Now a mainstay in the car industry, the Toyota Prius family is ever expanding. It includes five trims of the original hatchback as well as the compact Prius C and Prius V wagon, the largest offering in the hybrid clan.
The Persona Series is new for 2015 and adds a half-dozen cosmetic items to the lengthy list of standard features. But overall, the 2015 Prius lineup has only one major change. A rearview camera is now standard on all hatchback models.
The Weekly Driver Test Drive
The 2015 Toyota Prius, including my weekly driver Five trim, is a five-passenger hatchback hybrid. It debuted in the United States in 2001, quickly gained national attention and moved to the top of the still-niche hybrid market with its superior gas mileage.
The 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine is matched to two electric motor/generators and combined they produce 134 horsepower. Handsome or stylish, the Prius isn’t. It remains a futuristic-looking machine with a lot to offer consumers in the market for a reliable, spacious fuel-sipper.
Standard equipment on the base model Prius Two includes: 15-inch alloy wheels, heated power mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, a rearview camera, cruise control, automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, an advanced trip computer, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a 6.1-inch touchscreen display and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.
The Prius Three gains an enhanced keyless entry system, a navigation system, voice controls, satellite radio, HD radio and Toyota‘s Entune system, which includes real-time information (traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports scores) and the ability to use apps like Pandora, iHeart Radio and Open Table via a connection with a smartphone.
The Persona Series has the Three’s equipment plus 17-inch alloy wheels, additional chrome trim, side mirrors with integrated turn signals, footwell illumination and leatherette upholstery.
The Prius Four features the Three’s equipment as well as automatic headlights, an eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker JBL sound system.
And the Prius Five reaches equipment saturation with the 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights and LED headlights. My weekly driver also included the Advanced Technology Package ($4,320). It added a dozen more items, including adaptive cruise control and a upgraded navigation system.
Driving a Prius provides a not-so-subtle reminder that the globally popular hybrid still falls outside the range of “normal car.” Several hybrid sedans I’ve recently driven are barely distinguishable from their gas-powered siblings. But the Prius remains odd.
It operates via a small and sometimes awkward-shifting knob. The Prius advances with little gusto, but it does so with amazing efficiency, 51 mph in city driving. And it’s all detailed via a statistic-loaded instrument panel. While at a stoplight of stop sign, the Prius gas engined shuts off and the car is silent while running on its batteries. The quietness takes an adjustment for newbies, but it’s the efficiency of the combined power that provides the car’s industry-best hybrid mileage.
The 2015 Prius’ interior is basic — like any room in an average hotel chain. There’s nothing wrong with the interior, but there’s little unique, with the exception of three small, appreciated features. The Prius has 10 windows, which give the car an open feel. It also has and upper and lower glovebox and a pass-through console similar to the configuration in Volvo models.
Likes:
Superior fuel economy.
Spacious interior, front and back.
Lots of technology.
Open, airy feeling (10 windows).
Dislikes:
Sluggish acceleration.
Excessive road noise, particularly at freeway speeds.
Obscured rear vision.
Facts & Figures: 2015 Toyota Prius
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Engine | 4-cylinder, 1.8L |
| Horsepower | 134 |
| Transmission | Automatic (variable gear ratios) |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel Economy | 50 city / 46 hwy / 48 combined mpg |
| Fuel Type | Regular Gasoline |
| Airbags | 7 |
| Warranty | Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 Powertrain, 5 years/60,000 miles; Hybrid component, 8 years/100,000 miles; Roadside assistance: 2 years/25,000 miles; Free maintenance, 2 years/25,000 miles |
| Acceleration | 0-60 mph, 10.2 seconds |
| Fuel economy | 51 mpg (city), 48 mpg (highway), 50 mpg (combined) six-speed automatic transmission |
| Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price | $30,005.00 |
| Price As Tested | $35,824.00 |
Article Last Updated: March 31, 2026.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.