The 2022 Toyota Prius’ ground clearance sits low—between 5.1 and 5.3 inches off the ground—and it has everything to do with the fact it’s an electric hybrid.

Written by Matt Nightingale

Reviewed by Jessica Barrett

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

2022 Prius ground clearance
What is ground clearance—and why does it matter?
Is the Prius a good off-road vehicle?
Guard against accidents with the best Toyota Prius insurance

Ground clearance for the 2022 Toyota Prius ranges from 5.1 inches on the low end of the spectrum to 5.3 inches on the high end. Lower ground clearance helps with fuel efficiency—and given that fuel efficiency is the Toyota Prius’s bread and butter, we’re not surprised to see that it hovers close to the ground.

Ground clearance isn’t necessarily the first thing that you think about when you’re buying a car. If you do the bulk of your driving on flat, paved city streets, your ground clearance will probably never be much of an issue. But if you’ve ever taken your car onto dirt paths and gravel roads, you know how important those few inches of clearance can be.

If you want to know how much ground clearance your Toyota Prius has, look no further! We've gathered all the ground clearance numbers on the Toyota Prius and put it all in this handy little guide.

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2022 Prius ground clearance

You might think that the Toyota Prius’ ground clearance would be the same across the whole lineup. After all, if it’s the same car, shouldn’t it be—well—the same? Not quite. Ground clearance on the 2022 Toyota Prius actually varies from trim level to trim level.

So, how high off the ground is your Prius? Here’s a breakdown of the 2022 Prius’ posture by trim:

L Eco

: 5.1 inches

LE AWD-e: 5.3 inches

XLE: 5.1 inches

XLE AWD-e: 5.3 inches

Nightshade

: 5.1 inches

Nightshade AWD-e: 5.3 inches

Limited: 5.1 inches

As you can see the AWD-e models sit higher than their front-wheel-drive brethren, but the difference is pretty small.

All Priuses sit pretty low to the ground for a couple of reasons. First, low-slung vehicles are more fuel-efficient, and the whole point of the Toyota Prius hybrid is fuel efficiency. Secondly, hybrids tend to be heavier cars due to the extra machinery they carry, so they must sit with a lower center of gravity to ensure that the extra weight doesn’t affect their handling.

Prius ground clearance over the years

Now in its fourth generation, the Toyota Prius has undergone many changes, including body redesigns, changes in battery types, and, of course, ground clearance. Here’s a look at how the Prius’ ground clearance has fluctuated over the years.

1st Generation: 4.9 inches

2nd Generation: 4.9–5.5 inches

3rd Generation: 5.3–5.5 inches

It’s important to note that the ground clearance on previous generation Priuses varies from trim to trim and even from year to year. The second-generation Prius saw the widest range of ground clearance with a difference of more than half an inch between its lowest and highest set models.

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What is ground clearance—and why does it matter?

Ground clearance is the measurement of the distance between the road and the lowest point on your vehicle’s chassis. It tells you what size of mystery item you can safely pass over without it damaging the undercarriage of your vehicle. Ground clearance matters most for drivers who intend to take their car off of the manicured city streets and onto the unkempt and unpredictable rural dirt paths and other off-road destinations.

The higher the ground clearance your vehicle has, the rougher terrain you’ll be able to traverse without damaging your vehicle. If, for example, you’re on a country back road, you want to be confident that your car can make it over that big 6-inch rock unscathed. That’s where ground clearance comes into play.

Expert off-roaders recommend that you have at least 6.6 inches of ground clearance for dirt and gravel road driving. They recommend an even larger 8.8-inchclearance for overland treks and a minimum of 10.8 inches for serious 4x4 expeditions.

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Is the Prius a good off-road vehicle?

Nu-uh. Nope. No way.

The Toyota Prius is meant to be driven on smooth paved roads. It has been designed with a low clearance to maximize fuel efficiency and offset the extra weight it carries as a hybrid vehicle. With a maximum ground clearance of 5.3 inches, the 2022 Prius comes in way under the expert-recommended 6.6-inch minimum for even the tamest off-road excursions.

So, the Prius is pretty much disqualified from off-roading due to its ground clearance. But ground clearance isn’t the only thing you need to consider when you go off-roading. In addition to good ground clearance, you’ll want a vehicle with a powerful engine and all-wheel or four-wheel drive capabilities.

If you must go off-roading, consider purchasing a vehicle that’s more suited to the task, like the Toyota RAV4, the Ford Bronco, or the undisputed off-road champion, the Jeep Wrangler.

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Guard against accidents with the best Toyota Prius insurance

If you want to protect your car against serious damage, you’ll want to keep your Toyota Prius away from off-road situations. That said, accidents still happen, even in the city, and the best way to protect yourself is with good

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