These Performance Cars Are Slower Than A Prius

You wouldn’t think a Toyota Prius would be as fast as an AMG

The 2019 Prius proves itself to be a phenomenal car once again. Although you may still think of the Toyota Prius as a humble, eco-friendly and slightly boring hybrid, the Prius has actually evolved a lot over the past 15 years. It’s still eco-friendly, it’s still packed full of tech but most of all, MotorTrend have proven that it’s actually quite fast and nimble. It’s actually as fast as (or faster than) a bunch of performance cars from recent years, including an AMG and a Maserati.

Across the pond, the Prius has been tested and timed on a figure 8 circuit and the best recorded time that the Prius achieved was 26.3 seconds with an average g-force measurement of 0.64 g. As well as the Prius, a load of sports cars, super saloons, roadsters and hot hatches were also put through the same course and quite a lot of them were slower than the almighty Prius.

Here’s a list of some of the most surprising cars that are now slower than or equal to the 2019 Toyota Prius:

2004 Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 has a cult following. Loved for its iconic design and hearty performance, but loathed for its maintenance demands and iffy reliability. Nonetheless, the RX-8 is a thoroughbred Japanese sports car with excellent handling.

Regardless, it’s still not as fast as the mighty 2019 Prius, coming in with a time of 26.6 seconds and an average of 0.70 g.

2007 Mercedes E 63 AMG

The AMG brand has a strong reputation for making beefy, fearsome land torpedos that offer luxury as well as extreme speed. However, the E63 AMG from 12 years ago wasn’t able to beat a cute little Prius. The AMG clocked in with a time of 26.7 seconds with an average of 0.68 g.

2013 Subaru BRZ (Toyota GT86)

That’s right, a family hatchback built for comfort, reliability and functionality is quicker around a figure 8 track than a car that’s built for performance. The Subaru BRZ (identical to the Toyota GT86) is a popular sports coupe, similar to the Audi TT. It can do 0-60 mph in just 6.2 seconds whereas the plodding Prius does 0-60 mph in about 11 seconds.

The Subaru BRZ completed the figure 8 circuit in 26.3 seconds with an average of 0.68 g. You wouldn’t want your friends finding out your sports car is “as fast as a Prius” now would you!

2007 Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT

Maserati is often considered as a supercar brand, so to see that name on this list is rather surprising. The Quattroporte Sport GT has produces 400 hp thanks to its roaring V8. That being said, the figure 8 time was 26.3 seconds, the same as a 2019 Prius with just 121 horsepower…

2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt

The Bullitt edition of the ‘08 Mustang may have power, but it clearly lacks agility and finesse. That can be proven by the figure 8 time that’s on a par with the Toyota Prius. The best lap time for the Mustang was 26.4 seconds with at 0.52 g. The average-g force rating was actually very good!Other cars included:

Other cars included:

2006 BMW M5 with a 500hp V10: 26.4 seconds, 0.68 g

2012 VW Golf R: 26.3 seconds, 0.70 g

2012 Mazda MX-5: 26.4 seconds, 0.68 g

2006 Nissan 350Z Convertible: 26.5 seconds, 0.65 g

2005 Mercedes-Benz CL 65 AMG with a 604hp V12: 26.4 seconds, 0.72 g

So, what’s the moral of the story? The 2019 Toyota Prius is a total sleeper! It may look tame but it’s actually a beast!

No, but really, these results are a testament of two things; how much car engineering and performance has improved and how extraordinary the new Prius is!

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!