Toyota Prius puts on party clothes for 20th anniversary model
The 2021 model year marks 20 years since the Prius came to America.
Have it red or white, but the black accents define the 2020 Edition.
In 2000, an era dominated by big SUVs , Toyota introduced America to a totally different kind of car: the Prius.
It's hard to believe, but it's been 20 years since the car first quietly rolled up to US Toyota dealerships, and the automaker's ready to celebrate with the Toyota Prius 2020 Edition, for the 2021 model year. It's nothing too outgoing, but Toyota jazzed up the exterior with black accents and the choice of two colors: red or a new hue called Wind Chill Pearl.
The Prius became a roaring success for Toyota globally with nearly 2 million sold since 2000 in the US alone. It also became an icon for cleaner, more efficient vehicles -- a torch no other car has come close to carrying.
Black badges help make the Prius look a bit sportier.
The 2020 Edition starts life as a Prius XLE with front-wheel drive (yes, you can get an all-wheel drive Prius these days) with plenty of comforts, including Toyota's Safety Sense 2.0 for the new model year. Adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition and more are now standard. Around the exterior, black elements replace standard brightwork, including the 17-inch alloy wheels. The same darkened elements head inside with black shift knob, A-pillar trim and "smoked" (i.e. kinda gray rather than silver) HVAC controls. Owners also get unique floor mats and a color-matching rear spoiler.
The shift knob is typically blue, but for the 2020 Edition, it's finished in black.
All the while, the Prius carries out its duty to return 52 miles per gallon in the city, 50 mpg on the highway and 52 mpg combined. Oh, and Toyota's keen to remind buyers that the Prius actually has more cargo room than some small crossovers . There's actually 50.7 cubic feet of space onboard with the rear seats folded down. Hatchbacks are quite versatile, America.
Prius shoppers kicking the tires will still find the standard gear onboard as well, such as a 7-inch touchscreen unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 4.2-inch monitor to keep tabs on the various gauges, energy usage and more.
The automaker plans to build 2,020 Prius 2020 Editions and they'll start funneling into dealerships this year. Pricing isn't available, but expect a minor premium for the added goods.
