It’s not often that Toyota Motor gets universal praise for a car design. This is one of those rare times.

Modern cabin design with an excellent display and Multimedia system.

The latest version of the Prius is a Red Dot winner for 2023, praised by judges in this global design competition for its wedge shape marked by elegant, contemporary lines” that do not comprise its tremendous “aerodynamic qualities.”

Some say this Prius is “shockingly cool,” others argue that a “stunner is born,” and still others refer to this design as “visually stunning.” The Prius is a low-slung triumph, and that makes it a shocker. There was a time when Prius was a synonym for homely, but not now. Remember, however, that if you want the bigger, better-looking 19-inch wheels, you’ll need to splurge on an HSE model, at $46,725 to start.

With those numbers, I have to say this: if only the Prius and the Prius Prime were also affordable. The cheapest Prius you can get goes for $40,125, and that’s the plain vanilla hybrid. The much-ballyhooed Prius Prime plug-in hybrid lists at $42,025 to start, which begs the question: why would anyone bother with the Prius Hybrid?

For a couple of grand more, you get up to 72 km of all-electric range, in a sleek hatchback that, overall, consumes less than half the fuel, spits out about one-third of the CO2, and slices your vehicle energy budget by about 40% or more.

Yes, you need regular access to a Level 2 charger to make the Prius Prime do its best work. A Level 2 is a 240-volt outlet. You need to budget four hours of charging time to go from 0-72 km of range. And be forewarned: you cannot plug the Prius Prime into a fast charger, a Level 3. For many, many apartment dwellers, that makes the Prius Prime a non-starter.

Cuts a nice figure.

But you suburban dwellers are in a good place to take full advantage of what is offered by a short-range EV with an on-board gas motor. Do your daily errands and commute, come home, plug in and  then you’re off again tomorrow with another 72 km or range. Some weeks you might never see a gas pump.

Not only that, you’ll be able to whiz by filling stations in a flash. Net horsepower here is rated at 220, which translates into a 0-100 km/hr time of 6.8 seconds. The car is delightfully quick.

Another plus: the cabin. At least for the most part.

The bad news is that the sloping roofline is a head-banger.

Climb in. Bang.

Sit down. Bang.

Climb out. Bang.

Function has followed form here. My guess is that Toyota reckoned that many if not most buyers first want sex appeal, and only then will they turn their thoughts to a useful back seat. Young couple will hurt their back stuffing a child seat in that rear area, too.

Nice cargo area.

The cabin up front is nicely done, however. The digital display combined with a responsive and easy-to-use Multimedia system are boast-worthy. The seats are thinly padded, though, and not the best place for an 800-km road trip.

But for short, zippy hops, the Prius Prime is a winner. It feels solid, the steering is pretty tight and you can dial up various drive modes: Normal, Eco, Sport. I stayed in Sport the entire length of my test drive. All-wheel drive is standard, and you never notice it doing whatever work it’s about.

For a single person, or a couple looking for an all-around, sporty-looking, short-range EV with a gas motor to quell range anxiety, I can think of no better option than the Prius Prime.