This Toyota Vehicle Is the Best New Car on the Market, According to Experts
Written by
Dawn Allcot
Edited by
T. Woods
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Media company MotorTrend has a habit of choosing luxury vehicles for its famed Car of the Year award. In 2023, the honor went to the model Genesis G90, a flagship vehicle from a relatively new luxury brand. In 2022, the Lucid Air garnered COTY recognition. In 2021, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class won Car of the Year. The classic American sportscar Chevrolet Corvette raced home with the award in 2020.
MotorTrend’s 2024 pick for COTY might surprise many drivers and car enthusiasts, as it’s not a luxury vehicle. It’s not even a car that turns heads on U.S. highways, although it may elicit eyerolls as it zips along in the HOV lane, cashing in on its privileges as an eco-friendly vehicle.
If you haven’t guessed yet, the humble Toyota Prius is MotorTrend’s Car of the Year, beating out the luxurious BMW 7 Series, past winner Lucid Air and the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Tesla Model 3, amongst other candidates. The Toyota Prius last took home the MotorTrend Car of the Year award in 2004.
Why Experts Love the Toyota Prius
MotorTrend called the new Toyota Prius “the gold-standard hybrid,” with a cultural impact larger than its carbon footprint. The efficiency, safety and value in the brand combined with new styling makes the Prius impossible to ignore. Further, a slim LED taillight spanning the width of the car, an optional solar roof that charges the hybrid battery while you drive plus a sleek front-end that eschews angles for a space-age look all set the Prius apart.
“Simply put, the new exterior design transforms the appearance from ugly commuter car to sporty coupe — one of the best low-cost cars,” said guest judge, legendary automotive engineer and designer Chris Theodore at MotorTrend.com.
The cabin offers plenty of space, even though the new design shaved roughly 2 inches from the car’s roofline, per MotorTrend. The car features a 7-inch LCD instrument cluster display and an 8-inch infotainment screen. Midgrade models and up have a 12.3-inch screen as an option. The center console features two side-by-side cupholders, USB-C charging ports and a wireless charging slot for your smartphone.
The Prius has passed Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests with flying colors, earning a Top Safety Pick+ rating.
As far as performance, MotorTrend executive editor Mac Morrison said he was able to keep up with his colleague Scott Evans in a Tesla Model 3 on a twisty road. “Never before have I experienced this in a Prius,” he told MotorTrend.
How Much Will You Pay for a 2024 Toyota Prius?
Above all else, the Toyota Prius represents a tremendous value at a time when some cars are still selling for more than their sticker price, according to Kbb.com. In October 2023, GOBankingRates reported that the average new car sold for $47,936.
Yet a shiny new, top-of-the-line Toyota Prius Limited, with all the bells and whistles, will only set you back $35,760. The XLE, with 19-inch wheels and options to upgrade to a larger infotainment screen and a sunroof, starts at $32,190. The base model Prius LE is just $28,745 MSRP. If you want to upgrade to AWD, you can add a rear-mounted motor to any model for just $1,400.
The Prius Plug-in Hybrid sells for slightly more, but still comes in more than $7,000 lower than the average car price, with the SE starting at $33,770, the XSE at $37,020 and the XSE Premium at $40,465, according to MotorTrend.
Plus, you’ll want to factor in gas savings and any incentives you might be able to claim when you purchase the eco-friendly Prius, making it an even better value.
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