The new Prius Prime from Toyota is a plug-in hybrid that pushes the envelope of what we’ve come to expect from hybrid vehicles. That’s not surprising as the Prius brand has led the way in this category for years, and now it’s also coupled with a bolder design to attract even more potential consumers. I drove the Prius Prime on some great roads in SoCal and came away very impressed.

Exterior

As you can see, Toyota has gone with a much more aggressive design for the Prime. It will be interesting to see how loyal Prius buyers react to the new design but in my view it’s a significant improvement. The designers went with a more chiseled profile and edgy character lines along with very distinctive headlights and taillights. The quad LED headlights look like diamonds and highlight the front facia along with a bold acrylic grille, and the rear end with also catch your attention with prominent taillights.

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Toyota has been a trailblazer with the Prius as the company pioneered the hybrid category. After almost twenty years and over 3.5 million sales worldwide, Toyota revealed the fourth generation Prius in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

The event took place on the rooftop of the all-new Linq hotel on a hot evening with hundreds of other journalists and guests as the all-new 2016 Prius was elevated above the stage. The sportier design stood out immediately as Toyota has completely reimagined the exterior of the vehicle. The front fascia looks more distinctive with aggressive headlamps, and I liked the rear lamps even more. The new Prius is 2.4 inches longer, 0.6 inches wider and 0.8 inches lower than the previous model, and these subtle changes contribute to the new look. After years of playing it safe, Toyota has opted for bolder designs over the past year and the new Prius continues that approach.

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