10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Toyota Prius Beats Ford Mustang Dark Horse by a Nose
You’ve heard the maxim, “Fast, cheap or good? Pick two.” Well, when it comes to mainstream hybrid-powered cars, it’s more like, “Fuel-efficient, attractive or comfortable? Pick two.” Or so it goes with the redesigned-for-2023 Toyota Prius and its Prime plug-in hybrid variant. The trade-off of bringing sexy back (or, for the first time ever, as it were) to the traditionally squarely styled hybrid in the form of a sleek, curvaceous exterior overhaul is a crick in your neck whether you’re a taller backseat passenger cocking your head to fit back there or the driver constantly contorting your spinal column in order to navigate obstacles or other vehicles in close-quarters scenarios.
Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Chevy Trailblazer, Kia Seltos Afforded Lead Over Honda Pilot
In Cars.com’s most popular news article of the past week, we cover the compromise Prius and Prius Prime purchasers will have to make in exchange for their car standing in for the woman in the red dress in the “distracted boyfriend” meme. In addition to the aforementioned visibility limitations — stemming from the lower roofline, chunky stylistic flourishes and small rear window — rear passenger headroom is stingy, climbing in or out isn’t much fun for anyone taller than Tom Cruise, and cargo space is down more than 2 cubic feet over the outgoing model. On the plus side, however, the new Prius’ fuel economy bests even the fuel-sippingest 2022 model, while the Prime’s engine output improves by nearly 100 horsepower and its electric-only range nearly doubles. Bottom line: The style-over-substance approach clashes with the Prius’ persona, and those who value practicality would do well to consider the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid instead.
For a full accounting of our criticisms and compliments regarding the 2023 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime, follow the link below to the No. 1 news story of the week.
Running a close second on this week’s countdown of most read articles is Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley’s recounting of his seat time in the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse — and it’s a continuing theme of compromise. The top-performance version of the iconic pony car not only cranks out 500 hp, it beguiles the driver into believing the speed limit is merely a suggestion with its composed handling. That said, those big tires invite some quirky interactions with the pavement along with road noise, the prominent exhaust growl may prove grating, and the interior could stand to be more distinctive from the “regular” Mustang GT — over which the price premium starts at 16 grand.
To find out if Hanley found the would-be compromises of keeping a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in his home stable to be fair, follow the link below to the No. 2 news story of the week.
Beyond that, there are stories on a couple of more Toyotas, affordable electric vehicles and SUVs, and much more. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of the past week:
1 2023 Toyota Prius, Prius Prime: Style Gains Net Ergonomic Pains
2 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Quick Spin: Impressive Capability, Surprising Civility
3 Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
4 Toyota to Reveal Next-Generation 2025 Camry Nov. 14
5 Here Are the 10 Cheapest New SUVs You Can Buy Right Now
6 What’s the Best Affordable SUV of 2023?
7 Here Are the 10 Cheapest Pickup Trucks You Can Buy Right Now
8 Lucid Gravity Comes From a Solid Foundation, Will Debut in L.A.
9 2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid Priced From $38,015
10 Toyota RAV4: Which Should You Buy, 2023 or 2024?
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