Official EPA estimates are reportedly out for the Toyota Prius 2016 and the latest iteration of the plug-in hybrid gets even more MPG than its predecessors.
What used to be provisional numbers for the new Prius "are now official," according to Toyota media rep Sam Butto, who told Hybrid Cars.
Per the website, five of six trim levels are rated at 54 mpg city, 50 mpg highway and 52 mpg combined. The lighter Prius Two Eco is said to get 58 mpg city, 53 mpg highway and 56 mpg combined.
That makes the 2016 Prius more frugal than the outgoing model which was reportedly rated at 51 mpg city, 48 highway and 50 mpg combined.
Mileage may vary depending on individual driving styles and a host of other factors.
"Cold weather also adversely affects hybrids with their cold-sensitive batteries, and the EPA says as a type, their mpg can vary more than conventional cars which also are adversely affected by cold," HC said.
But the 2016 Prius isn't just stingier than its predecessors. According to CNN Money, Toyota also delivered on its promise of making the plug-in hybrid "more fun to drive than ever."
The website's Peter Valdes-Dapena took it out for a spin and "was surprised."
"The steering felt sharper," he said. "I got to a sweeping entrance ramp and squeezed the gas pedal down. The Prius' new lower, wider body didn't lean way over like it was trying to see around the car in front of it. This Prius felt stable and perfectly at home on a curve unlike any other I've driven.
Granted, the Prius' 121 horsepower doesn't make it a monster at the drag strip. However, "it's plenty fast to merge onto the highway."
Per TFLCar, the 2016 Prius comes in six trim levels, the entry-level Prius Two, a new Prius Two Eco option; the mid-range Prius Three with Prius Three Touring option; and lastly, the range-topping Prius Four with a Prius Four Touring option.
With a sportier design and improved mpg, the Toyota Prius 2016 starts at $24,700 plus destination.
