2012 Toyota Prius Hybrid

The 2012 Prius is available in four main trims namely the Two, Three, Four and Five. All the trim levels come with the same drivetrain configuration but offer a different set of features. As you move up the trim ladder, the creature comforts and tech features increase. However, you get many safety features as standard across all the trims. 

Which trim should you buy? 

The Four trim is a very good trim in terms of comfort features and price. It gets most of the features of the Five trim and costs less than it. It also gets a JBL premium audio system, heated front seats with SofTex trimmed upholstery, deluxe Solar roof system, power adjustable driver's seat etc. So, we suggest that the Four trim is worth buying. 

The 2012 Prius is powered by a 1.8L inline four engine and two electric motors. The combined output is 134 hp and 105 lb-ft of torque. The transmission was created separately for the Prius and it's a CVT. The power is directed to the front wheels only and the ride experience is good. The acceleration is not mind boggling as the system is designed to be as fuel efficient as possible. It does a 0-60 mph in 9.7 seconds and a quarter mile drag is done in 17.3 seconds

The Honda Insight produces less power than Prius and does a 0-60 mph in 10.4 seconds and a quarter mile drag is done in 17.9 seconds. The figures are unimpressive for both the cars but these cars are made for fuel efficiency and so the performance figures don’t matter much. However, the top speed of both the cars is almost the same. 

The 2012 Prius is made for great fuel efficiency and to be used as a daily driver. It offers 51 mpg, 48 mpg and 50 mpg, in the city, on the highway and in combined driving conditions respectively. With a fuel tank capacity of 11.9 gallons, it can travel up to 607 miles, 571 miles and 595 miles in the city, on the highway and in combined driving conditions. 

The Honda Insight offers lower fuel efficiency in comparison to the Prius. Also, owing to a smaller fuel tank of just 10.6 gallons, it can travel only up to 445 miles on a full tank of gas. The Prius is a more powerful car and yet it delivers a better fuel economy than the Insight. Surely, the work done by Toyota in the efficiency department is commendable. 

The 2012 Prius can seat up to five passengers in two rows comfortably. The interior of the Prius is well laid out with all the necessary functions and controls within the easy reach of the driver. It gets an automatic climate control, multi information display, 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, digital instrumentation, smart key system etc as standard. The seats are comfortable and slim front seat backs provide better legroom for the rear passengers. 

The NVH levels are well under control and outer noise hardly distracts the passengers. However, if the engine is revved hard then noise can penetrate inside the cabin. The cabin also facilitates plenty of storage space in the form of cubbies and trays, to store your small items effortlessly. As you climb up the trim ladder, the list of creature comfort elongates and pampers you even more. 

The 2012 Honda Insight lacks the rear room legroom as compared to the Prius. The Prius gets about 3-inch more leg space as compared to the Insight. The Prius also gets a better cargo capacity of 21.6 cu-ft as opposed to only 15.9 cu-ft in the Insight. The front row dimensions of both the cars are very similar. Overall, the Prius is a more practical car than the Insight.

Some of the standout interior features of the 2012 Prius are:

• Automatic climate control
• Multi-Information Display
• SofTex-trimmed heated front seats (Four and Five)
• Remote keyless entry system 
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror (Four and Five)

How intuitive is the 2012 Prius’s infotainment system?

The 2012 Prius is equipped with an easy to use and intuitive infotainment system. It gets many features like 6.1-inch touchscreen display, AM/FM CD player with mp3/wma support, six speakers, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod connectivity and control, bluetooth hands-free phone capability and music streaming as standard. 

As you climb up the trim ladder, you get access to features like Display Audio with Navigation, Entune interface, JBL premium audio system with 8-speakers and amplifier, SiriusXM satellite radio, Entune app suite and access to many useful websites, optional 7-inch high resolution touchscreen display, advanced voice recognition and available standard features.

Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2012 Prius are:

• 6.1-in. touch-screen
• AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• Six speakers
• Optional Premium HDD Navigation
• Optional 7-inch high resolution display
• HD Radio

We believe that the styling and aesthetics are subjective in nature. The styling of the Prius is unconventional and might be a hit or miss among the buyers. The Prius had been designed in the wind tunnel and its design was finalized after extensive research. It’s coefficient of drag is about 0.25, one of the lowest in its segment. 

The front face is distinctive and has a non-existent grille and two rather large headlamps. The side profile seems like that of a wedge and the rear profile is that of a proper hatchback. It also gets an optional solar roof that can power the fan when the Prius is standing in direct sunlight, to reduce the cabin temperature. 

The Toyota Prius is bulkier than the Honda Insight. It is also wider, longer and has more height than the Insight. The ground clearance is about 5.3-inches, which can be considered to be adequate for a vehicle of its class. The longer wheelbase helps with better rear seat legroom and stability on highways.

Some of the standout exterior features of the 2012 Prius are:

• Optional solar roof
• LED headlamps with auto on/off feature (Five trim)
• Integrated fog lamps
• UV reduction glass windshield.
• Rear spoiler
• Color-keyed heated power outside mirrors

The 2012 Toyota Prius is equipped with Toyota’s Star Safety System. It is an advanced suite of driver assistance features like vehicle stability control, traction control, ABS, EBD, brake assist and smart stop technology. The 2012 Toyota Prius also gets front and rear crumple zones and side-impact door beams surrounding the passenger cabin for added passenger protection. 

The NHTSA has given it an overall 5-star safety rating in various tests performed by it and the IIHS has also awarded it the “2012 Top Safety Pick” award in small/hatchback car category. The available active and passive safety features work in conjunction to ensure a safe drive for you. 

Some of the standout safety features of the 2012 Prius are:

• Star Safety System 
• Energy-absorbing collapsible steering column
• Tire Pressure Monitor System
• Vehicle Proximity Notification System
• Hill Start Assist Control
• Optional pre-collision system
• Optional lane keep assist 

The 2012 Prius is a well-balanced car. It offers many useful features as standard. It offers decent performance for daily use and the fuel efficiency is one of its USPs. It may not be a looker but surely does what it's meant to do and offers very good safety features as standard. Also, Toyota has got the pricing game right and availability of many trims helps to cater to different types of buyers. In our opinion, if you are looking for a hybrid hatchback vehicle then the Prius is definitely worth buying.