2013 Toyota Prius Plug-In test drive results showed how useful a short electric range could be when combined with Toyota’s hybrid system. I drove the car through daily commuting, shopping, hills and longer Westchester County trips.
My Real-World Prius Plug-In Test
Without a doubt my test of the Toyota Prius plug- in hybrid electric car. This car is perfect for everyday driving — commuting, shopping, whatever — and have a sheltered place to plug it in for a full recharge, which takes about 3 hours on a standard 110v household outlet. Once past its EV-only range, the car reverts to normal Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive gas-electric operation.
According to Toyota:
There’s been some chatter about the EPA’s EV-only rating of 11 miles for this car, which is partly a function of the EPA test procedures, and also the size, weight and cost of the lithium-ion battery pack.
I agreed with Toyota’s assessment. However, this was the Green Living Guy real-world test. Bottom line off one week, I got 98 Miles per gallon equivalent. I would have gotten more but my 220 charger stopped working because I accidentally got some humidity in the charger. Therefore, I had to charge only on a 110 volt; which reduced my total number of trips all EV.
I pushed the car up and down hills. Particularly in Briarcliff, there is Long Hill Road. That’s a perfect test. I drove it forever out of range at times when traveling to other parts of the County which are more than the 12.4 Miles of range that I got with the car.
So this is a tough, efficient hybrid EV.
Related: a newer Toyota Prius Prime test drive.
Charging Changed the Result
The car could recharge from a household outlet, which made overnight charging straightforward. When my faster charger was unavailable, relying on 110-volt charging reduced the number of trips I could complete primarily on electricity.
For a newer comparison, see our 2025 Toyota Prius Prime test drive.
Conclusion
The 2013 Prius Plug-In worked best for drivers who could charge regularly and keep many daily trips within its electric range. Once the battery depleted, Toyota’s hybrid system still delivered strong efficiency.
This was an early example of how plug-in hybrids could bridge conventional hybrids and full battery-electric vehicles.
