The Toyota Prius has come a long way from when it debuted as the first mass-market hybrid, and it has carved out a name for itself for being efficient and reliable. The Toyota Prius has been voted by our experts as the Best Hybrid in the 2025 AutoTrader Awards.
Our panel of more than 20 of Canada’s top automotive experts considered every hybrid vehicle available in Canada and determined the Prius had enough in its corner to snag this award for the second year in a row. It also won as Best Green Vehicle in years past before we separated hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and electric vehicles (EVs). Its winning combination of performance, usability, practicality, fuel efficiency, value, and driver satisfaction impressed our judges and earned their votes.
The Prius was redesigned for 2023, with handsome new styling and a new engine far more powerful than before, all while maintaining its impressive fuel economy figures. All of that continues into the 2025 version. The Prius is a self-charging hybrid that recharges the battery using the gas engine and regenerative braking, which captures and stores energy otherwise wasted when decelerating, but it also comes as a plug-in hybrid.
The Prius uses a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that, on its own, makes 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque. When it teams up with its electric hybrid motor, the combination produces 196 horsepower. As with its competitors, the Prius can drive on gasoline, electricity, or a combination, depending on driving conditions.
All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard, which is a bonus for Canadian drivers who typically prefer the extra traction for wet or wintery conditions. The engine/motor combination drives the front wheels, while a second electric motor powers the rear wheels fuel-free when needed for traction. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates it at 4.8 L/100 km in combined city/highway driving, and it runs on regular-grade gasoline.
That extra power, plus its suspension tuning, wider stance, and its lower centre of gravity over the last-generation version makes the 2025 Prius an engaging vehicle to drive. The steering is responsive, the car is smooth and composed around corners, and it does an excellent job of preventing bumps and road imperfections from making their way into the cabin. Those who are considering the Prius solely for its fuel economy will be pleasantly surprised by how good it is to drive as well.
The Prius’ cabin is an eye-catching combination of higher-tech features with simple-to-use controls. The wide dashboard is topped by an infotainment touchscreen that’s up to 12.3 inches in size, and available with Google-based navigation and assistant, along with other connectivity features. While there are many controls that must be accessed in the touchscreen, the features you tend to use most often, such as cabin temperature and stereo volume, can be controlled with simple toggles and dials that help to reduce distraction. The instrument cluster sits above the square-styling steering column, giving it a futuristic look.
The Prius gets high marks in crash testing, and it comes standard with a number of driver-assist technologies that include emergency front braking that can identify pedestrians in low-light situations, along with blind-spot monitoring, full-speed adaptive cruise control, safe exit alert, road sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. A self-parking feature is also available. While most of these systems require some degree of driver intervention, the Prius does it all, from driving itself ahead to find a spot to putting its transmission in Park once it’s finished.
The Toyota Prius is a well-rounded car that focuses on efficiency but also brings many other excellent attributes to the table to set it apart from its competition. Along with its reputation for being packed with value, reliable, and easy to live with, the Toyota Prius truly earns its status as the Best Hybrid in this year’s AutoTrader Awards.