Is the Toyota Prius intended to be a Tesla Model 3 competitor?

The Model 3 is a fully electric car with access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. Those two things alone might keep some Tesla shoppers from considering the Prius. But when it comes to ease of use, reliability and everyday convenience, the Prius is the kind of car most people say they’re willing to drive.

Prius adds fun

So, while the Prius may not be a direct competitor to the Model 3, I think Toyota added some things simply for fun — offering a unique ownership experience, the way Tesla has done with its cars.

Credit: Special

Credit: Special

For example, when you press the key fob on the Prius to lock or unlock the doors, the sound is completely unique and unlike almost any other car. It’s futuristic and high-tech, not the simple “beep beep” you get in most inexpensive vehicles.

The Prius also has hidden Easter eggs all over the car. In the rear hatch area next to one of the taillights, there’s the phrase “Hybrid Reborn.” In the cabin, there are playful hashtags, including “#GLOVEBOX” inside the glove box, “#WIRELESSCHARGER” on the wireless charger, “#HIDDENCOMPARTMENT” in the tray beneath the center console and #SAFTEYFIRST, revealed when you fold down the rear seat.

Credit: Special

Credit: Special

Other details include the word “Prius” hidden in the rear window defroster. There’s also a small outline of a Prius below the Toyota Safety Sense camera up front and a first-generation Prius silhouette with the text “Since 1997” hidden behind the rear license plate. (The first generation launched in Japan that year, but the Prius came to the U.S. in 2001.)

There’s no practical reason for these things to exist — other than Toyota wanting to make the car feel fun, something most hybrids don’t do and something many EVs do especially well.

Cool features, cool design

Available features on the Prius show it can be a comfortable daily driver. Depending on trim and packages, you can get blind-spot monitoring, a glass roof, a JBL audio system, wireless phone charging, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 360-degree parking camera.

But the new Prius is about more than little gimmicks. The overall look is sleek — almost sexy — which is something I never thought I’d say about a Prius, and something that hasn’t been true of the model until now.

Thin headlight cutouts, hidden rear door handles and a light bar that stretches across the hatch are small design choices that make it noticeably more appealing than previous versions.

Credit: Special

Credit: Special

Toyota can build good-looking cars. The Camry is a good example, as are the Crown Signia, Land Cruiser, Supra — and even the old Scion tC. They’re all proof Toyota knows the formula. It just hasn’t been applied to the Prius … until now.

More power

The Prius now has more horsepower than before — 194, to be exact. Add all-wheel drive and it bumps to 196 hp. Go with the plug-in hybrid and it jumps to 220 hp.

This doesn’t make the Prius a sports car, although handling is improved compared to previous versions. The extra power is noticeable pulling away from a stop. Still, it’s only fair to point out that the Prius is designed first and foremost to deliver excellent fuel economy. The front-wheel drive version of the 2026 Toyota Prius has a published 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds.

Available as a traditional hybrid or a plug-in, the Prius costs about $30,000, including the inescapable $1,195 destination fee. A top-of-the-line Prius Limited is close to $37,000. A plug-in hybrid Prius starts just under $35,000, and it allows you to drive on electricity alone for up to 44 miles.

Is the Toyota Prius a legitimate competitor to the Tesla Model 3? Maybe. Anyone considering only an electric car will likely want the Tesla — maybe even a Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 or Audi A4 e-tron.

Ultimately, both the Model 3 and the Prius show that more choice usually works out better for consumers. The innovation — and the fun factor — of the Model 3 has pushed other automakers to add a little “extra something” to their hybrid and electric cars.

That kind of competition is exactly what will get more buyers into electrified vehicles in the years to come.

Brian Moody is a senior editor of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, which are part of Cox Automotive. He is an automotive expert specializing in transportation, car shopping, electric cars, in-car technology and future vehicles.