Toyota never built a 2019 Prius v. The Prius v hybrid wagon was produced from May 2011 and sold in the United States for the 2012 through 2017 model years; U.S. sales stopped after 2017. In other markets the same vehicle was called the Prius alpha (Japan) or Prius+ (Europe and Singapore), and that version was built until March 2021. The changes and prices worth knowing are therefore those of the real production run, not of a model year that did not exist.
Launch and Naming
The Prius v was unveiled at the January 2011 North American International Auto Show and launched in Japan that May, in the U.S. in October 2011 and in Europe in June 2012. It was the first Prius family member to be spun off from the standard car and it rode on the third-generation Prius platform. Toyota positioned it as a compact MPV, with a tall body, a 0.29 drag coefficient and far more cargo room than the hatchback.
Toyota aimed the Prius v at buyers who wanted hybrid economy but needed more space. The company set a sales target of 15 to 20 percent of conventional Prius volume in the United States, or roughly 30,000 cars a year, and marketed the model to young families with children.
Powertrain Across the Run
Every Prius v used Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive with a 1.8-liter 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder making 98 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque, plus a 60 kW electric motor. Combined system output was 134 horsepower, delivered to the front wheels through a one-speed planetary power-split transmission. The five-seat U.S. car used a 1.3 kWh nickel-metal hydride battery; the seven-seat Japanese and European versions used a 1.0 kWh lithium-ion pack.
Layout depended on the market. The U.S. car had two rows and five seats and used the nickel-metal hydride pack, while Japan and Europe got a three-row, seven-seat version whose lithium-ion battery was moved to the center console to make room for the third row. Europe and Singapore called the model the Prius+.
Changes Over the Model Years
The Prius v’s hardware stayed largely stable, but its equipment and trims evolved. The U.S. range began with a small number of numbered grades and grew to four (Two, Three, Four and Five) as Toyota added content. Entune, Toyota’s then-new multimedia system, premiered on the 2012 Prius v. Options that filtered through the range included LED headlamps, a resin panoramic sunroof and a pre-collision system with dynamic radar cruise control.
Fuel economy estimates also shifted. The early car was rated at 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined by the EPA. By the final 2017 model year the EPA figures were 43 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 41 mpg combined.
Pricing
For its last U.S. model year, 2017, the Prius v ranged from an original MSRP of $26,675 for the base Two trim to $30,935 for the top grade, according to CarGurus. That put it above the standard Prius hatchback, reflecting its larger body and extra equipment. There was no 2019 price because the model was gone from U.S. showrooms after the 2017 model year.
| U.S. model years | 2012-2017 |
| Global production | May 2011 – March 2021 |
| Engine | 1.8 L I4 + electric motor |
| System output | 134 hp |
| EPA combined (2012) | 42 mpg |
| EPA combined (2017) | 41 mpg |
| 2017 U.S. price range | $26,675 – $30,935 |
| Seats (U.S.) | 5 |
Why There Was No 2019 Model
The Prius v’s U.S. sales declined every year after 2012, falling from 40,669 units to well under 10,000 by the end of the run. The arrival of the RAV4 Hybrid for 2016 gave buyers a roomier, all-wheel-drive alternative, and Toyota dropped the Prius v from the U.S. lineup after the 2017 model year. Production in Japan for the Prius alpha continued until March 2021. The Prius+ was withdrawn from Europe without a direct replacement.
The Takeaway for Buyers
A shopper looking for a new mid-size hybrid in 2019 could not order a Prius v. The comparable new Toyotas were the RAV4 Hybrid and the Prius hatchback, with the Corolla Hybrid following for 2020. The Prius v remains a used-car option for buyers who want its specific blend of wagon cargo space and around 41 mpg in a compact footprint. The related 2019 Camry and the 2019 Prius Prime covered other parts of Toyota’s lineup that year.
Markets and Sales
Toyota sold the Prius v under three names: the Prius v in North America, the Prius alpha in Japan and the Prius+ in Europe and Singapore. From 2013 to 2021 it was also rebadged as the Daihatsu Mebius in Japan. Toyota reported global sales of about 634,000 units by April 2016, of which Japan accounted for roughly 428,400 and the United States about 148,079. Canada took about 12,670 and Europe about 38,200. U.S. volume peaked at 40,669 in 2012 and fell every year afterward.
Safety and Standard Equipment
Standard safety content included a backup camera, Hill Start Assist and Toyota’s Vehicle Proximity Notification System, which used external speakers to alert pedestrians when the car was running on electric power at low speed. Four driving modes were fitted: Normal, Power, Eco and EV. Available features included LED headlamps, a pre-collision system with dynamic radar cruise control, an advanced parking guidance system and a lightweight resin panoramic roof. In the 2015 ANCAP assessment the Prius v scored 15.21 out of 16 for frontal offset protection and 15.27 out of 16 for side impact.
