Yes, yes, Toyota stepped up and injected way more boldness into the styling—and the output—of the new Prius than expected. A few insiders saw it coming, but, for most people, this came as a total surprise. That allows the world’s most famous hybrid to get dangerously close to basic sports cars like its GR86 stablemate in a drag race. But what about a track day? We can now answer that with an all-out Toyota Prius track test which, of course, pits the hybrid against the GR86! So get ready to see how the new specs of the Prius translate into real-world performance!
The Utah Motorsport Campus (UMC), a flat track with a desert landscape, welcomed the 2023 Prius with the optional AWD, as well as GR86 with—thank heavens—a manual.
The Prius was stock, except for some high boiling point braking fluid, along with Enkei wheels. On the track, nothing matters as much as the rubber. For this test, conducted by Todd Deeken and Paul Schmucker, the YouTube veterans over at EveryDay Driver, the Prius used both its MPG-favoring factory tires and some sticker ones.
In the wet, the Toyota Prius ran on Vredestein Ultrac Vorti Plus 225/40 R18 tires, which happened to be the same size as the ones on the GR86. Then, when the track got dry, the Vredesteins were tested together with the Prius’ factory Michelin Primacy all-season, low-rolling resistance tires (195/65 R15)—hey, the next-gen GR86 will be a hybrid.
The cars were manhandled by a pair of YouTube veterans, namely EveryDay Driver’s Todd Deeken and Paul Schmucker, who pushed both Toyotas hard. For one, the Prius, which now makes 196 hp instead of its predecessor’s 121 hp, was able to hit 98 mph on UMC’s generous straight.
For the record, the AWD, which ads a third electric motor that feeds the rear axle when the front one can’t get enough traction, is optional for the non-plug-in Prius. And, as Motor Trend noted when testing the new Prius, the 135 lbs AWD system does make it quicker, both for the 0-60 mph sprint (7.1 instead of 7.5s) and around the figure-eight test track.
Fifth-generation (XW60) Toyota Prius track test times
On a wet track, the Prius was almost as quick as the GR86 (think: 2:10:01 vs 2:10:00), despite being a bit down on power and much heavier. Then again, with the hybrid aided by its AWD against the RWD sports car, this is natural.
As for the dry lap times, the GR86 did a 1:56:00, while the Prius needed 2:01:04 (make that 2:06:07 on the stock tires). For one, these numbers once again highlight the difference tires make.
Everybody and their dog know that modern cars have become much quicker and not just thanks to the ever-improving tires. However, the duo mentions that manhandling the new Prius on the track is decent fun, even with the generous body roll and the brake smell trying to get in the way of it all.
What is the fuel efficiency of the new Prius when driven hard?
Officially, the 2023/2024 Toyota Prius AWD is rated at 49/50/49 mph (city/highway/combined). Maintaining about the same efficiency as before is mighty impressive given the hefty performance boost that made this track test possible. Then again, while pushed hard on the track, the Prius AWD averaged 21 mpg.
That fuel efficiency is normal and reminds one of the days when old Top Gear pushed a second-generation Prius to the max against a leisurely-driven E92 M3 on the track and the V8 BMW won the efficiency battle. Speaking of which, there’s a more important question here: when on the track, is it more fun to drive a slow car fast or a fast car slow?
Nevertheless, the two enthusiasts (just like us) hope Toyota helps us skip that question by offering a GR version of the new Prius, since the chassis is obviously capable of handling more power. And for those wondering if such a performance hybrid would make sense, just remember that Ferrari and Lamborghini’s big toys are now hybrids. And we’re not even talking SUVs here.
Real-world performance measurements by EveryDay Driver and Motor Trend