The Toyota Prius gets a bad rap from enthusiasts. Decades of being a "mom-mobile" and what essentially amounts to the exact opposite of the performance cars we all know and love will do that. So, when the keys landed in our lap, getting past that was immediately a concern. Now, we're here to convince the rest of you gearheads that the very same is possible. Call it Prius self-help, if you will.

That's because, objectively, the Toyota Prius is a good car. It's a cheap car. Really, it's just a car, and there's nothing wrong with reliable, quiet, efficient, comfortable transport. That is until you dig a little deeper.

Our Prius was the "Goldilocks" spec - a middling XLE model - which totaled $31,056 after its measly smattering of options. While it's never been a car everyone agrees on, the Prius is still around almost 20 years on from when we met the first iteration for a reason and Toyota has plans to keep it around even longer.

Exterior: Function Over Form, Always

We're not going to tell you this is a beautiful car, a shining example of affordable automotive design. But, it is an effective blend of form and function. The Prius looks passable, sure, but its looks are also rooted in its primary function: efficient transport of goods and people (and dogs).

Take the Prius's famous rear window configuration. It's not for everyone, sure, but from inside, you can see further down the back of the car than you ever thought possible, which is very helpful. Much the same can be said of the front windscreen, which rakes in such a way that you can see all that's in front of you with incredible clarity. Again, the same can be said of the side windows, which are lower than you'd expect in a modern car. That translates to being able to see parking lines.

But you can't evaluate the design of the Prius without considering the Corolla Hybrid. The Corolla Hybrid uses the same running gear and is a similar price for a similar package. The Prius's design immediately becomes a weak point when you factor in the Corolla. It is, objectively, better looking by every metric. Like we said, the Prius looks appetizing until you dig a little.

Performance: Adequate Is Okay

As for performance, the Prius defines "adequate," managing 121 horsepower from its hybrid 1.8-liter four-pot. It's enough. You can still overtake on the highway, though you certainly won't be staying the lead car in the commuter pack for long.

That said, Toyota manages to make the Prius feel torquey, despite what the numbers say. That's down to the hybrid system. Selecting "B" on the Prius's mildly phallic shifter arrangement provides extra brake regen, which nets you an EV-like braking experience, something we found handy in traffic.

But enough about performance and brake regen. This car is about sipping gas, and the Prius doth not protest. The EPA says you'll manage about 52 mpg, but we snuck that number up to 53.9 mpg with a mix of city and highway driving. One could comfortably hit around 570 or so miles of tarmac before the tank finally ran dry. Frankly, it wasn't that hard, and with gas as pricey as it is, we were thankful.

Driving Impressions: All Things To All Hybrids

As a reminder, the Prius is no simple machine. The car's hybrid system is complex, constantly working to eke out the best possible fuel economy despite your pig-headed driving style. Despite that, there's a feeling of simplicity in the way the Prius drives. It's quiet, comfy, and inoffensive on the road. We should also note that the Prius is the only compact hybrid to bring AWD to the table, though our car wasn't equipped with it.

Still, that doesn't mean the Prius's front-driven system didn't do its job. It'll fight you the whole way, but you can get from point A to B without spending $60 on gas. We do wish the Prius were more willing to use some of that power, however. As much as the fuel economy is nice, it can be frustrating waiting for the drivetrain to accelerate the way you need it to.

Once you're settled in on the highway, the Prius cruises nicely. Its ride is soft and comfortable, isolating you from all but the largest potholes. It's quiet, too; road noise is present simply because $31K only pays for so much sound deadening. Still, you don't need to shout at your passengers on the highway.

While the Prius is more than capable of sitting on the highway quite happily, don't expect the car to help you do it. Toyota's adaptive cruise and lane-keep assist are slow and totalitarian, respectively. Radar cruise refuses to react when a gap emerges in front of you, resulting in the Prius feeding an endless cycle of being cut off and slowing itself down to make room for the car that's now in front. The lane keep assist will jerk the wheel in your hands, and if anything, you'll stay between the lines simply because you're too scared of what the car will do if you don't.

Due to the woeful driver assistance programming, you're left to pilot a brand new 2022 model year car without any of those features. Normally, this is where we'd work in a witty transition into the driving dynamics of the Prius, if there were any.

Steering feel is a term probably better used to describe how the fake leather wheel feels in your hands (just fine, by the way). The brakes simply work. They're not fantastic, but nor need they be. If you hit the brake pedal, the car will stop. We've talked about the Prius' unwillingness to accelerate and should also note that switching to the car's "Power" drive mode does almost nothing to abate the lazy pedal response. As far as we can tell, the rest of the driver modes don't do much, either.

Normal mode, of course, shouldn't. EV mode will almost always kick you out and turn on the gas engine, placing you firmly back where you started: in Normal mode. Finally, Eco mode will totally neuter what throttle response you had left, leading you to put the damn thing back in Normal mode and just moderate the gas yourself.

This may sound like we hated the Prius, but there's something to be said for a car you can just get in and drive. Don't fuss with anything, and the Prius holds its own. Just don't look too deep.

Interior: If It Ain't Broke...

Now, herein lies our biggest issue. The basic layout of the Prius' cabin hasn't changed since the days of Adam and Eve, and in some ways, it shows. Toyota desperately needs to update the Prius' infotainment and displays. These now feel very, very old for 2022. Everyone has harped on this older Toyota infotainment system before, so we'll spare you most of it.

Simply put, it's old, clunky, and slow. Its sole saving grace is that both Android Auto and Apple Carplay function on it. Thanks to these two systems, the infotainment system manages to hang in there, so long as you don't look at an Elantra Hybrid, which completely outshines the Prius's cabin in many ways.

This is also true of the Prius's center display and gauges. These displays look old, and it's time for an update. However, those displays are useful, showing anything you could want, including range figures, consumption, and a plethora of other options. But again, so does the competition. Toyota's unwillingness to bring updated tech into its interiors continues to work against the brand here.

The rest of the interior and cargo space works to redeem the woeful old infotainment and cluster, which has now been updated on Prime models. The seats are comfy and attractive, and the same can be said of the rear. In addition, the controls are very easy to identify and use, and the interior feels utilitarian, tough, and simplistic as a result.

Storage is where this cabin shines, however. The hatch is a gaping maw of practicality, and there's always an extra loop for a cargo net handy. That was also one of the only options on our Prius. A $495 package bagged us the cargo net, all-season floor mats, and a first-aid kit. Also specced on our loaner were door edge guards ($25), which we thankfully didn't need.

Storage in the cabin is much the same story. The center console isn't very large, but its length means it is very usable. There are all the cupholders in the world as well, with four up front and two in back. Toyota put effort into making the Prius usable in nearly every situation.

Verdict & Price: A Hybrid Icon Struggling For Relevance

At the end of it all, the key to enjoying the Prius as an enthusiast involves a little self-help. Casting aside notions of speed and status does wonders for the psyche, and it's satisfying to drive a car that doesn't care what anyone thinks of it. BUT. Once you stop evaluating the Prius in a vacuum, cracks emerge. Toyota sells a Corolla Hybrid with identical fuel economy and powertrain figures, as well as better looks and infotainment. There's also the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, which is a thoroughly modern car for almost the same money ($24,100 MSRP). However, the Prius does still keep that big hatch as an advantage over both.

So, if you need that hatch space, the answer is obvious. You'll have to put up with the car's infotainment and driver assistance to be able to haul more. Despite how honest and humble the Prius is and always will be, the competition has caught up. Toyota is not the only hybrid player in the game anymore, and this car shows that Toyota needs to recognize that quickly.