Overview

What's New for 2012:
- Modified front and rear styling
- New wheel designs on some models
- Added standard equipment for most trim levels

Exterior Features
The 2012 Toyota Prius is available in four trim levels--numbered Two through Five--each with the same exterior. The Prius Five comes with 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED headlights, and fog lights. A Solar Panel Roof package is offered on the Three, Four, and Five.

Interior Features
Every Toyota Prius is equipped with push-button starting, automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 6.1-inch in-dash touch-screen radio. Cloth seats are standard.

Optional Features
Moving up trim levels, the 2012 Toyota Prius adds a navigation system, Entune smartphone pairing to run mobile apps, power sunroof, JBL premium sound system, heads-up display, leather seats, and more.

Under the Hood
The Toyota Prius is equipped with an Atkinson-cycle gasoline 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with an electric assist motor, which uses a rechargeable nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Power flows to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The system's combined output is rated at 134 horsepower and 153 lb.-ft. of torque. At speeds less than 25 mph, the Prius has the capability to travel on electricity alone, Toyota says, making it a full hybrid.

Fuel Economy
EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2012 Toyota Prius are 51/48/50 mpg (city/highway/combined).

Safety
Standard safety features on the 2012 Toyota Prius include 7 air bags, traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and Smart Stop technology that Toyota says prevents the car from accelerating when the brake pedal is depressed. A reversing camera is included on Prius Three, Four, and Five trims, while the Four and Five come with Safety Connect telematics with Automatic Crash Notification. Optional safety equipment on the Prius Five includes dynamic cruise control, pre-collision system, and lane-keep assist.

In government tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Toyota Prius received 5 (out of 5) stars for all crash tests. In tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Prius received "Good" ratings--the Institute's highest--for all crash protection tests, and the hybrid model was named a "Top Safety Pick" for 2012.