Toyota is performing a huge U-turn on its decision not to sell its new fifth-generation Prius in Britain, the company has confirmed to This is Money.
The original poster car for greener motoring, the Prius had been on sale in the UK since 2000 and became the vehicle of choice for eco-conscious A-list celebrities and film stars – even Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio had one.
In more recent years it has become the go-to car of choice for taxi and private hire company drivers, especially Ubers in big cities, due to its low running costs and rock-solid reliability.
However, when revealing the fifth-generation car almost a year ago, Toyota said the new version would not be made available to British customers due to a lack of demand for non-SUV models.
But that’s all set to change after bosses noticed the recent surge in hybrid sales in the UK as many drivers are still unwilling to make the leap to a fully electric vehicle (EV).
Toyota U-turn: This is the fifth-generation Toyota Prius, which was unveiled in Japan almost a year ago where Britons were told they weren’t going to be able to get their hands on one. Fast forward almost 12 months and Toyota UK confirms it will be sold in British dealerships – here’s the reason behind the 180
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Toyota had removed the previous-generation Prius from sale in Britain in early 2022 but confirmed in an official statement in November that it would not be superseded by the latest version.
The UK arm of the manufacturer said this was because demand for its long-running saloon model had evaporated with more buyers wanting SUV-type hybrids, with its CH-R outselling the Prius last year by 32 to one the year previous.
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The company also has the Corolla hybrid hatchback available to British customers – a model that’s produced at its Burnaston factory in South Derbyshire.
READ MORE: Car buyers are racing to snap up hybrids – here’s what you need to know about the different types of hybrids and which are the best-selling models
A Toyota UK spokesman told us at the time: ‘With our evolving UK product strategy and changing market conditions, we have taken the decision not to introduce the new generation Prius in the UK as the new model represents a very different proposition to its predecessor, alongside a clear shift in UK consumer demand towards more SUV style vehicles.
‘Since its introduction as our first hybrid model back in 2000, over the years we have launched a much greater selection of self-charging hybrids, covering all the main segments of the market meeting a much wider customer base.
‘This shift in UK market conditions has been reflected in Prius sales figures, there were 563 sales in 2021, in comparison to just under 18,000 hybrid Toyota C-HRs.’
However, Toyota has done a 180 on the decision, with a spokesperson confirmed to us that the fifth-gen Prius will come to the UK.
They added that there is currently no detail on when it will be made available and how much it will cost, adding: ‘Expect a formal announcement in the not too distant future.’
In Germany, where the Prius is already on sale, prices start from €45,290 while the range-topping version is €52,690.
Based on the current exchange rate, this works out at around £39,500 to £46,000, which will be a significant mark-up on the previous-generation Prius and almost £9,000 more than the self-charging Corolla Hybrid.
Toyota UK had previously said that Prius has been killed off due to the ‘shift in UK market conditions’ towards SUVs. A spokesperson said just 563 Prius were sold in 2021, in comparison to just under 18,000 hybrid Toyota C-HRs (pictured)
Toyota’s U-turn on Prius is likely due to the recent resurgence in demand for conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), with registrations growing 28.2% and 33.8% respectively this year
The reason for the U-turn is believed to be a result of a resurgence in demand for hybrid vehicles in the UK in recent months.
According to the latest official figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, conventional self-charging hybrid (HEV) registrations were at 182,556 units by the end of September. That’s just over 40,000 more than in the first nine months of 2022 – a rise of 28.2 per cent.
As for plug-in hybrids (PHEV), 98,993 have been bought in 2023, which is 33.8 per cent more than in the same period last year.
The rise in hybrid sales is believed to be down to British drivers not wanting to make the transition to a battery-only EV but still wanting the eco benefit of a car capable of running for short durations in electric-only mode.
There are also greater benefit-in-kind taxation rates for hybrids, which make them popular among businesses, fleets and company car drivers.
What you need to know about the new Toyota Prius
The fifth-generation Prius looks far more stylish than before, with a svelte roofline and chiselled profile
The sharper looks are completed with a pair of new angular headlights and this single-beam brake-light bar running across the boot lid
The fifth-generation Prius has received a dramatic style overhaul, including a sloped roofline and chiselled profile.
The sharper looks are completed with a pair of new angular headlights and a single-beam brake-light bar running across the boot lid.
The cabin has also been brought up to date with a floating seven-inch TFT digital driver’s instrument cluster and a massive landscape infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard.
It is currently sold in other markets with the choice of two powertrains: a front-wheel-drive 2.0-litre self-charging hybrid with 191bhp and a four-wheel-drive 221bhp PHEV.
The latter accelerates from 0-to-62mph in just 6.7 seconds, making it the quickest Prius ever.
The PHEV is partially powered by a 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery that provides a claimed electric-only driving range of 53 miles – which is more than double the average daily mileage in the UK (20 miles, according to NimbleFins).
The new Prius also comes with the option of having a solar panel on the roof that is claimed to add 777 miles of cost-free electric driving annually. However, it is not yet confirmed whether this functionality will be available in the UK.
The Prius cabin has been brought up to date with a floating seven-inch TFT digital driver’s instrument cluster and a massive landscape infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard
The PHEV system combines a 147bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 13.6kW battery and 158bhp electric motor. The two power sources generate 221bhp, which is 100bhp more than before. Customers in Europe can even spec their cars to have solar panels on the roof to create extra energy for the battery pack – it’s not confirmed if this will be available in the UK
Prius’ renewed availability in UK showrooms will be celebrated by some, especially after petrolheads have seen a raft of announcements confirming a number of staple car models from our roads will soon disappear.
Ford produced its last Fiesta supemini in July – and the Focus will go shortly, too.
Volkswagen has all-but-confirmed that the current Mk8 Golf hatchback will be its last with a petrol engine in recent months, while sister-brand Audi is set to stop producing TT sports car from the end of the year.
Jaguar is on the verge of axing its F-Type sports car too as it embarks on its ambitious proposal to be an all-electric luxury brand by 2026.
As for Volvo, it has ceased selling estate and saloon models to British customers, only offering SUVs in its UK dealership. The Swedish marque will also axe all diesel engines from its existing vehicle line-up within months.
How Prius became an eco statement for A-list celebs
Tom Hanks pictured getting into his Toyota Prius in 2007 outside his production office in Santa Monica, California
Cameron Diaz is one of the Prius’ most famous owners. Here she’s seen getting into her hybrid model in California in 2007
Since launching globally in 1997, Toyota has sold around 5.05 million examples of the Prius worldwide.
The Japanese firm says this equates to a CO2 saving of more than 82 million tonnes.
But its arrival some 26 years ago also saw the Prius become the car for eco-enthusiasts to be seen in.
It was the first mass-produced, affordable, family-friendly hybrid to be sold on these shores, and demand was boosted by the swathe of celebs pictured driving their super-green Prius around the Hollywood hills.
Stars of the big screen who owned a Prius around the turn of the century include Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Claudia Schiffer, Demi Moore, Ewan McGregor and Julia Roberts – just to name a few.
Rather than flashy Ferraris or huge Bentleys, the Prius was the vehicle to be photographed in if you were an A-lister who wanted to make clear that they are environmentally conscious.
Scottish actor Ewan McGregor pictured in 2004 – again in California – pumping petrol into his Prius hybrid. The Trainspotting star has taken part in plenty of environmental charity work
Claudia Schiffer with her Toyota Prius hybrid in London in 2008. The model said years ago that seeing Al Gore’s film on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, had made her eager to throw her support behind climate change campaigns – and is also why she bought a Prius
Actor Lucy Liu pictured in West Hollywood in 2006 with her Prius hybrid, which at the time was the eco-car to be seen in if you were an A-list celeb
Renee Zellweger is pictured here in 2010 having been ‘caught in a little fender bender with another woman who bumps into the actress’ driver-side door on her Toyota Prius’. Renee stays cheerful as they exchange information and take photos until then-boyfriend Bradley Cooper arrived to pick her up
Sarah Michelle Gellar is pictured here in 2009 pumping petrol into her Prius hybrid
Former Manchester United footballer and now commentator Gary Neville pictured in 2011 arriving at the Carrington training ground. As you can see, his grey Toyota Prius hybrid had been involved in a minor shunt with damage to the front bumper
Jeff Goldblum is pictured with his Prius in 2017 during a shopping trip in New York
Another star of the big screen to own a Prius is Kirsten Dunst, pictured getting into the hybrid Toyota in California in 2006
Toyota Prius in the UK: A brief history lesson
FIRST GENERATION: 2000
The first-generation Prius arrived in the UK in 2000. It had been launched in Japan three years earlier, and the British market wasn’t quite ready for what it had to offer…
When the first-generation car arrived at the turn of the century, Toyota sold it with a five-year warranty in a bid to diffuse concerns about the lifespan of the battery
Toyota’s marketing department went into overdrive in 2003, heavily advertising the Prius as being exempt from London’s Congestion Charge, which was introduced the same year
When the first-generation car arrived in 2000, Toyota sold it with a five-year warranty in a bid to diffuse concerns about the lifespan of the battery.
Yet it failed to prove popular in the UK, despite a huge push in the capital where the Prius was heavily advertised as being exempt from London’s Congestion Charge, which was due to be introduced in 2003.
SECOND GENERATION: 2004
Toyota Prius sales only started to really take off when the second-generation Prius arrived in January 2004
The second-iteration of the Prius won the European Car of the Year title in 2005, becoming only the second Japanese model to lift the award (after the Toyota Yaris in 2000) that dates back to 1964
Prius sales only started to really take off when the second-generation Prius arrived in January 2004.
It even won the European Car of the Year title in 2005, becoming only the second Japanese model to lift the award (after the Toyota Yaris in 2000) that dates back to 1964.
THIRD GENERATION: 2009
The Mk3 Prius arrived in the UK in 2009 and proved relatively popular. This was also the first Prius available as either a conventional ‘self-charging’ hybrid or a PHEV
It was replaced with the third-gen Prius in August 2009, which is still a popular sight on UK roads today.
The Mk3 Prius was also the first to be available as a conventional ‘self-charging’ hybrid or a PHEV, meaning customers could plug it into the mains the charge the battery and benefit from a longer electric-only driving range.
Toyota also introduced the Prius+ MPV around the same time, though the dwindling demand for this vehicle type means it never took off, with the market instead shifting towards SUVs.
FOURTH GENERATION: 2016
The fourth-generation model succeeded it in March 2016, but the arrival of fully-electric cars and longer-range hybrids saw its popularity shrink dramatically in recent years
The fourth-generation model succeeded it in March 2016, but the arrival of fully-electric cars and longer-range hybrids saw its popularity shrink dramatically in recent years.
However, a variation of the hybrid system pioneered in the original 2000 Prius remains the power source in all core Toyota models on sale in the UK to date.
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