I Just Bought the 2023 Toyota Prius XLE – Did I Get The Right Car?

“I have a 2023 Silver XLE Prius arriving soon but I’m really concerned the seats are too low for me.” Maria writes. “Won’t know until I test drive it. : } I really wanted the 50mpg.” We don’t blame you, Maria. There’s nothing like great fuel economy to save you time and money.

But will the cabin of the Prius be a fit for her? And if it’s not, what should she do?

“My back-up plan is a Corolla Cross Hybrid, but I’m not crazy about how it looks in Sonic Silver. I like silver because I don’t have a place to wash my car weekly,” she said. And, with water shortages in so many places, it’s hard to justify both spending money on weekly carwashes and maybe not practical or possible to wash it yourself.

But, color matters. “It’s hard to tell if the Acidic Blast leans towards chartreuse or mustard yellow, depending on videos. I’m also thinking the trade-in on Acidic Blast might be less due to the color? I know silver cars are more popular.”

This can be a big concern: even if the color makes you happy, you may feel a bit deflated at trade-in time when a dealer tells you that your car is worth less than identical models in a boring hue.

“Any thoughts on whether the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid would have better resale value than a Prius in a couple of years? I usually hold onto my cars until they die but I’m hoping for a more comfortable car with better gas mileage in a few years.”

“Any ideas? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.”

Signed, Maria.

Of course, Maria!

Our guess is that the Prius  will be fine for you, no matter your height. Kymri Wilt, who is 5’4″ test drove the Prius, and Connie Peters, who is 5’2” test drove the Prius Prime, and both found it comfortable. Then, the front seat is height adjustable so this should not be an issue. You should be able to set the seat, forward or back, up or down, to your perfect comfort level.

If you have trouble adjusting the seat, ask the dealership for help. And here is an article that shows how you should set your seat for optimal visibility.

You may also want to head to your dealership before delivery and test drive the Prius and Corolla Cross Hybrid back to back to confirm your feelings and try out the seat settings.

Our guess is that the Prius will have better resale value. This is due to both the fact that the Corolla Cross Hybrid is new and without a track record, and Prius is always a sought after car in the used market for its long term reliability and great fuel economy. And the new Prius design is really beautiful, which may work even more in its favor.

As for the Corolla Cross Hybrid in Acidic Blast, in our opinion it leans more toward the brightness of chartreuse than flat grey-toned hue of mustard. With metal flecks in the paint, it will definitely shine on the road.

Keep in mind that these cute little hatchbacks may appeal younger buyers and often the colors are a bit more young and edgy rather than mature an elegant.

Prius is a solid car with a great history and among the best in fuel economy on the road. And, it’ll have better MPG than the Corolla Cross Hybrid. Even though they have the same 4-cylinder engine and both produce an impressive 196 HP, the Prius gets slightly better MPG due to its aerodynamics and its engineering for fuel economy.

Ultimately it sounds like that is what will make you happy, but you still have time to change your mind before you take delivery.

Thanks for reaching out, and let us know how it goes!