The Toyota Prius 1

The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. The Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel efficient car sold in the U.S. The UK Department for Transport also reported the Prius is tied as the third least CO₂-emitting vehicle on sale in the UK.

1997–2000 (model NHW10)

The first Prius, model NHW10, went on sale in December 1997. It was sold only in Japan, though it has been imported privately to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Many of these cars are now being exported as second-hand vehicles to New Zealand and other countries.

2001–2003 (model NHW11)

The engine and motor power were increased over the previous model. Air conditioning and a continuously variable transmission were standard equipment.

In the United States, the NHW11 was the first Prius to be sold. The Prius was marketed between the smaller Echo and the larger Corolla. The published retail price of the car was US$19,995. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) classified the car as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV).

European sales began in September 2000.

The official launch of the Prius in Australia occurred in 2001 after the Sydney Motor Show.

2004–2009 (model NHW20)

The Prius was completely redesigned into a mid-size liftback which is between the Corolla and the Camry in size. The new model is longer than the previous version. Its more aerodynamic body resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.26.

The new Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) uses an all-electric compressor for cooling. Combined with a smaller and lighter NiMH battery, the NHW20 is more powerful and more efficient than the NHW11. Air conditioning is now operated independently of the gasoline engine, an industry first. In the U.S., the battery pack of the 2004 Prius is warranted for or 8 years, although Toyota has stated that they expect it to last 15 years. The warranty is instead or 10 years for Prius in California, and in the seven Northeastern states that have adopted the stricter California emission control standards.

It is classified as a SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) and is certified by California Air Resources Board as an "Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle" (AT-PZEV).

NHTSA (United States) crash testing of the 2004 Prius yielded a five star driver and four star passenger rating in the frontal collision test (out of five stars). Side crash results were four out of five stars for both front and rear seats. The car scored four out of five stars in rollover testing.