The fanciest new Prius has costs that aren’t paid in dollars and cents. That could mean you get more than you paid for, or that there was a trade-off.
Sometimes, cost can't be expressed entirely in monetary terms. There are certain things you gain or lose in a transaction that aren't necessarily covered in price tag. That could mean you get more than you feel like you paid for, or that there was a trade-off. In the case ofstarting just $3,500 or so more than a midgrade XLE
Going big also gives you the opportunity to get even more useful stuff if you're so inclined. The Limited trim is the only Prius to offer 360-degree exterior cameras, heated rear outboard seats, a digital rearview mirror, and hands-free parking as extra cost options—but the lower trims don't offer this stuff at all so there's no money-saving hack here. Sounds pricey, but it isn't.
To wit, the Limited is 0.3 second slower to 60 mph from a stop, needing 7.5 seconds to do the deed. You're not likely to be drag racing anyone in your Prius, and you're even less likely to notice three-tenths of a second. It's also 0.3 second slower in passing, taking 4.0 seconds to accelerate from 45 mph to 65 mph to the XLE's 3.7 seconds. That's something you might notice on the freeway when you're trying to quickly get around a slowpoke.
The difference also shows up in the handling. The XLE hangs onto the pavement tighter and pulls 0.88 average lateral g on the skidpad to the Limited's 0.82. The XLE is also quicker around our figure-eight test, needing 26.8 seconds at 0.65 average compared to the Limited's 27.5-second lap at 0.61 g average.and is even up for a bit of fun in the corners. No longer a soul-sucking appliance, it delivers both driver engagement and fuel efficiency.