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Toyota set out with one heck of a punch list: revamp a mature vehicle, further increase its overall efficiency, introduce new levels of technology, and when you’re done with that find a way for non-Prius owners to like it. The new Prius is built on a new platform. Lithium Ion is available for the first time in the Liftback model. The styling keeps the oh-so-Prius triangular shape but introduces new curves. Have they done enough or have they gone too far? I got to drive the 2016 Prius for two weeks as my daily driver in order to get a feeling for the car from the perspective as an average owner. Here’s what I learned.

There are two types of people who might be looking at the fourth generation of the Prius: those who already own a Prius and those who have never even ridden in one. For existing owners, Toyota has to present a car that is familiar enough that they will stick with the brand. For new owners, well, there’s probably a very valid reason they skipped over the last decade of Prius. For both groups, Toyota has to differentiate the Prius from the growing list of hybrids, range-extending plug-ins, and increasingly attractive EVs.

My goal was to drive the new Prius as an existing owner but also try to look at it through the eyes of a newcomer. To help with that, I solicited the opinions of family and coworkers.