The Cheapest 2024 Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Hybrid Is Not the Worst

The least expensive 2024 Toyota Prius Prime, the plug-in hybrid version of the Prius hybrid, is the SE. Equivalent to the Prius hybrid’s LE trim, the SE is the Prime in its most basic form, and there’s a lot of good that comes from that. It weighs less, it’s more aerodynamic and more efficient, and it rides better. And did we mention it’s also the quickest Prius we’ve ever tested?

The Cheapest Plug-In Hybrid in America

Before we dive into the Prime’s performance numbers, let’s start with what matters to most customers. With a starting price of $34,070, the 2024 Prius Prime SE is the cheapest plug-in hybrid on sale today. It barely edges the next-least-expensive contender, Kia’s $35,765 Niro PHEV, but it’s also a significant $3,250 cheaper than the midgrade Prius Prime XSE like the one we recently added to MotorTrend’s yearlong test fleet, and $6,695 less than the top-of-the-line Prius Prime XSE Premium. And despite saving you a big chunk of change, the base-model Prius Prime is still packed with a decent amount of features and tech, save for one glaring omission, which we’ll get to later.

See All 21 Photos21

All three Prime trims share the same front-wheel-drive powertrain, which includes a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine, a starter/generator, and a primary electric drive motor for a total system output of 220 horsepower. Unlike the Prius hybrid, the Prime cannot be optioned with a third electric motor to power the rear axle. Those who need all-wheel-drive traction therefore are boxed out of the Prime experience, though even with only two driven wheels, the plug-in is notably more powerful than the 196-hp AWD hybrid.

Tipping our scales at just 3,436 pounds, the Prime SE weighs 118 pounds less than the loaded Prius Prime XSE Premium we recently tested. Beyond the SE simply having less stuff on board (no sunroofs, premium features, etc.), some of that weight savings can be credited to the wheels—the SE is fitted with 17-inch aluminum rims (with snap-on aerodynamic wheel covers) whereas both XSEs wear flashier 19s. And yes, the Prius still looks sharp with smaller wheels, only solidifying how stunning (really) its sheetmetal is. Moreover, the SE’s wheels also contribute to a tighter turning circle (34.4 feet versus 35.4 feet) and less aerodynamic drag (with coefficient drag of 0.27 versus 0.29).

Get There Quicker and More Efficiently

Those weight savings and improvement in aero make a difference in both real-world driving and track testing. Per the EPA, the Prime SE is rated to return 53/51/52 mpg city/highway/combined when operating as a hybrid—stingier than the already efficient Prius Prime XSE (50/47/48 mpg). And its all-electric range is better, too, at 45 miles per the EPA (versus 39 miles for the higher trims). Our test car often exceeded that number by 1–3 miles (based on its onboard trip computer) with spirited driving in the city and highway.

In most cases a bump in efficiency causes a hit to performance, but that’s not the case here. Like previous evaluations of the Prius Prime, we start our acceleration test in all-electric mode. Here the Prius Prime SE needs 9.9 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph and 17.4 seconds to reach to quarter mile. That’s quicker than the heavier and fancier Prius Prime XSE Premium (by 0.6 and 0.4 second, respectively). EV mode feels plenty quick zipping around the city, but it's merely adequate on the highway, where it loses pep in its step with any passing attempts at speeds above 50–60 mph.

To gain that pep back, you’ll want to be in hybrid mode, which fires up the gas engine when needed. In this mode the Prius Prime SE feels plenty quick, running from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and on through the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds at 96.8 mph. That beats the Prius Prime XSE Premium by 0.2 and 0.1 second to the same marks. And launching it couldn’t be simpler. After selecting Sport drive mode and disabling stability and traction control, just mash the accelerator and grin at the fact that a freakin’ Prius is spinning and chirping its tires off the line.

See All 21 Photos21

Still Fun Behind the Wheel

The fun continues on our figure-eight course, where the Prius Prime SE feels right at home with great balance and control at the limit. The smallish steering wheel feels great to the touch and requires light effort to operate, perfect for attacking corners with zest. The seats don’t have much in the way of lateral support, but at least they’re covered with high-quality cloth that does a better job of keeping you in place compared to the faux leather material used in higher trims. With a lap time of 27.3 seconds and maximum corning grip of 0.79 g, the Prius Prime SE slightly lags the larger-tired XSE Premium (27.1 seconds and 0.83 g). Both cars wear Toyo Extensa A/S II tires, but the SE’s taller and squishier sidewall is the likely culprit for its slightly lower cornering ability. On the upside, the Prius Prime SE’s ride quality is noticeably better, which is what most customers will care about anyway.

Turn-Offs

Despite its place at the lowly end of the Prime lineup, the 2024 Prius Prime SE rocks a decent list of standard equipment. Wireless Apple CarPlay and proximity locking and unlocking (for the driver’s door only) are welcome, as is Toyota’s Safety Sense suite of driver assistance tech, which includes adaptive cruise control with steering assist, lane keep assist, automated emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring.

That said, it’s hard to dismiss a few nitpicks, including the lack of automatic headlights. This seems to be the case on other Toyota base models, such as the Corolla Cross, which is somewhat understandable. But manually turning headlights on and off in a vehicle showcasing Toyota’s prized hybrid tech feels odd. Finally, fully replenishing its 13.6-kWh battery pack takes a minimum of 4 hours on a Level 2 charger thanks to its relatively slow 3.3-kW max charging rate. (You can also charge the battery using the engine, and although this isn’t exactly efficient, it’s somewhat quick—quicker than plugging in, in fact, though it’ll only fill the battery to 80 percent.) We’d love to see Toyota upgrade the Prius to the 6.6-kW onboard charger from the RAV4 Prime, or better yet, somehow stuff in hardware for DC fast-charging capability.

Basically Good

Base-model cars can often seem disappointing, lacking the whiz-bang features of pricier models, so there’s less to distract from any core flaws. On the flip side, such basic environs can reveal fundamental excellence that satisfies even in the absence of massaging seats, big wheels, and so on. Remember, the Prime SE is from the same family that won our 2024 Car of the Year award. Not only is it the cheapest PHEV on sale today, but it also looks good, it’s quick and fun to drive, and it's packed with all the essential tech you need for gas-free motoring around town (and very fuel-efficient road tripping out of town).

2024 Toyota Prius Prime SE Specifications

BASE PRICE

$34,070 

PRICE AS TESTED

$34,734 

VEHICLE LAYOUT

Front-engine/motor, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback

ENGINE

2.0L port- and direct-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus permanent-magnet electric motors

POWER (SAE NET)

150 hp @ 6,000 rpm (gas), 161 hp (elec); 220 hp (comb)

TORQUE (SAE NET)

139 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm (gas), N/A lb-ft (elec); N/A lb-ft (comb)

TRANSMISSION

Cont variable auto

CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)

3,436 lb (57/43%)

WHEELBASE

108.3 in

LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT

181.1 x 70.2 x 55.9 in

0-60 MPH

6.1 sec, 9.9 sec (EV mode)

QUARTER MILE

14.7 sec @ 96.8 mph, 17.4 sec @ 78.4 mph (EV mode)

BRAKING, 60-0 MPH

131 ft

LATERAL ACCELERATION

0.79 g (avg)

MT FIGURE EIGHT

27.3 sec @ 0.63 g (avg), 29.0 sec @ 0.54 g (avg) (EV mode)

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON

53/51/52 mpg (gas), 140/115/127* mpg-e

EPA RANGE, COMB

45 (elec), 600* miles

ON SALE

Now