It’s been years since the Toyota Prius has been the darling of the Hollywood set at the Oscars. In fact, if there’s a theme song for the hybrid hatchback, it would be the Beatle’s “Can’t Buy Me Love.” At least that was the thought running through my mind during a recent road trip in a 2022 Toyota Prius XLE Nightshade Special Edition.
Perhaps the biggest reason it’s fallen out of favor is the popularity of the Tesla Model 3 as the virtue signal vehicle of choice. The Prius’ polarizing 2016 redesign also isn’t helping matters. And with Toyota embracing hybrid technology across the board, from its compact Corolla to the minivan Sierra, there’s little to make the Prius feel, well, special.
Still, with gasoline at $5 per gallon in California, and the car’s EPA rating of 54 mpg city/50 mpg highway for a combined 52 mpg might rekindle the allure it once enjoyed. Toyota is trying its part by offering in a Nightshade Special Edition package that plays to the current trend of piano black wheels, exterior mirror caps, door handles and window surrounds to give it a sinister element of cool.
It’s all about looks and the fuel economy and not necessarily the thrill of the drive. Power comes from a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine and electric motor to drive the front axle. Total system output is 121 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque. Overall performance is not stunning, but acceptable. Thanks to the electric motor, the instant application of torque provides decent off-the-line acceleration and there is enough horsepower under the hood to enable effortless 70-80 mph cruising.
Photo: Toyota
However, the tires, which are tuned for low rolling resistance, can be a bit noisy on grooved pavement and spirited handling is definitely not the Prius’ forte. But it is a high-tech piece with adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitors and other safety kit including 10 airbags.
On the 370-mile run from Orange County to Carmel, I passed the notorious intersection of California Highways 46 and 41 where James Dean met his demise in the Porsche 550 Spyder. If he’d been driving a Prius, he’d probably still be alive today.
While I’ve come to appreciate (and trust) the radar cruise control that adapts itself to the speed of surrounding traffic, and allows you to control the distance between your vehicle, I found the lane tracing assist to be a bit overbearing. It requires you to keep your hands on the wheel, but you can feel the car ping-ponging back and forth in the lane. It’s almost like you’re wrestling rather than guiding the vehicle down the road.
Photo: Toyota
The controls and interfaces are pretty straightforward. There’s a large center touchscreen but enough redundant analog buttons and switches for the audio and climate control to keep distractions to a minimum. You’re not hunting to turn on things like heated seats or adjust the fan speed on some menu page found on some rivals. Overall, the drive experience in the Prius is competent, but best of all efficient.
On the round trip that covered 740 miles, the Prius delivered a solid 50 mpg at highway cruising speeds of between 70 and 80 mph. The onboard mileage monitor showed 50 mpg going and 50.1 mpg on the return. Filling up at $4.99 per gallon ran $50 for just over 10 gallons. As gas prices continue their inexorable climb upwards, the Prius gets better looking all the time.
If you’re in the market to just save gas, a stripped-down 2022 Toyota Prius L Eco will cost $24,625. If you step up to the more fully loaded XLE trim grade, prices start at $28,845. Adding a bit more panache, the Nightshade Special Edition, is only $700 more for the black alloy 17-inch wheels, along with the black themed exterior and interior accents. All told, it’s a small price to pay to show a little love to a car that doesn’t get much these days.
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