2012 Toyota Prius v Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Toyota Prius V review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Prius V, and includes Toyota Prius V safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The 2012 Prius V is an all-new wagon version of Toyota’s popular hybrid vehicle, adding cargo space and greater versatility while still accommodating five passengers and providing the kind of fuel economy for which hybrids are known.

From an exterior styling perspective, the current-generation Prius differs very little from its predecessor. That changes this year thanks to the debuts of the compact Prius c and the variant we’re addressing in this article, the 2012 Toyota Prius V wagon. With its more spacious tail section, the V offers an extra 12.7 cubic feet of cargo space (with rear seats raised), but that added versatility doesn’t come without a penalty: The Prius V weighs 242 pounds more than the regular Prius, and proves to be less fuel-efficient as a result.

Toyota offers the 2012 Prius V in three trim levels: Two, Three and Five. If someone tries to sell you a Prius V One or Four, chances are they’ll follow up with an offer of oceanfront property in Arizona.

We can’t explain the logic behind the names, but we can tell you that the Prius V Two is equipped with standard LED taillights, heated mirrors, a power lumbar adjustment for the driver, a push-button ignition system, 16-inch alloy wheels, and expected comfort and convenience amenities like power windows and door locks, keyless entry, and cloth upholstery. Also factored into the mix are a tilt and telescoping steering wheel with integrated Bluetooth controls, cruise control, a rear cargo cover, and a six-speaker audio package that includes an iPod-compatible USB port, an auxiliary jack, and a 6.1-inch touch-screen display shared with the car’s backup camera.

That last bit of equipment is also found in the 2012 Prius V Three, though it’s enhanced with a navigation system and Toyota’s Entune in-car mobile applications technology. This desirable feature allows drivers to pair their smartphones with the car, and then operate apps like the Bing search engine and Pandora’s streaming music via the touch-screen or voice controls. In addition, the Prius V Three also boasts a complimentary three-month subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio.

Next up is the Prius V Five, home to 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded upholstery, heated front seats, auto-leveling LED headlights, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, and Toyota’s Smart Key keyless entry and ignition feature. Also reserved for the Five is the Advanced Technology Package, which sports JBL audio components, intelligent cruise control, a panoramic moonroof, and a one-year subscription to the company’s Safety Connect emergency response services.

While they may look a bit different on the outside, the Prius and Prius V are identical under the hood. That’s where you’ll find a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine that delivers power to the front wheels courtesy of a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and promises impressive fuel economy with help from a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, a regenerative braking system, and an electric motor. Put it all together and you have Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, which, in the case of the Prius and 2012 Prius V, is good for 134 horsepower and up to 153 pound-feet of torque. Expect to average 44 mpg in the city, 40 mpg on the highway, and 42 mpg in mixed driving.

Much acclaim can be heaped upon the 2012 Prius V’s marriage of functionality, efficiency and, it seems, safety. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn’t released crash-test data at the time of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety had, naming the most spacious of Prii a Top Safety Pick. Much of the credit can be attributed to the car’s strong structure, as well as the seven standard airbags fitted inside. Those features are accompanied by stability and traction control systems, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and Smart Stop technology that forces the brakes to automatically override the accelerator in the rare event when both pedals are applied simultaneously.

While the Prius V’s safety ratings are merely incomplete, this hybrid wagon’s reliability scores are missing altogether. Of course, we’re talking about an all-new model, so it will take some time to get data flowing in, but if the 2011 Toyota Prius liftback’s Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates ratings are any indication, dependability should be well above average.

However, should a problem arise, buyers will be covered by a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for all hybrid components. Like other Toyotas, the Prius V is also backed by a two-year/25,000-mile free-maintenance plan.

It’s fair to say many shoppers considering the Prius V will want to compare it to the regular Prius we’ve all come to know over the years, as well as other efficient haulers like the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI. To aid in that effort, we’ve gathered a few key specifications to shed some light on the big picture.

The most powerful model of the three is the Volkswagen, with six extra horsepower and a whopping 78 more pound-feet of torque, which is important because torque is what most people feel as acceleration. Dimensionally, the Prius V is longer and taller than the VW, but is also narrower and lighter while providing about half a cubic-foot more maximum cargo space. Notably, the original-recipe Prius is smaller and lighter than both the Prius V and Jetta SportWagen, but that translates to significantly less maximum cargo volume, too. As for fuel economy, the original Prius handily beats the Prius V and Volkswagen, while the Jetta achieves a better highway rating than the Prius V.

The moral of the story? If you need more maximum cargo space, get a Prius V or a Jetta. If not, among these three, you can’t beat the Prius for fuel economy, or price.

Whether you call it a hatchback or wagon, the Prius V represents a major change from the standard Prius. It’s bigger, much more accommodating to a family, and is better looking than a regular Prius that, frankly, still looks a bit goofy even after all these years.

Our test model was the Prius V Five, which meant we were driving the top-of-the-line model. Starting price was just under $30,000 but with $6,000-plus of options in the Advanced Technology Package, the price topped $36,000. The most expensive upgrade was the navigation and Entune entertainment system that is your gateway to useful apps like Bing search and OpenTable to find a nearby restaurant and Pandora and iHeartRadio for streaming music.

It takes about five minutes to set up the complimentary three-year Entune subscription and then you simply update apps on your phone. Easy. Toyota emphasizes that the big benefit of Entune is that the electronics in your center console won’t become horribly dated just a few years after you buy a new vehicle. That logic makes good sense to us.

Entune isn’t essential, but it works well and is nearly as easy to use as an iPad.

The two-tone leatherette seats look good and are comfortable enough around town. The rest of the interior is a mix of black and silver plastics that reminded us of the proud colors of the Oakland Raiders football team—but with an Oakland A’s Moneyball-era budget, which means the interior looks and feels a bit low end but does a good job of making the most of its limitations.

One of the best parts about the Prius V, besides fuel economy, is that the car feels roomy in the front and back seats. You can adjust the 60/40-split rear seats forward and backward to either create more legroom or cargo space. Smart. You can also fit two adults and one child in the center of the rear seat so the V matches its Roman numeral as a legitimate five-passenger car.

But enough about the car itself, if you’re considering a Prius, you’re looking for a practical, fuel-efficient car that helps you feel better about your impact on the environment. While the EPA promises 44 mpg in the city and 40 on the highway, I only averaged 38.6 mpg over nearly 200 miles. Most of that driving was on the highway, which brings up a key point to remember about hybrids: they are best in the city. If you plan to cover lots of highway miles, you should seriously consider Volkswagen’s turbo diesel vehicles like the Jetta or Passat.

Driving dynamics are about what you would expect from a Prius—dull and fairly lifeless. But if you were looking for a great deal of steering feedback and the rush of rapid acceleration against a Corvette at a stop light, you would be searching for a V6 or V8 engine with six or even eight gears. Instead, you’re considering a car that has a four-cylinder engine and runs on a continuously variable transmission and is anything but zippy. But it is smooth and the transitions from gas to electric power are hardly noticeable.

We spent most of our driving time driving in Eco mode with the hopes of achieving fuel-economy ratings that would make environmentalists shout our names in joy. Instead, our economy lagged EPA averages and we quickly discovered that Eco mode was completely inappropriate for the climb over 7,100-foot Parley’s Summit on our way to Park City, Utah. The Prius’ engines survived but they weren’t happy and we knew it after the powertrain screamed at us at annoying volumes. We used the Power mode on our way back over the pass and performance improved. Just a bit.

Ultimately, most of America drives on flat surfaces and spends much of their time in the city. For these drivers, the Prius V is a logical choice that fits a family and helps them feel good about doing their part to drive green. That’s more than enough to point these drivers in the direction of the V, which stands for “versatile” but may ultimately represent another victory for the auto world’s hybrid leader.

Quirky to some, cherished by others, the Toyota Prius has cemented itself firmly into the American automotive landscape. Yes, it steers clear of convention in terms of its styling and its powertrain, but it rewards with leading fuel economy and a comfortable, spacious interior. The all-new 2012 Prius V builds upon the successful platform and promises to spread the Prius gospel to an even broader spectrum of car buyers, though it’ll do so with less impressive efficiency.

By Thom Blackett and Michael Waterman