime, so we've included reviews for other years of the Prius Prime since its last redesign.
The Prius We Always Wanted
Bob Wilson, 03/02/2017
updated 09/08/2020
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
50 of 50 people found this review helpful
In March 26, 2019, we traded it in for a Standard Range Plus Model 3 and got $18,300. It had become 'driveway art' as our BMW i3-REx was more useful. Bought in Rhode Island, I drove it 1,200 miles home; 21 hours sitting comfortable and listening to iPhone tunes; 55.7 MPG; one fuel stop at 600 miles; dynamic cruise control followed high-balling trucks, and; the radar looking through the rain and fog of the Poconos at I-81 speeds. It automatically paired with my iPhone 5s. Once home, the second tank ran 699 miles at 60 MPG. The second week, 7 days and 301 miles EV with 2/3ds using 'free' chargers around town, ~$2.50 out of pocket. In EV, it scoots around traffic without a problem using MG1 and MG2 as if they were a single motor. At a light off the line, it instantly, silently, shames the noise machines. Taken fast, the suspension flattens 'speed bumps'. Great visibility, it no longer feels like being in a foxhole and finally the outside, review mirrors cover the lanes on both sides. It is the first Prius strangers have volunteered that 'it looks good.' Unlike the driving folklore around our Gen-1 and Gen-3 Prius, the Prius Prime does everything without tricks. For example, engine warm-up, the bane of all Prius, the Prime handles by running in EV while the engine gently warms up. Then a couple of minutes later, the warmed engine is giving over 60 MPG in the city. The third tank went 2100 miles using EV around town. Free EVs chargers at stores and restaurants covered 1/3d of those miles. Then a recent, 400 mile round trip to Knoxville and back at 58 MPG. I used radar cruise control through thick fog following local (and loco) drivers. The odometer shows 6850 miles with lifetime 105 MPG.
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One month in and I'm very happy
Mike C, 11/23/2018
2018 Toyota Prius Prime Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
29 of 29 people found this review helpful
I bought a Prius Prime about a month ago and have been using it to do my 20-mile (each way) commute since then. I charge it overnight using a regular 120v plug next to my driveway. I wanted a no-nonsense commuting car that would be reliable. I leased two other Toyota hybrids before this: a Camry and a Rav4. It came down to the Prime vs. the Chevy Volt. I liked the much longer EV range of the Chevy and many reviews said that it was zippier than the Prius. In the end, though, I went with the Prius because I'm pretty sold on Toyota reliability. So far the car has met or exceeded my expectations. It gets about 20-25 miles on a full electric charge and I've found the MPG while running on gas to be anywhere in the 50-60 range. The driving is not spectacular but I've seen reviews who said its acceleration is too slow to be safe and that is just complete nonsense. It's fine. It's comfortable inside and I'm loving the adaptive cruise control that comes standard. It makes cruise control practical in a metropolitan region like mine (NY suburb). I'll mention three minor annoyances that I've encountered so far: 1. the engine is a bit loud when running on gas mode 2. The car makes an annoying beeping sound inside of the cabin (not outside) while backing up. 3. The trim around the bottom of the car is very low to the ground so it scrapes against the ground when I'm turning into my (steep) driveway from the street. Other than that, I'm happy with my choice. I went a full three weeks commuting and running errands before I had to fill the tank, which is awesome! The last thing I will mention is that what you get with the "base" trim is great - heated seats, all of the radar safety-stuff, and so on. It's a good deal. Sorry, one more positive and two negatives. The positive: I'm 6'2" and I fit just fine in the front. The negatives: very limited storage space in the hatchback and only two seats in the rear.
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Prius prime advanced far better than the last
Pdx guy, 02/14/2017
updated 02/16/2024
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid CVT)
44 of 45 people found this review helpful
Updates 2/2024 - at 185,000 miles and still running strong. Only problems I had was bad rear struts causing tire cupping. It’s doable to fix. And I had one rear wheel bearing go out. I consider this one of my best reliable vehicles to date. I have a 2014 forester and it’s been a serious money pit. Get this Prius if you want reliability. So far my favorite generation. The seats are very comfortable. It achieves what you want it to do. Which is great gas mileage. I do recommend a 240 V charger. I got one for less than $300 installed it myself and takes less than two hours to get a full charge of 22-25+ miles of electrical mode. The lane departure assist is fairly weak. I wish it was more assisting in putting the car back in the middle of the road. You do you have to wash your car a lot to keep the sensors clean so they operate properly. I do enjoy the adaptive cruise control. I drive a lot about 30,000 miles a year. I also love the heated steering wheel even more than the heated seats. I like the styling of the car. And the headlights are amazing at lighting up the road and giving you optimal visibility rain or shine. The menu is a little bit confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it. It does give you lots of options on how to customize your settings etc. the big downside is the Chi charger it only works on Samsung phones. Not iPhones. I used to own a 2010 Prius. But This car is far more better looking. The JBL stereo is just so so. Nothing fancy I thought it would be better. It does the job but I wouldn't mind a better upgrade. I average 55 to 60 miles a gallon using hybrid mode. And I get 22 to 25 miles on electrical after I plug it in. One downside is driving fast. After 85,000 miles it still is reliable. I don’t like The tpms monitors especially when you want to swap out and use winter tires that don’t have tpms. Light stays on and can only be reset by dealer or tire shops. You can’t self reset like you think you can. Glad the 2020 models are 5 seaters now. Been pretty trouble free and some things were done under warranty. Brakes still look great but I drive a lot of highway miles
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Prius Prime Premium is Perfect
Staahl, 05/10/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
The Prius Prime Premium trim offers the best price point from the 3 trim options available for the Prime. As a plug in hybrid the Prime is eligible for a $1,500 rebate from the state of California and up to $4,502 in tax credits. A full electric charge consistently gives me over 30 miles of city driving. The hybrid system is also impressive and I have been able to get an average of 87 mpg on a 10 mile round trip in the city. Overall after 1600 miles driven the car is averaging 73mpg. The electric engine has a good pick up while the hybrid system is a lot more sluggish when starting from 0. The big touchscreen, wireless charging and Bluetooth integration with your smartphone are other nice features. On the negative side the Prime only seats 4 passengers, doesn't carry a spare tire but has a flat repair kit instead and has a reduced cargo space when compared to the regular Prius.
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Gas Miser!
Joe Aerospace, 01/08/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful
Great interior layout. Wonderful screen suite with lots of options on info to display. Really like the 11" screen with ability to have map on top half and something else on bottom with music title and artist along very bottom. Speedometer in middle of dash works well and helps inside of vehicle seem even more roomy. Driver cockpit is spacious and well designed (I'm a 6'2" man with a few extra pounds on my frame). Gas savings work like a charm. Babying it, I'm able to get a combined 58 mpg (based on real miles divided by gas put into tank and not just the trip computer which can suffer from 1/x issues for small x for even average trips ~40 miles where x is the gas consumed). That 58 mpg was without plugging in to charge for full EV mode. Plugging in is simple and running in full EV mode, the car runs like a champ. Just don't expect Camaro performance, but who would ever think that way about a Prius Prime anyways? Overall range > on a single tank is wonderful, especially since my work commute is 90 miles round trip -- I'm back to being able to fill up once a week instead of every fourth day. Bought in Dec 2016.
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Perfect blend of future and conservatism
Jurgen Craig-Muller, 01/13/2017
updated 07/14/2017
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Premium 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful
If you are into a green car this is almost a no brainer. With the tax deduction it is very competitive to the regular Prius but you get an EV vehicle of about 25 miles. The car drives much better then my 3nd generation hybrid, which I really loved. It's a lot quieter. I like the futuristic styling realizing it's not for everybody. By the way electric really only make economical sense if you have a solar system. It sucks but gas is otherwise very competitive
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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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Prius prime delivers what I wanted most
Mike Smith, 08/30/2018
2018 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
I purchased the PRIUS Prime to add a high MPG auto for the daily commute. So far, I have surpassed the rated MPG and the number of miles in electric mode. My average MPG so far while in hybrid mode is 57 and I have averaged 35 miles in electric mode. It achieves and exceeds exactly what I wanted in fuel economy. Where the PRIUS lacks a bit: it only really has a single zone climate control, the large computer screen gets a lot of glare at certain sun angles and needs the ability to tilt a few degrees to correct for this issue, the sun visor does not extend out when rotated to the door window leaving the sun to still hinder your eyesight, acceleration is a bit slow, when accelerating - the engine is quite loud, and there is very little room in the hatchback for storage.
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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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My Prius Prime Plus -
Freddie E., 08/14/2018
updated 08/19/2021
2018 Toyota Prius Prime Plus 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Yes, fuel economy is great. Daily, my commute is 80 miles both ways. My Prime gets approx. 75 mpg. I believe it includes the 30 miles of pure electric. Tank is only 11 gallons but it sure goes a long way. Yeah, I love it. It is true that it is a little noisy at some speeds and road condition, but it doesn't bother me. Acceleration is sufficient. Hitting the Power button when on hybrid power, really gives the car a boost. And the Eco mode, I hardly use it. Eco mode feel like the car has ED - yeah, erectile, ok you get the message. Now, why does the Plus (lowest model) does not have a lock on the electric cord when car is locked? Why is that a feature only on the upper models? Toyota, shame on you. This is also my first CVT car and I like it. Also true that the engine feels like it is straining when powering the car, but that also doesn't bother me. Overall, I am happy with the car. Oh by the way, the hatch doesn't have a release button inside. Why? I really don't know why. And to close the hatch from the outside, most of the time, you need both hands - and I'm a weight lifter. Love it with all the weaknesses.
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