2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid

As the most popular hybrid car by far, the Toyota Prius hatchback needs little help in appealing to American buyers. But, over the last year, Toyota has been expanding the Prius brand, the latest of which is this 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid. 

How does this PHEV differ from the standard Prius? Well, very little actually, but in one important area. Due to the Plug-in nature, which includes a new onboard battery charging system and larger-now Lithium-ion battery pack, it provides an EV-mode range of up to 15-miles…or about 10 times the standard Prius. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but if your commute fits into that range, you won’t be burning much gas at all on your way to work. Mind you, the gas engine still kicks under heavy demand.

Still, we managed 12 EV-only miles on more than one occasion. Once you’ve tapped out the EV range, everything reverts to standard Prius operation. You won’t be able to use EV-mode again until you plug in and recharge the battery, which takes a short 3-hours to fully charge on standard 110/120-volt current.

So how does all this translate into Government Fuel Economy Ratings? Well, combined mileage is close to twice the standard Prius at 95 MPG equivalent. But, that’s assuming a short trip. Using gas only it rates 50 Combined, the same as the standard Prius. We did several commuter legs and saw a still impressive 80 miles per gallon result with the radio and a/c both blasting away. Energy impact scores are great, as you would expect, consuming just 4.7-barrels of oil per year with annual CO2 emissions of just 2.2-tons

Operation of the Plug-in is simple enough, as there’s nothing to turn on or engage; the car automatically defaults to EV-mode whenever you start out, provided the battery is fully charged. 

On the exterior, the Plug-in gets a few changes to set it apart enough to be noticed by keen “green” observers. There’s chrome trim on the grille and door handles, unique badging, blue accented head lights, LED daytime running lights, and LED tail lights. 15-inch alloy wheels are also unique and of course there’s a new right rear fender charging port, which also is LED lit for plugging in after dark. 

Navigation is standard on the Plug-in, as is a back-up camera, though it doesn’t have lane markings like a lot of newer cameras. An available Advance package includes a head-up display, leather-like SofTex upholstery, 8-way power driver’s seat, Dynamic Radar Cruise control, and full LED head lights. Otherwise, the interior is standard Prius fair, which means there’s decent room for five, but it also still has the same less than stellar overly hard seat cushions; better than the original Prius but still not really comfy for long trips. 

Under the hood is the same 1.8-liter I4 with 98-horsepower and 105 lb-ft. of torque. Working with the Hybrid Synergy drive total output is 134-horsepower. 

We were out of EV-range by the time we made it to our test track, but the Plug-in still managed a 0-60 time of 10.7-seconds. The quarter mile took a full 18.0-seconds and we made it at 80 miles-per-hour. Slow, but reasonable for any fuel stingy model.

Pricing for the Prius plug-in starts at $32,760. It’s difficult to make a direct price comparison to the standard Prius as the Plug-In has features that don’t quite line-up with any one trim level. But, we figure you’re paying around six grand for the PHEV system. Although some of that can be recouped through federal and local tax incentives. And, like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid is eligible for California’s HOV lanes. 

Plus, driving a PHEV is sorta cool! The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is indeed a welcomed addition to the Prius family. One that increases the potential of what a hybrid can offer us, quite simply, it uses even less gas. Now that’s the kind of car we’re all looking for a few more of.