In strange mix of past and future, the Toyota Prius once had a touchscreen tape deck

The Toyota Prius might be the best mix of new and old.

Despite being a car of the past, this amazing vehicle once had a touchscreen tape deck.

Basically, the company introduced touchscreen technology in this car way before it was in trend.

READ MORE: This has to be the coolest Toyota Prius we’ve ever seen

Toyota Prius with touchscreen tape deck

Imagine a car that combines an 80s-style cassette player with a modern touchscreen—wouldn’t that be the coolest thing to show off to your friends?

However, Toyota kept their retro cassette tape in their cars for a long time, as they modernized them with touchscreens.

Even after 2003 Prius, Toyota kept using them.

The Avalon sedan offered a tape deck until at least 2007, and various Lexus models held onto this retro feature even longer.

In fact, the company recently opted for buttons again in their new 4Runner to give it that retro and rugged look.

The touchscreen in the Toyota Prius was quite advanced in terms of functionality for its time.

It allowed drivers to control various aspects of the car.

This included climate control, audio settings, and navigation, all accessible through the touch interface.

The usability was simple, designed to minimize distractions while driving.

A car way ahead of its time

The Prius was first released in Japan in 1997 and worldwide in 2000.

It was not just modern for its touchscreen but also for its groundbreaking hybrid technology.

The Toyota Prius showed the greener, cleaner future we want in cars today.

It was famous for saving fuel and being good for the environment.

Whatever way you look at it, this car was way ahead of its time.

Toyota has long been a leader in the automotive industry and no doubt has a bright future ahead.