Explore the 2017 Toyota Prius and the 2017 Toyota Prius Prime

It’s time for a new car, and you’ve decided that also means it’s time for a hybrid. You drive a lot, and you’d rather not hit the gas station quite so much. A new car is always an expense, so you figure, let’s try to save some money on gas when all is said and done. And you know you want the best, so your mind immediately puts the words “Toyota Prius” in your head. After all, they’ve been at this whole hybrid thing the longest, right? But what’s this? There are plug-in hybrids now? And you can get a tax incentive to purchase them? And Toyota makes one? Oh, everything just got more complicated, didn’t it?

Let’s lay out the facts. The 2017 Toyota Prius is the tried-and-true hybrid vehicle you’ve been thinking of. The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). You can plug in a PHEV to charge, which allows you to drive it as an all-electric vehicle for a certain number of miles. Once the charge gets low enough, the car switches into gear as a hybrid vehicle. Right now, the federal government is offering an income tax credit on PHEV and all-electric vehicles.

So what are the differences between these two Toyota models? When in hybrid mode, the two cars get almost the same gas mileage with 52 mpg in combined driving (factoring in city and highway miles) for the Toyota Prius and 54 mpg combined for the Toyota Prius Prime. The real strength of the Toyota Prius Prime is that it can travel more than 20 miles on battery power alone. Drive less than 10 miles each way to work, and you wouldn’t have to use a drop of gas during the work week.

We’ve only scratched the surface of what makes these two cars different. To learn more, head into Keyes Cars near Los Angeles, CA and get to know these two fuel-efficient Toyota vehicles.