Prius V Review: Our Epic Road Trip Vehicle
If you’re looking for the ideal road trip car but aren’t ready for an electric vehicle, the Prius V hybrid by Toyota has great range and uses less fuel, saving you money at the pump and minimizing emissions.
Our Road Trip Vehicle
Although not technically on the Camping Packing List, the new Prius V is what we packed everything in for our second epic road trip in 2014. It worked out great.
On our first trip, we had a regular Prius and we overpacked. We barely had room to squeeze in the friend who was joining us for our Yosemite visit.
For our next epic road trip, we made smarter packing choices and also had more trunk room in the Prius V. At the time, we were borrowing the car from a family member.
Now we have our own Prius V for every-day use as well as travel.
The Prius V on a Camping Road Trip
We actually moved the second row of seats forward and were able to put the camp chairs and sleeping bags down at ground level.
There is a “trap door” on the trunk floor which has some small storage compartments. This is where we kept items that we weren’t going to use as often.
Everything else fit neatly in the trunk. Anything not under the trunk cover we hid under a blanket, so nothing was visible to the outside observer.
When my parents joined us for a week in Colorado, we even had room to accommodate them and their suitcases!
The Prius V also had a hitch installed on the back so we were able to bring both of our bikes on a bike rack. The rack folded up when not in use and could also hinge away from the car’s back door so the door could be opened even with the bikes attached.
Prius V Stats
- Full hybrid gasoline-electric
- Released in the US in 2011
- Nickel-metal hydride battery
- 50% more cargo space than the original Prius
- Driving modes: Normal, Power, Eco, and EV
- Fuel economy: 44 miles per gallon in city, 40/gal on highway
- Produces 66% less smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle
Is the Prius V a good road trip and car camping vehicle? We would say yes. We highly recommend this car for its range, comfort, storage, and gas savings.
