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The Toyota Prius has long been one of the more popular Toyota models. In fact, even Consumer Reports loves them and has given their stamp of approval to almost every model year. The Prius is also historically a very reliable car.

So to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Prius, Toyota came out with a special model that might confuse you. Even if you are one of the people who think the Prius just looks too weird, it is still worth it to check out the 2020 Edition of the 2021 Toyota Prius. Yep, we said it was confusing.

The 2020 Edition of the 2021 Toyota Prius

No, the 2020 edition is not just a 2020 Toyota Prius being passed off as a 2021 Toyota Prius. It is a special 2021 model to celebrate 20 years of Prius. If you are confused, you are not alone.

Car and Driver reported on “Toyota’s OG hybrid” and admitted it was a very confusing name. They categorized it as essentially an appearance package for 2021 Prius’ XLE FWD trim, but it does have some unique touches celebrating the 20th anniversary.

A special anniversary model

Besides an interesting name that will be sure to spark conversation, this model also has some other cool features. The floor mats and key fobs will all have “2020 Edition” written on them and only 2,020 units were made.

You can get one in either Supersonic Red or Wind Chill White, but both feature black trim for wheels, mirrors, and several interior components, among other things. Plus, the model sports a darkened headlight trim and a rear spoiler in whichever body color you choose.

The 2021 Toyota Prius

The hybrid powertrain does not offer the best acceleration, with a reported 0-60 mph of 10.8 seconds. Its big selling point, particularly to hybrid buyers, is the EPA-estimated 50 mpg fuel economy.

It does provide a pretty comfortable ride, switching smoothly between gas power and electric power. The standard trim features front-wheel drive; however, there is an AWD option available. The interior did not have many changes, though the Prius recently got an upgraded interior.

Push-button start, a six-way manual-adjust driver’s seat, and Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are all standard on every trim. Each trim comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, except for the Limited trim level, which has an 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen.

The 2021 model does get some other upgrades, including more safety features. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 comes standard, and in addition to previous driver-assist features, such as automatic emergency braking, forward-collision alert with low-light pedestrian detection, and radar cruise control, they have also added enhanced bicyclist detection and road-sign recognition.

Higher trims also include blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors. Every trim level also comes standard with a three-year trial of Toyota Safety Connect, which has an emergency assistance button and other safety services.

The 2021 Prius received a 9.5/10 safety rating from U.S. News, which is based on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test ratings and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety ratings.

If you are looking for a new hybrid that is reliable and unique, this model might be a good choice. Even though the name is slightly confusing, the 2021 Toyota Prius 2020 Edition celebrates an impressive 20 years since the Prius came on the scene.

And it might look a little odd, but it has moved from a boring look to a futuristic, spaceship look, but that just adds to the unique factor. Plus, the name alone is going to be a fantastic conversation starter. 

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