2011 Toyota Prius

The 2011 Toyota Prius styling is unchanged. It remains a highly aerodynamic five-passenger car with a low hood, radically swept-back windshield, arching roofline, and tall tail.

Prius has compact-car exterior dimensions but enough interior room to qualify as a midsize car under federal standards. Its high ceiling creates large doorways and chair-like seating with plenty of head room. Wide front buckets accommodate those who shop the big-and-tall store, though only the optional leather seats, with their adjustable lumbar bolstering, provide good lower-back support. Rear seaters have generous knee and toe space, but the bench isn’t quite wide enough to hold three adults in comfort.

All dashboard gauges are digital and are mounted centrally atop the instrument panel rather than in front of the driver; it takes some getting used to.

The hatchback opening is large and folding the rear seatbacks creates a flat, carpeted surface. But the load floor is rather high, so cargo volume is less than in most similarly sized hatchbacks. A small bin beneath the cargo floor compensates some. Small-items interior storage isn’t generous; only the front doors have map pockets, for example, and they’re really just cup holders.