As Toyota's least-expensive hybrid, the Prius C seems like a great idea. Similar to its namesake, the C delivers 43 mpg overall, just one mpg less than the larger Prius and a stellar 37 mpg in the city, which is the best of any car we've tested. The C's tiny dimensions and easy parking also make it a natural for urban driving.
On the other hand, this subcompact hatchback suffers from a stiff ride, a noisy cabin, slow acceleration, and cheap-looking interior trim. The Prius C scores too low in our testing for us to recommend it.
There are four Prius C trim lines, appropriately named One, Two, Three and Four. "One" includes Toyota's Entune touchscreen system with Bluetooth and voice recognition. "Two" gets you driver's seat height adjustment, cruise control, two more stereo speakers, and split-folding rear seats. Prius C Three includes navigation and push-button start. The top-level C Four brings a backup camera, moonroof, heated power outside mirrors, heated front seats, and Softex synthetic leather-look upholstery.
Start with the Prius C Two to get the added seat adjustments and cruise control. Frustratingly, you can't get a backup camera unless you get the top Four trim level. We'd skip the Four trim level.