Toyota Prius History
History
Launched in Japan in 1997 and in the US for 2000, the Prius was the world's first mass-produced hybrid and became synonymous with hybrid motoring.
The aerodynamic 2004 second generation defined the Prius silhouette and made it a cultural icon; the plug-in Prius Prime followed, and the line continues across multiple generations.
Generations
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First generation · XW10
The original Prius sedan; the world's first mass-produced hybrid (US from 2000).
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Second generation · XW20
The iconic aerodynamic liftback that made the Prius a household name.
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Third generation · XW30
Refined third generation; spawned the Prius Plug-in.
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Fourth generation · XW50
TNGA-platform Prius; introduced the Prius Prime plug-in (US 2017).
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Fifth generation · XW60
A dramatically restyled, more powerful fifth-generation Prius.
Body styles
- Liftback
- Hatchback
Notable special editions & performance variants
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Prius Prime
Plug-in-hybrid Prius with meaningful electric-only range (US from 2017).
Related models