Trims and Powertrain

The 2026 Prius comes in four trims – LE, XLE, Nightshade, and Limited – all of which pair a 2-liter 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine with a lithium-ion battery-powered electric motor, yielding 194 combined horsepower. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT) and front-wheel drivetrain (FWD) are both standard. Toyota’s electronic on-demand all-wheel-drive (AWD) system is optional and will add a second motor (on the rear axle), resulting in 196 system net horsepower.

The Prius features four drive modes—Normal Mode, battery-only EV Mode, Power Mode for quicker acceleration, and ECO Mode for optimal fuel economy. The FWD version achieves the higher fuel efficiency than the AWD version. The base LE is the efficiency champ, returning an estimated 57 mpg city and 56 mpg highway, followed by the XLE, Nightshade, and Limited, which achieve 52 mpg city and highway. The LE also leads the AWD lineup in fuel economy, returning 53 city/54 highway mpg, while the other three trims with AWD drop to 49 city/50 highway mpg.

Standard Equipment

The LE comes with manually adjustable front seats, cloth upholstery, a 7-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, a SofTex-trimmed steering wheel, single-zone climate control with pollen filtration, the Smart Key System on the driver-side door with remote keyless entry and push-button start, six USB ports (two front, two center console, two rear), heated power exterior mirrors, an active front grille shutter, auto-off Bi-LED projector headlights, LED taillights and stop lights, LED daytime running lights, a roof-mounted shark-fin antenna, a tonneau-style cargo cover, 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, and 17-inch alloy wheels with covers.

The XLE adds SofTex upholstery, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, an expanded Smart Key System (both front doors and the liftgate), wireless smartphone charging, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, auto on/off Bi-LED projector headlights, illumination notification, a rear center armrest with cupholders, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Nightshade Edition stands out with exclusive black SofTex seats with gray stitching, carbon-fiber interior trim, black exterior badging and accents, and black-finished 19-inch alloy wheels. The Limited receives ventilated front seats, driver’s seat memory settings, and a power liftgate, plus a fixed-glass roof and Digital Key smartphone capability (both of those items are available on the XLE and Nightshade). Heated rear seats and a digital rearview mirror are also available on the Limited.

Safety and Driver Assist Technology

Every 2026 Prius is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which includes proactive driving assist, lane tracing assist, road sign assist, automatic high beams, lane departure alert with steering assist, full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Other standard safety features are safe exit alert, a vehicle proximity notification system, rear seat reminder, a blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, hill start assist control, and an integrated backup camera display. The XLE and higher trims come with front and rear parking assist (optional on the LE). The Limited Premium Package can be added to its namesake trim to supply advanced park and a 360-degree panoramic view monitor.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The default infotainment system has an 8-inch multimedia touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming capabilities, and SiriusXM satellite radio, all channeled through a six-speaker sound system. The Limited moves up to a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (available on the XLE and Nightshade) and a JBL audio system with eight speakers and an amplifier. Every 2026 Prius can access Toyota’s subscription-based Connected Services, and the Limited gets a one-year trial subscription to Drive Connect, which includes cloud navigation with Google Points of Interest.