2021 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius may not have been the first hybrid to go on sale in America, but it's easily the most well known and influential. Over the years, the Prius has evolved from an odd-looking sedan into an equally odd-looking hatchback, growing in both size and efficiency over the years. The current model was introduced in 2016 and benefited from a significant update in 2019, including available all-wheel drive.

Since its debut, just about every mainstream automaker sells or has sold a hybrid or electrified vehicle that draws some influence from the Prius. Some noteworthy competitors on sale today include the Honda Insight and the Kia Niro. Toyota also offers hybrid variants of just about every other vehicle in its lineup including the Camry, Corolla and RAV4.

We don't expect any major changes for 2021. The Prius is available as a standard hybrid and a plug-in hybrid that allows for a short amount of all-electric driving. Toyota started last year offering features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration and a suite of safety tech on all Prius trims.

The Toyota Prius is far from the most exciting car on the road, but its combination of exceptional fuel economy, a roomy interior and a sizable cargo area has made it one of the most popular. It's not our favorite hybrid, but it's certainly worth a look if you're in the market. Check out our review of the 2020 Toyota Prius right here.