The 2027 Prius’s Biggest Change Is on the Dashboard

Every 2027 Toyota Prius and Prius Plug-in Hybrid now comes with dual-zone automatic climate control, a feature that was previously reserved for the top hybrid trim.

The upgrade lets the driver and front passenger set their own temperatures, and it arrives alongside a new black paint color called Inked. Those are the only notable changes for 2027, and every trim of both models costs $205 more than it did for 2026.

Carscoops reported the updates and the full price list on July 16, noting that the $205 increase applies across the board. The regular Prius now starts at $28,755 for the front-wheel-drive LE, and the range tops out at $37,170 for the Limited with all-wheel drive. All prices exclude the $1,295 destination fee.

2027 Prius	FWD	AWD
LE	$28,755	$30,155
XLE	$32,200	$33,600
Nightshade	$33,005	$34,405
Limited	$35,770	$37,170

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid gets the same two changes and the same $205 increase. It remains front-wheel drive only and is offered in four trims.

2027 Prius Plug-in Hybrid	MSRP
SE	$33,980
XSE	$37,230
Nightshade	$38,000
XSE Premium	$40,675

According to AutoGuide, dual-zone climate control had been limited to the hybrid Limited, and it wasn’t offered even on the most expensive plug-in, the XSE Premium. AutoGuide also reported that Inked replaces Midnight Black Metallic as one of four no-cost colors, while Supersonic Red and Wind Chill Pearl still carry a $475 charge. The Nightshade’s color choices are now Inked, Karashi and Wind Chill Pearl.

According to Carscoops, the hybrid uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 194 horsepower with front-wheel drive or 196 horsepower with all-wheel drive, and the plug-in makes 220 horsepower with a 13.6 kWh battery and up to 44 miles of electric range. AutoGuide noted that the EPA lists the 2027 LE with front-wheel drive at 55 mpg combined, compared with 57 mpg for the 2026 model, while the all-wheel-drive hybrid is rated at 53 mpg.

The update comes at a difficult time for the hybrid. Toyota’s third-quarter sales report shows the regular Prius down 51.1 percent through September, to 16,731 sales, while the plug-in has held steady at 12,492.

The Toyota Report Take

Dual-zone climate is the kind of feature buyers expect on a $29,000 car in 2026, so it’s good to see Toyota finally make it standard rather than tie it to the most expensive Prius. Still, a new paint color and a climate upgrade are not much of a model-year story for a car whose sales have been cut in half, and the lower efficiency rating on the LE is an odd step backward for a car that sells on mileage.