The Toyota Prius hybrid marks two decades this year; to be more specific, it’s been 20 years since it was introduced to the U.S. market for the 2001 model year. Before that, however, the Prius debuted on Japanese roads in 1997.
The very first iteration of the hybrid had a more upright and conservative-looking sedan body style, and it wasn’t until 2004 that the trademark kammback shape appeared.
To date, 1.9 million Prius units have been sold to American households, and Toyota will celebrate 20 years of electrified mobility with the 2021 Toyota Prius 2020 Edition.
The special-edition Prius gets the black trim treatment
Don’t be confused by the name, as it simply refers to the car being a 2021 model that honors 20 years since its arrival on American shores. This special variant will have a limited run of just 2,020 units.
The 2020 Edition uses the Prius XLE FWD as the base, to which Toyota adds generous amounts of black body accents. Blacked-out projector headlights pierce the darkness, and these are complemented by the side mirror caps, B-pillar, and badges rendered in black trim.
Even the 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are the color of the night, although this makes them look a bit small inside the wheel arches. A rear spoiler matches the car’s body color, which will be available in either Supersonic Red or Wind Chill Pearl.
Even the badges are rendered in black
Inside, the Toyota Prius 2021 continues the black motif on the shift knob as well as the trim on the A-pillar, accompanied by air-conditioning vents treated to a smoked finish.
A special ”2020 Edition” insignia adorns the floor mats, which match the key fob. The driver’s seat boasts eight-way power adjustment, while a heated steering wheel is standard as well. Qi wireless charging is on hand for compatible mobile devices.
The head unit will now offer Android Auto integration alongside Apple CarPlay
>>> Related: Complete guide to the Toyota Prius Philippines
As on the rest of the Prius range, the 2020 Edition will have Android Auto functionality, apart from the currently available Apple CarPlay.
More importantly, the new Prius gets the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety suite, which packs a serious array of driver-assistive features: pre-collision braking with low-light pedestrian detection, bicyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, dynamic radar cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, auto high beam, and road sign assist.
Toyota will launch the new Prius at the company’s 2020 New Product Showcase on May 18, one of 11 electrified models for the 2021 model year.
Pricing is yet to be announced, but the model will be available throughout different regions in the U.S. But wait, Philkotse.com will keep you posted!