Renaming the Prius: The Shift to Plug-In Hybrid
Toyota has recently made headlines by renaming the 2025 Prius Prime to the more descriptive Prius Plug-In Hybrid. This decision coincides with Amazon’s Prime Big Deals Day, aligning the new naming convention with the company’s trend seen in the 2025 Toyota RAV4. This change marks a fresh approach for Toyota as it seeks to highlight the functionality of its vehicles.
Performance and Powertrain Specifications
Despite the name change, the 2025 Prius Plug-In Hybrid retains much of what made its predecessor popular. It boasts a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine coupled with more powerful electric motors, resulting in an output increase from 194 horsepower in the standard Prius to a notable 220 horsepower. With a 13.6-kilowatt-hour battery, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid can travel up to 44 miles solely on electric power, whereas variants with larger wheels are rated for 39 miles. Toyota is very confident about its efficiency performance, as the SE variant is projected to achieve an impressive 53/51/52 mpg in city, highway, and combined settings.
Safety Features and Trim Levels
The Prius Plug-In Hybrid is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which encompasses vital features such as forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control. The base model, SE, is thoughtfully designed with features such as LED lighting and keyless entry, while higher trims introduce luxury touches like a 12.3-inch touchscreen and JBL sound system. The availability of the 2025 Prius Plug-In Hybrid is anticipated later this year, with pricing details to follow. This transition to a streamlined name indicates Toyota’s commitment not just to hybrid technology, but also to enhancing customer understanding of their vehicles.
