2012 Toyota Prius v

A wagon-sized Prius is a terrific idea, experts say -- and the 2012 Toyota Prius v (Base MSRP: $26,550 to $30,140) has become one of critics' favorite hybrids.

"The Prius v offers the back seat and trunk space of a small SUV while using about half as much fuel," says Aaron Gold at About.com. "So simple, yet so brilliant."

Since it's basically "nothing more than a regular Prius with a station wagon butt grafted on," as Gold says, the Prius v still suffers from the same drawbacks as the regular 2012 Toyota Prius (Base MSRP: $24,000 to $29,805) -- chiefly, it's dull to drive, and accelerating takes a while.

But it also enjoys the same perks -- like great expected reliability and fuel economy.

Looks like a Prius with a bigger behind

The Prius v's exterior styling doesn't get much attention from reviewers; Gold's "Prius with a station wagon butt" description says just about all there is to say. With the same pointy nose, swept-flat windshield and tall butt, the Prius v "is instantly recognizable as a Prius relative," Kelley Blue Book says.

The cabin looks a lot like a Prius, too, although Gold finds the Prius v's dash "less swoopy and more frumpy" than the regular Prius. It does keep the same center-mounted gauges "that you either love or loathe," Autoblog.com's Damon Lavrinc says (he loathes) and a similar plain-Jane design, Edmunds.com says: As in the Prius, "materials quality is spotty; some of the plastics are nicely grained, but others look cheap." Another source complains of a "cheap-looking headliner and thin carpet," but otherwise finds the cabin "decently finished," although basic.

Hauls more stuff than a small SUV

"Palatial" backseat legroom and big, versatile cargo space impress Edmunds.com editors (the Prius's "v" stands for "versatility"). Kelley Blue Book picks a favorite feature: the Prius v's sliding backseat.

Slide it backward, and folks in the Prius v's backseat can revel in "more legroom -- and headroom -- than plenty of high-dollar luxury cars." Kelley Blue Book says. Three adults can fit back there, and one source says the Prius v's chair-height seats and "huge" doors make it particularly easy to get in and out.

Slide the backseat forward -- or lay it flat, along with the front passenger seat -- to free up even more cargo space. (The 60/40 split rear seats also recline.) The Prius v holds 34 cubic feet of cargo with the backseat all the way back, maxing out at 67 cubes with the rear seats folded. That's about 60 percent and 70 percent more than the Prius (respectively) -- and more than small SUVs like the Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue, various testers point out.

That big rear window makes it easier for testers to see out the back of the Prius v, compared with the regular Prius. You get a backup camera, too, even on the base Prius v Two (Base MSRP: $26,550). Other unusual standard features include a 6.1-inch touch-screen electronics interface, automatic climate control and a window shade-style cargo cover that stows under the floor. You'll also get a CD stereo with iPod/USB interface and Bluetooth, cruise control, height-adjustable driver's seat, tilt-and-telescoping steering, 16-inch alloy wheels and -- like the regular Prius -- keyless entry with push-button ignition.

The Prius v Three (Base MSRP: $27,315) adds voice-command navigation, satellite and HD radio and Toyota's Entune system, which allows you to pair your smartphone to stream Internet radio, get traffic info and more. Toyota skips "Four" and moves on to the Prius v Five (Base MSRP: $30,140), with eco-friendly leather-alternative seats (heated in front), 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, fog lights and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

'A tad slower than the Prius'

After driving the Prius v, testers tend to agree with Kelley Blue Book: "It's a tad slower than the Prius and a little smoother on the highway, but the driving experience is mostly similar."

If you've never driven a Prius, that means a comfortable ride, but with eerily numb steering and acceleration that one tester kindly describes as "leisurely."

"Acceleration is far from brisk," Edmunds.com says -- but you'll still be able to merge onto the freeway and make it up hills just fine. "The wagon gets up to speed in an acceptable manner." Kelley Blue Book agrees: The Prius v "offers plenty of merging power. Its high-speed passing abilities are another matter, but overtaking is the kind of fuel-intensive maneuver that Prius V drivers might be happier to avoid.

"Overall, the 2012 Toyota Prius v simply drives like the well-built, modestly powered car it is."

The Prius v runs on the regular Prius powertrain, with a tweaked continuously variable transmission (CVT) to give more grunt to the heavier wagon. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine joins a pair of electric motors to generate 134 horsepower and 153 pound-feet of torque.

That ho-hum torque means "the Prius v feels slow nearly all the time" in a faceoff at Inside Line against the only other advanced fuel-efficient wagon on the market, the diesel-powered 2012 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI (Base MSRP: $25,540). The VW's clean-diesel engine cranks out 140 horsepower and an impressive 236 pound-feet of torque, so it "never feels underpowered, even on hills." The Prius's handling is "nowhere near as refined or confident" as the VW's in the test, either.

But it's nowhere near as fuel-friendly, either, at 33 to 34 mpg overall. About.com's Aaron Gold agrees the VW is "a lot more fun to drive" -- but the Prius v makes a lot of sense.

"One could argue that it's lacking in passion, but I also have a passion for reducing our reliance on non-renewable resources -- and a car that offers SUV-like space and gets 45 mpg is exactly what we need," Gold says, naming the Prius v to his list of the best new 2012 cars. "Where do I sign up?"

8 mpg less than Prius -- but still 'pretty darn impressive'

The heavier, less aerodynamic Prius v wagon gets 8 fewer mpg than the regular Prius overall -- although it's still easily the most fuel-efficient vehicle of its size.

The EPA estimates 42 mpg overall for the Prius v. One prominent source gets 41 mpg, and Inside Line gets 40 mpg over more than 900 miles of mixed city/highway driving. Autoblog.com's Damon Lavrinc gets 37 mpg, "something that would surely be improved as one adapts to the Prius' throttle characteristics ... an exercise in microscopic ankle flexes" in the quest to keep the Prius v in full electric mode. About.com's Gold gets 46 mpg, mostly on the freeway, which "is pretty darn impressive in my book."

EPA Fuel Economy Estimates

• City: 44 mpg

• Highway: 40 mpg

• Combined: 42 mpg

Safety and reliability look good for the Prius v

The Prius v hadn't yet undergone government crash-testing when we checked, but it does earn the highest possible score in all independent crash tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Prius v includes all of the usual standard safety features -- antilock brakes, traction and stability control, and front, front-side and curtain airbags -- plus a driver knee airbag.

Reliability should be better than average, according to a leading consumer testing organization. The Prius v carries three-year/36,000-mile basic and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranties, plus eight years/100,000 miles for the hybrid component.

NHTSA Safety Ratings

• Not tested

IIHS Safety Ratings

• Front Offset Impact: Good

• Side Impact: Good

• Rear Impact: Good

• Roof Strength: Good

• Named 2012 Top Safety Pick

Research sources

ConsumerReports.org is the most comprehensive source for information about the 2012 Toyota Prius v: Editors independently test its fuel economy and accident avoidance and make reliability predictions, as well as judging performance and comfort like other sources do. Overviews at Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book also cover all major aspects of the Prius v, while writers at Autoblog.com and About.com go into greater detail, describing what it's like to drive this hybrid wagon. A head-to-head test at Edmunds Inside Line pits the Prius v against its only real fuel-miser wagon rival, the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI. We found crash-test results at IIHS.org and EPA fuel economy estimates at FuelEconomy.gov.