2018 Toyota Prius

The 2018 Toyota Prius has a refined interior, with soft-touch surfaces and solid fit and finish. Some may find the interior layout unusual, with centrally mounted gauges, a hybrid system indicator, and a stunning available 11.6-inch touch screen. However, getting used to the oddly intuitive design takes little time. Front-seat passengers enjoy cozy accommodations. The rear seats are spacious enough for kids and adults of average height. The Prius has plenty of standard features and numerous infotainment upgrades, but the optional smartphone-connected app is finicky.

• "Inside, the 2018 Toyota Prius is a satisfying mix of technology, comfort and exacting build quality. With its gauges mounted in the center, between the driver and front passenger, the Toyota's layout is a bit funky, but you'll quickly acclimate to the design, which Toyota says reduces the time your eyes are focused off the road." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Older Prius models had a quirky, futuristic interior layout that, although useful, suffered from cheap-looking and cheap-feeling plastics and fabrics. The latest Prius has a more conventional layout and higher-quality materials." -- Edmunds (2017)
• "The Mirai-like dashboard looks and feels upscale, fit and finish is better, and the materials generally speaking are a huge improvement on the old Prius." -- Motor Trend (2016)

Seating

The four-door Prius hatchback seats five on standard cloth upholstery. Upper trims come with leatherette upholstery as well as heated and power-adjustable front seats.

In the first row, the Prius has comfortable seats and an airy feel. The rear quarters can handle a passenger of average height, but taller folks may feel cramped. Most compact cars offer more second-row legroom. Parents will appreciate the Prius’ easy-to-use LATCH child-seat system. There is a full set of connectors in each of the outboard rear seats and an upper tether in the middle seat.

• "A low center-console height gives the front compartment a more open feeling, and the rear compartment feels roomy." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The entire cockpit area feels spacious and the rear passenger area is decently sized. I'm not a huge guy, just five-foot-nine, but I was comfortable enough sitting back there." -- Autoblog (2016)
• "Behind the wheel, the Gen 4 Prius feels very comfortable." -- Car and Driver (2016)

Interior Features

Standard features in the 2018 Prius include proximity keyless entry with push-button start, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, and the Entune infotainment system. In the base trim, the Entune system comes with a 6.1-inch touch-screen display, a six-speaker audio system, a USB port, voice recognition, and Siri Eyes Free, as well as Bluetooth for hands-free phone calls and streaming audio. 

There are two more Entune systems available in higher trims. Both feature navigation, satellite radio, and HD Radio. One has a 7-inch touch screen, and the other touts an 11.6-inch touch screen, which is much larger than what you'll find in most cars. Both optional systems are responsive and have crisp graphics. They come with the Entune app suite, which is simple to set up but can be fussy to use. 

Other features, like the standard automatic climate controls, are easier to work with. The Prius offers wireless device charging, a moonroof, and a 10-speaker JBL audio system as upgrades. Unlike many of its competitors, the Prius lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Optional driver assistance features include blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, park assist, a head-up display, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

See 2018 Toyota Prius specs »

• The 7-inch touchscreen responds quickly to commands, and though high-level smartphone integration requires a clumsy Entune app, you can do without and still have a satisfying experience via USB or Bluetooth audio connections." -- Edmunds (2016)
• "All displays are crisp and look modern now with full-color graphics." -- Cars.com (2016)
• "The simple HVAC buttons deserve a special call-out, for making it easy to adjust the temperature. Toyota hasn't seen fit to add Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to the new Prius, but connecting an iPhone to the car's infotainment system was a quick enough process. The whole dashboard seems designed for maximum use and minimum fuss." -- Autoblog (2016)

Cargo

The Prius One, Two, Three, and Three Touring trims have 24.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. The Prius Two Eco, Four, and Four Touring trims get a bump to 27.4 cubic feet. In either configuration, the Prius has more room for your stuff than any other compact car. Its rear seats have a 60/40-split and fold flat to allow you to haul long items. A cargo area cover is available.

• "… it's a practical hatchback with loads of cargo room." -- Edmunds (2016)
• "Regardless of which pack powers your Prius, the battery is now mounted beneath the rear seat instead of behind it. This improves chassis weight distribution and helps lower the car's center of gravity. It also means much improved gear storage. The most spacious models offer 27.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity, up by about 6 cubic feet." -- Autoweek (2016)
• "Luggage space is impressive … and expands even more with the second row folded flat." -- Autotrader (2016)