Toyota recently took the number one spot for selling vehicles
in the American market, a place GM used to hold. It's likely due to the brand's popular offerings, such as the Toyota Prius
. With the shift to electric drivetrains, will the company's hybrid model continue to outshine its competition?
The Toyota Prius' beginnings
The Toyota Prius began its life in Japan in 1997 when hybrids were just beginning to be a thing. It wasn't until 2001 when the automaker opened up the market to include other parts of the world, like the U.S.
According to autoevolution
, the sedan ran on a 1.5-liter gasoline engine combined with an electric motor. Paired with the drive system was a continuously variable transmission, which helped the Prius go from 0 to 60 in 13.4 seconds. So, it wasn't a fast vehicle, nor was it all that good-looking either. But, Toyota built it for fuel efficiency, which it did well. The original Toyota Prius was able to get 46 mpg combined during testing.
What does it offer?
Fast forward to today's model, and Toyota uses much of the same technology with a few changes and some tweaks later. The 2022 Toyota Prius gets a whopping 52 mpg combined during Consumer Reports tests, which is an improvement over the 44 mpg the previous model got.
Powering it up is a 1.8-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor that, when combined, produces 121 hp. Acceleration has come a long way, but it's still not considered speedy with a 10.3 second time for a 0 to 60 mph run.
With the Toyota Prius’ reputation for stellar fuel economy ratings and a five out of five reliability score from Consumer Reports, the Prius continues to sell. Buyers also seem to like the cargo space, which has 27.4 cubic feet
of space behind the rear seats. On top of that, the sedan has decent head and legroom and various tech features, like the smart flow climate control system and an easy-to-reach infotainment system.
Why is the Toyota Prius still a good investment today?
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The 2022 Toyota Prius still proves to be a good investment today as it did back when it was first launched.
The most affordable trim is the Prius L Eco model, which comes in at the $24,000 mark. For almost $33,000, you can choose the Prius Limited version. There's also a Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid model that can run $28,000 to $34,000.
Besides the awesome fuel savings and reliability ratings, the Toyota Prius is one of the safest on the market with the Toyota Safety Sense System, which offers a ton of features. You'll get forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, road sign assist, automatic high beams, and even daytime bicyclist detection.
According to Consumer Reports
, the IIHS gave it a rating of Good on five out of the six tests it was put through. The last one received an Acceptable score, which is still pretty good. Another impressive feature you get with the Toyota Prius is all the warranties they offer. You can expect a bumper-to-bumper limited warranty for three years or 36,000 miles.
There's also a Drivetrain and Corrosion warranty that you can get for five years. The drivetrain is offered for 60,000 miles, while the Corrosion warranty has unlimited miles. The last three are for the Hybrid, Roadside Aid, and maintenance.
Finding the best coverage for your Toyota Prius
Buying a vehicle is an investment you want to protect for a long time, and a Toyota Prius is no exception since it will pay for itself in fuel savings. Getting the right coverage is vital but not easy. You'll need a lot of time and patience to go through tons of insurance quotes to find just the right one.
Instead, let Jerry
do the hard part for you. Our tool can search insurance companies to find the best ones for your unique situation. All you have to do is pick the one that fits your budget, and you're good to go. Sign up today to see how much money we can help you save on your insurance. 
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