The Prius v is a bigger, wagon-variant of the Prius hybrid. It’s intended to offer more room for families than the standard Prius; the “v” stands for versatility. The added usability comes in the form of more backseat space and cargo room. It competes with the Ford C-Max Hybrid.
The v is part of the growing “Prius family,” which also includes the Prius c city car and Prius Plug-in. Those models are covered separately in the Cars.com Research section. New for 2013 The Prius v Five now has a steering wheel trimmed in simulated leather, but there are no other significant changes for 2013. Exterior There isn’t a drastic departure in the styling department from the regular Prius. Toyota keeps the shape familiar while still adding a considerable amount of room inside. Overall length increases 6 inches over the regular Prius, and the v is about an inch wider. Toyota says the front bumper has “aero-corners” to improve aerodynamics, as well as a roof spoiler to improve airflow and help achieve low air drag for better fuel efficiency. Exterior features include:
Standard 16-inch wheels; 17-inch wheels optional
Rear window wiper
LED taillights
Available panoramic moonroof with sliding sunshades
Interior All of the Prius v’s changes create more room inside, where there’s an additional 12.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Like the regular Prius, the v has room for five occupants; a third row was not added with the extra room behind the second row. With the second row folded, the Prius v offers 67.3 cubic feet of cargo space. A low cargo load-in height and a wide opening should be especially appealing to families that frequently use the cargo area.
The increased cargo room is teamed with more passenger room for rear occupants; headroom and legroom have been increased over the regular Prius. The 60/40-split rear bench slides forward and back and reclines up to 45 degrees. Interior features include:
Standard cloth seats; simulated leather available
Stereo with a 6.1-inch touch-screen
Backup camera
Sliding backseat
Available heated front seats
Available navigation system and Entune multimedia system
Under the Hood The same hybrid system that powers the Prius hatchback is under the skin of the Prius v. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine makes 98 horsepower and 105 pounds-feet of torque, while the electric motor makes 80 hp and 153 pounds-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission. Mechanical features include:
Uses regular gas
Doesn’t need to be plugged into an outlet
Four driving modes: regular Drive; Eco mode, which optimizes settings for better mileage; Power mode, which increases gas-pedal sensitivity for better acceleration; and EV-Drive mode, which attempts to stay in electric mode as long as possible, provided the battery has enough power
Safety Standard safety features include:
Seven airbags
Electronic stability system and traction control
Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist
