u/Chemical-Call1611

Begrudgingly traded a 2025 Tundra Limited for a 2026 Prius PHEV SE a few weeks back. I just wasn't using my truck enough for truck stuff and it's mostly a commuter car back and forth to work, a 40 mile round trip. It was massive change and I really saw it as a downgrade and step backward if I am honest, but calculating all the costs and deals on these, I can save about 530 bucks a month between payment (had 1.79 for 72 and went to 1.99 for 72) and gas. (savings was about 340 a month in payment and 190 savings in overall fuel cost for just work commute) My commute is now all electric and I already had a lvl 2 charger at home.

I mostly commute solo so far, but just took about a 650 mile trip so this review includes both. I live in the PNW so snow is not a major concern, moderate climate.

Quality an A+ so far. Every seam and stitch perfect, every panel tight, no rattles or issues. Everything has worked every time. The leather wrapped steering wheel is better than my Tundra steering wheel.

Features - Great except for one thing....no auto headlights. I get auto wipers, auto brights, and honestly a surprising amount of features but not that. I sometimes find myself wanting to push the button and have the hatch open and close but aside from habit it's not hard to open or close it. I love the cloth seats. I dont want some non breathable vinyl or leather without ventilated seats, so cloth is perfect...no back sweat.

Room - Im about 5-8, 180. This feels roomier in the front than my jeep wranglers or even bronco have been. It's no Tundra, but very comfortable. I do have the seat in a way to see the front gauge cluster where I dont have a lot of headroom....I put the garage opener on the passenger visor to not have it hanging down in my vision. If I was taller I would def make sure I could fit in front and the back seat as I hit my head getting in and out, and if you are in the back and turn your head toward the window its gonna hit the ceiling. Hatch is decent space, it looks like less with the cargo cover installed and obviously is, but we had clothes and hiking gear for 2 and no issue keeping it all just in hatch (on top of subwoofer I installed)

Styling - In the eye of the beholder but I really like it. It looks fantastic to me for what it is...a small efficiency rocket. The A pillars do block visibility in the front when turning, this was evident on my trip with mountain switchback roads where you literally did not even see a car coming at you on sharp turns.....so stay in your lane....this was noticeable on the trip...first car when it cleared the A pillar scared the crap out of me as it was suddenly just there.

Functionality - Perfect so far for what it is. I miss my big truck, but after the trip I liked this even more. It does what I needed it to do...efficiently gets me to work and back and on the trip.

Efficiency/MPG - Outstanding here....my full commute with electric so use no gas all week or around town. On my trip I started fully charged but reset the MPG once the first charge ran out. I charged it one time on my trip at the hotel (which got me a great parking spot in an otherwise full garage and was free) and my combined mileage for the roughly 600 miles was 58.5 mpg, carrying 2 people, using fan/ac, lights, and carrying our gear which includes up and down mt Baker area.

Performance - Biggest positive surprise. "its gonna suck, its a prius its so slow, gonna just sit in the left lane now under the speed limit?"....those might be what you hear. This thing hauls ass. I was at 70-80 effortlessly passing and in and out of traffic with this guy. It's not as quick as my Tesla 3 standard rwd but it's somewhat close, and I never lacked for power or wasn't able to push the pedal down on the interstate and speed around someone. I was floored how good it did here at that speed, with no battery showing on the gauge just the hybrid mode.

Overall - I came away from this trip super impressed with this efficiency machine, now named Optimus. I made u turns where most cars can't, got treated great and let in traffic, got primo parking, and really gave up nothing on this trip or commuting. I know it's not a truck, but it does 95% of what I did before really well and much more efficiently and its probably actually more fun to drive dare I say that. In no way does it replace or replicate what the truck does, not trying to say that at all, just that I didn't do enough truck stuff with my truck in my use case.

I never drove the regular prius, and I never test drove this but for anyone shopping for which Prius I would say drive the PHEV. I just hung my head in shame giving up my truck for this when I bought it thinking it was all about saving money and was gonna be so boring. I was wrong, I enjoy having it, and its so much easier to was being half the size...I would absolutely buy it again so far and have never been so surprised by a vehicle. I can't fathom while every family shouldn't have this as one of their cars....would be great for anyone and is the best of both worlds to give electric efficiency where I need it, and hybrid efficiency seamlessly after that.

The sound system wasn't terrible in the SE 2026 but lacked the low end compared to the JBL system in the Tundra. Added a Kicker Hideaway 12 in the hatch area. Since there is not a lot of room wanted something small to take up the least space but big enough that I am spending the money I can hear it. I did not cut out the foam to fit it in, its just velcro attached to the all weather mat.

It's also 230 watts RMS so safe for the 12v system and the battery is in the rear so no running through firewall. Happy with the sound and def gets loud....I dont want to rattle the car, or even have it heard outside of it, just want a little "feeling" in the music and it delivers what I was looking for.

Tints were already done, and I didn't have the pic ready but I debadged the rear Prius and Phev decals. Fresh wash and wax and ready to take a first road trip with it tomorrow.

https://preview.redd.it/qmlxy7070unh1.png?width=1741&format=png&auto=webp&s=4884684ed233d791e8e6e2b41e74a0ed09f15e67

Autobahn ceramic i3+ 30% on the windows all around which actually came out much darker than I expected. I had 20% (base autobahn ceramic) on my Tundra and this to me seems the same or darker from the outside, although inside is great visibility so far.

For the windshield I used the I3 ceramic 56%. Was debating that or the 70% but seemed a minor worry. I really wasn't going to do windshield but everything I read says that because of the size and slope, doing that would have more impact than the rest of the car combined.

Everyone says its efficiency gains to keep the AC running lower, I think google told me it would take 36 years to break even on the 900 bucks the tint cost. That's the price in my area, called 3 shops and conveniently for them all the same range....

https://preview.redd.it/79u4v4xrrfmh1.png?width=1329&format=png&auto=webp&s=678b933ec8d25c334a07d1e1024e32e7a81107cb

Update - I did it. Sad to see truck go, but got military rebate for another 500 to make it feel a pretty compelling deal.

Drove home 50 miles...thoughts....

1. No auto lights....wth.....all the crap on this thing and they couldn't put auto on/off headlights
2. Road noise on highway is real, definitely could hear it.
3. Battery was totally dead but averaged 58 on way home it said.
4. Stereo....it's really good....I dont know why people would buy JBL or complain, it's close to JBL level on my tundra, at least it felt like it. I was impressed from what I was expecting.
5. Drove great, no problem, like the tech.
6. heard complaints about the center console and leg room for driver, no issue, I like the "cockpit" feel
7. im 5-8...sat in back seat to see how bad it was...hit my head like 3 times in there. That is a real issue....duck, get in, look straight ahead only, dont turn your head.

So my Tundra Limited TRD Off Road has been sitting in the driveway...been taking the Tesla to work the last month or so. Lease Is up in a couple months and some great deals on leftover 2026 PHEVs, thinking of trading my Tundra for a Prius....crazy?

There is one that has been on the lot since last fall, SE with PPF and a few other options, sticker price of 36,247. They are discounting it just over 4,500 bucks while giving me about 1,500 more for my truck than carmax. I have seen people bragging about 5-6k off and I am in the ballpark...but I would still be getting the 1.99% financing and have some positive equity from the truck. There are no other add ons besides 200 doc fee and 400 registration (state adds more for PHEV)

Bottom line, I barely use the truck for truck stuff, but I love the ventilated seats, ability to go up in the mountains (rarely use), and 4WD in case I need it...I like sitting up higher, the nice JBL system...but 98% of the time I commute back and forth to work in it. I haul mulch, occasional dump run, maybe goodwill.....I like the idea of saving 500 a month between payment and gas....a lot...but I am worried about giving up the truck.

Thoughts on the deal? Thoughts on truck to prime? I do have a level 2 charger at home and my work commute is 40 miles round trip....so I am aware this would fit very well.

Also...do I need a badge or special permit if I get the Prius to sit in the left lane at the speed limit?