Toyota Prius finally gets standard Apple CarPlay for 2020

The Toyota Prius will enter the 2020 model year with more standard technology features, including one that owners have spent years clamoring for. The hybrid’s powertrain and styling remain unchanged.

Car buyers increasingly seek smartphone connectivity, and the Prius finally delivers by offering standard Apple CarPlay regardless of trim level. It’s the latest Toyota model to gain the software after Toyota had long resisted it due to safety and privacy concerns. Amazon Alexa compatibility is also part of the package, but motorists waiting for Android Auto will need to show a little bit more patience.

The hybrid segment’s poster child also gains standard Toyota Safety Connect. Previously available only on the top-spec Limited trim, Safety Connect bundles emergency assistance, stolen vehicle locator, roadside assistance, and automatic collision notification. There’s no stolen battery locator yet. Toyota noted it’s giving buyers a free three-year subscription to the Safety Connect service, but they’ll need to pay for it after their Prius turns four. Safety Connect normally costs $80 a year or $8 a month.

Toyota hasn’t made any mechanical modifications to the Prius. The standard model carries on with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain consisting of a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and two electric motors that draw power from a lithium-ion battery pack. All-wheel drive models gain an additional motor mounted over the rear axle, and a nickel-metal hybride battery that’s better suited to extremely cold temperatures than the lithium-ion unit.

The 2020 Toyota Prius will join the plug-in Prius Prime in showrooms nationwide in the coming weeks. Pricing information hasn’t been revealed yet, but expect a small dollar increase to offset the additional equipment.