2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e: Conquering Nature, While Saving It
While we’re not sure if consumers were ever really clamoring for an all-wheel drive Prius, Toyota has decided to grace North America with one for 2019. And it would have been a monumental surprise for the kissless virgins that make up the brunt of automotive journalism, had Toyota not already telegraphed its move by selling the model in Japan.
That’s alright, though. Average Joe had no clue such a vehicle already existed in Asia and we’d imagine most Prius fans will just be happy they’ll have an opportunity to buy one that can conquer snowy, mountainous terrain. Whether or not the 2019 Toyota Prius AWD-e can traverse glaciers on a thimble of fuel remains to be seen, but this seems like a wise move. People are constantly coming up to us and explaining how they “have to have” all-wheel drive and Toyota’s premier hybrid could certainly use a sales boost right now.
Perhaps this mid-cycle makeover can help with that.
After peaking in 2012, domestic Prius family volume took a serious hit. Deliveries within the United States for 2017 were roughly half what they were a few years earlier. Meanwhile, 2018 looks like it’s shaping up to be one of the worst periods the model has seen in over a decade. Only the plug-in hybrid is gaining any ground right now.
If you’re wondering what went wrong, there really isn’t much to say. The Prius simply has more direct competition now and lost some of its other-worldly appeal with the green crowd. It also happens to be playing host to some pretty questionable styling at the moment.
The point is, the Prius isn’t broken, and the manufacturer has done quite a bit to keep it that way. Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) is now standard across the Prius range, all-wheel drive is newly available, and so are vastly improved exterior aesthetics.
While the company should be praised for trying something different, it didn’t quite come together upon execution. Toyota was smart in toning town the Prius’ polarizing looks for 2019. The prominent headlamps still ride along the edge of the hood, but they don’t melt into a perplexing series of creases on either side of the grille. It retains the more subtle aspects of the previous styling, ditching exactly what it needed to stop it from looking quite so “bold.”
However, Toyota revising the Prius’ alien-like fashion sense is only half the story. You want to know about the AWD-e models. For 2019, the base Prius will remain a front-drive vehicle. However, customers will have the option to configure their vehicle with Toyota’s electric all-wheel drive system. The catch is that they’ll have to purchase an LE or XLE to do so. Base L Eco trimmed vehicles and upper-crust Limited models will be FWD only.
Fun Fact: Toyota ditched the numerical trims for the Prius to bring the model in line with the rest of its fleet.
The system appears similar to what it offers in its existing hybrid crossovers. Rather than running a driveshaft down the vehicle’s length, AWD-e positions an entirely separate electric motor at the rear. That unit is responsible for spinning the back tires under 6 mph and will continue working up to 43 mph as needed. When it isn’t, the system defaults to front-wheel drive, improving fuel economy.
Speaking of which, Toyota claims the Prius AWD-e should be capable of averaging 52 mpg in the city and 48 mpg highway. Meanwhile, the rest of the family should lay down roughly the same numbers as last year — 54 city and 50 highway, with the L Eco doing slightly better.
As previously mentioned, the new Prius also receives the Toyota Safety Sense P driving aid bundle as standard equipment. That includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane-keep with assist.
That’s the important stuff covered, but we did notice it wasn’t quite as robust as the safety tech on some of Toyota’s other models. It’s a similar story with the multimedia setup. The 2019 Prius will march onward with the 6.1-inch Entune infotainment system it had last year, not the larger upgraded unit we saw in the new RAV4. It’s a trifling matter, especially considering there’s a good chance the larger touchscreen might not even fit, but still worth noting if you want to cross shop.
The 2019 Prius is currently on display at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show (probably adorned with a few of the automaker’s new accessories), sharing space with the 2020 Corolla Hybrid and Toyota’s new TRD sedans. Let us know which one you think it the most exciting and be serious. We don’t need the comments section flooded with a bunch of fake praise for the Avalon TRD.
[Images: Toyota]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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I think Prius is a fun little car, and extremely reliable (brother's 2012 already did 150K miles with just oil changed, and maybe some other expendables like spark plugs). But my problem with it is that you effectively get the ride quality and equipment of a Corolla for the price of a mid-range Camry. In the age of 2-3 dollar gallon of gas, I'd rather have a Camry of course.
It looks like you've run the interior picture from a plug-in Prius Prime with its giant faux-Tesla center stack, not the interior of the ordinary plugless Prius you're reviewing with its 6.1" infotainment screen.