As Toyota's least-expensive hybrid, the Prius C seems like a great idea. True to its namesake, it delivers excellent fuel economy of 43 mpg overall, just 1 mpg less than the larger Prius, and a stellar 37 mpg in the city -- the best of any car we've tested. The C's tiny dimensions and easy parking also make it a natural for urban driving. And it's about $4,000 less than the full-fledged Prius.
But you get what you pay for. This subcompact hatchback, which is related to the lackluster Toyota Yaris, suffers from a stiff ride, very noisy cabin, slow acceleration, and cheap-looking interior trim. While the Prius C is inexpensive for a hybrid, other similarly-priced small cars, like the Mazda3, are much more livable and refined. In our tests, the Prius C scores too low for us to recommend it. For the same money, we'd buy a used Prius (non-C) instead.
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.