Toyota’s groundbreaking Prius celebrates its 25th anniversary of being in the U.S. in 2026 — or maybe “observes its 25th anniversary” is a better phrase, because there’s no special edition or trim level honoring the occasion. With the current generation of the Prius entering its fourth model year, the Prius is unchanged for 2026 and starts at $29,745 (all prices include $1,195 destination charge).
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Release Date and Pricing
The 2026 Toyota Prius will go on sale later in the summer. Full pricing is as follows:
- LE: $29,745
- XLE: $33,190
- Nightshade: $33,995
- Limited: $36,760
What Are the 2026 Toyota Prius’s Trim Levels?
The entry-level Prius LE is, aside from its high-style, high-50s-mpg package, fairly basic transportation. It rides on 17-inch aluminum wheels and features LED exterior lighting, keyless entry and start, cloth seats that are manually adjustable up front and six speakers. An 8-inch touchscreen handles infotainment functions with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on every 2026 Prius. The suite includes forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention, lane-centering steering, road-sign recognition and automatic high beams. Blind spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard.
Stepping up to the XLE upgrades the interior with synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat and wireless phone charging. The XLE rides on 19-inch wheels and also includes rain-sensing windshield wipers. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking are included from the XLE on up. The Nightshade is an appearance package based on the XLE, with black wheels, exterior trim and badging, plus a unique black interior with gray accent stitching.
Topping the Prius lineup, the Limited boasts a fixed panoramic glass roof, a power liftgate and Digital Key, which allows owners to use a paired smartphone as the vehicle key. Inside, it boasts ventilated front seats and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with an eight-speaker JBL sound system. A 360-degree camera system and automated parking are optional on the Limited.
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What Are the 2026 Toyota Prius’s Powertrain Specs and MPG?
The Prius is powered by Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system, which pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. Total output is 194 horsepower and 139 pounds-feet of torque routed to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission.
All-wheel drive is available on every trim level for $1,400. Instead of using a traditional mechanical AWD system, the Prius drives its rear wheels with another electric motor, which adds a whopping 2 hp, bringing the total to 196.
Single-mindedly focused on fuel economy, the entry-level LE is the most efficient Prius. Toyota says it returns the same EPA-rated 57/56/57 mpg city/highway/combined with front-wheel drive and 53/54/54 with AWD as the 2025 model (official ratings for the 2026 model are not yet available). The rest of the Prius family is rated at 52/52/52 mpg with FWD and 49/50/49 with AWD.
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