that difference in length, but mass, as well (the Liftback curb weights range from 3,010 to 3,080
pounds, depending on trim, while the Prime ranges from 3,365 to 3,375 pounds).
But then things get different, whether it is obvious—like the addition of a charging port on the
opposite side from the fuel filler opening (plug in on the passenger's side; fuel on the driver's
side) or the fact that the Prime is a four-place vehicle rather than the five-passenger setup of the
Liftback or the wholly new front and rear fascia and backlight or the available 11.6-inch touch-
screen that's located in the center of the instrument panel—or evident only from the engineer-
ing point of view.
A primary difference vis-à-vis the engineering is predicated on the ability to charge the
8.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack from a standard outlet (Toyota recommends a dedicated
The Prius Prime is based on the same TNGA—that's Toyota Next Generation
Architecture—as the 2016 Prius Liftback. But to accommodate the larger
battery required because this is a plug-in hybrid, capable of up to 25 miles
on electricity alone, it is 4.2-inches longer than the Liftback.
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COVER STORY