2017 Toyota Prius Prime

2017 Toyota Prius Prime

Episode 3613
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime offers more, but not too much more, than the typical hybrid; though it certainly offers more than the Prius plug-in that it replaces. 

By way of explanation, the EV-only range of the Prime is now 25-miles at up to 84 miles-per-hour. That’s double the range it claimed before, but still only half of the Chevrolet Volt’s EV range. 

The mileage increase comes by way of both powertrain updates, enabling both motor-generators to now power the car, and a larger 8.8kWh lithium-ion battery. 

The gas engine itself remains the same 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle I4; and combined system output continues at 121-horsepower. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are estimated to be 55-City, 53-Highway, and 54-Combined; with an EV-mode MPGe rating of 133.

Charging time is a bit over 2-hours on 240-volts; about 5½-hours on standard 120. But, the battery never gets fully depleted, as normal Prius operation kicks in when EV-only range is reached. Toyota puts total range before plugging in, or topping off, at 640-miles. 

The Prius Prime’s new mission calls for a new look; as both front and rear styling are distinctive from standard Prius fare.

Sharper lines, a black facia with bigger air intakes, and ultra-low profile LED headlights portray both a more eco-conscious look, and at the same time, add some sporty flair as well.  

Wheels are 15-inch alloys, but with 2-tone covers that are designed to maximize air flow. 

In back, things are very different with full-width LED taillights, a dual wave rear window, and a carbon-fiber rear hatch.  Primarily in place for weight-saving, it also makes opening a little easier. Space beneath it, is taken up somewhat by the larger battery pack, reducing cargo capacity from 27.4 cubic-ft. to a still good 19.8.

Nothing major stood out to us in terms of ride quality, during our drive time in Southern California. Prime feels smooth and composed over just about any road surface. 

There is about 300-lbs. of additional weight; you won’t really notice it so much in handling situations, but you can certainly feel it off the line. There’s a lot of buzzing and whirring going on, but not much propulsion; expect a 0-60 time of 10 seconds plus. 

Shuffling between power sources remains as seamless as always; and at cruising speeds, except for some tire noise, things are pretty quiet. Visibility remains very good all around. 

Overall, the interior is just fine, even if our car’s, heated, simulated-leather covered seats were still not truly long distance comfortable. There are a host of tech upgrades for Prime, and trim structure differs from the standard Prius; going from Plus to Premium to Advanced. All except for Plus trim sport a larger Tesla-like 11.6-inch central touchscreen. It really blends in quite nicely and looks great. But we found actual function to be a little laggy.

There’s only adequate width for two in the rear seat, but plenty of leg room to be found, even if the slopping roof takes a toll on adult headroom. 

While the Chevrolet Volt may offer more range, the Prime has quite an advantage when it comes to pricing, as it is still a very reasonable $27,965. Whether that’s worth the $2,400 over a base Prius depends on your green driving desires. Top level Advanced trim moves closer to Volt at $33,965. Regardless, the Prius, in all of its iterations remains a lot of eco-minded car for the money. 

With that being said, it’s hard to envision the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime being a major player.  As it still seems to appeal to the few people who want a bit more battery range than a traditional hybrid can offer, but aren’t yet ready to make the jump to a full EV. But there’s no denying it’s a better option than the preceding Prius plug-in, which may be enough to make it a “prime mover” for the Toyota faithful. 

Specifications

  • Engine: 1.8 liter
  • Horsepower: 121
  • 0-60 mph: 10.0-11.0 seconds
  • EPA: 55 mpge city / 53 mpge highway,
2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Baby Rover Continues To Evolve

Episode 4430
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

When most people hear “Range Rover” they tend to think of high class, high performance and high dollars. But, Range Rover does the entry-level thing quite well too with this Evoque. It has plenty of posh attitude, along with some recent updates. So, let’s see how the Evoque continues to evolved.

Our involvement with the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque’s evolution began when this small utility first arrived for 2012. It looked more Spice Girl than Tough Mudder, but it packed a surprising amount of capability into its subcompact dimensions. This second gen arrived for 2020, and has gained recent updates at the most likely midway point in its lifecycle.

Intrigued but not necessarily enthused could probably best describe our history with the Evoque, but Land Rover always has a way of drawing us in with very tasteful designs. They pretty much got this one right back in 2020, so styling revisions are largely limited to new Pixel LED headlights and a reshaped front fascia. There’s also new super-red signature lighting in back, all of it done to bring the Evoque more in line with the rest of the Range Rover family.

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And like all of its siblings, all-wheel drive is standard and it does have Terrain Response 2 with specific off-road modes, but no one’s expecting to see a lot of Evoques out on the trail, unless there’s a new Lululemon Outlet at the other end of it having a killer sale.

Land Rover has once again taken the P300 296-horsepower version of the Evoque’s 2.0-liter turbo-four out of the lineup, leaving just the standard 249-horsepower version under the clamshell hood. No complaints from us, its 269 lb-ft of torque is more than adequate to move this 3,900 lb. ute around.

And at Mason Dixon Dragway, it moved us to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds. There was plenty of traction off the line, and while not overwhelming, power feels plentiful, staying very consistent down the track. Gearchanges in the Evoque’s nine-speed automatic transmission were quick and smooth, barely a blip in the process as we finished the quarter-mile in 16 seconds flat at 85 mph. Plenty quick for a compact utility with luxury intentions.

[It maneuvered] with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have.

It felt quite good through our handling course too, with a substantial presence that not too many small utilities have. The Evoque uses selective braking to torque vector power between all four wheels, and it enabled us to cruise through the cones quickly without any excessive understeer or oversteer. There was some nosedive during our panic braking test, but the brakes were very responsive and strong enough to bring us to a halt in a short 115 feet from 60.

But, it’s the inside experience that really matters with any luxury vehicle, particularly in a Range Rover. And here things look more high-end Swedish than Tudor or Victorian, with a minimalist cabin design that’s way more visually appealing than practical. There’s real leather covering just about everything, and what appears to be just a tablet stuck in front of the dash is a new 11.4-inch touchscreen. Not only are the inner workings much faster than the previous infotainment setup, but the entire interface of this Pivi Pro system is vastly better than the split screen approach of before.

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The center console that leads up to it appears much less cluttered and frees up some additional space for storage. The shifter is still here, but it has gotten much smaller. Front seat space and comfort remain high, though rear seat room is still very tight for adults. Cargo space is not bad for a small utility, with room for 21.6 cu-ft. of gear in the hold, which expands with 40/20/40 split-folding seatback flexibility to 50.5 cu-ft.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20 City, 27 Highway, and 22 Combined. That’s an average Energy Impact Score, using 13.5 barrels of oil annually, with CO2 emissions of 6.6 tons.

Land Rover has been paring things down in the Evoque lineup for years, no longer offering a two-door version or the convertible, and now have simplified things even further to just the P250 available in only two trims: S, which stickers for $51,175, and Dynamic SE, which starts at $56,375; but you can add just about every package available and still come in right around $60,000.

Luxury-minded utility vehicles are coming at us from all angles these days, but the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is a bit unique in that it remains as sort of a cheat code for sneaking you into the Range Rover VIP experience. You’ll feel like you’re getting away with something every time you drive it.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.0-liter turbo-four
  • Transmission: 9-speed automatic
  • Horsepower: 249
  • Torque: 269 lb-ft
  • 0-60 mph: 7.7 seconds
  • 1/4 Mile: 16 seconds at 85 mph
  • Braking, 60-0 (avg): 115 feet
  • EPA: 20 City | 27 Highway | 22 Combined