Car camping in a Toyota Prius
Sleeps one inside - no tent needed.
Prius car camping setup and accessories
8 items, ~$435 total. Amazon prices. Affiliate links: we earn a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.
Sleeping Bag
Kelty Cosmic 40°F Sleeping Bag
- Rated to:
- 40°F
- Fill:
- Synthetic
~$73
Check price on AmazonSleeping Pad
Klymit Insulated Static V Sleeping Pad
- Warmth:
- Three seasons (R 4.4)
- Type:
- Inflatable
~$83
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Igloo Marine 25-Quart Cooler
- Holds:
- 25 qt
- Keeps ice:
- 2 days
~$32
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MOON LENCE Compact Backpacking Chair
- Packs:
- Compact (backpacking style)
- Supports:
- 330 lbs
~$38
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Coleman 1000-Lumen LED Lantern (BatteryGuard)
- Brightness:
- 1000 lumens
~$50
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Lepro Rechargeable LED Headlamp
- Brightness:
- 300 lumens
- Power:
- Rechargeable
~$10
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Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove
- Burners:
- 2
- Fuel:
- Propane
~$84
Check price on AmazonCook Set
Fire-Maple Feast 12-Piece Camp Cookware Set
- Pieces:
- 12
- Surface:
- Steel
~$65
Check price on AmazonOne press puts the whole kit in your cart; take out anything you already own there.
Not quite you? Change who is coming, the quality tier or the season - your Prius stays filled in.
What fits in the Prius
Compact-car cargo space, so:
- A cooler of 35 quarts or less - a family-size cooler does not fit beside the rest of the kit.
- Backpacking-style chairs and air or folding pads, which pack small.
Folding the rear seats makes room to sleep one person diagonally on a foam pad. The 2016-2022 car is the roomier one: 25-27 cu ft behind the rear seats, against 20-24 cu ft in the lower 2023-on model. Quiet to camp out of and surprisingly capable on dirt roads.
Sleeping inside the Prius
With the rear seats folded, the Toyota Prius is the bed.
- On the cargo floor: the kit's pad, or swap it for a 4-inch hatchback air mattress that fills the floor.
- For regular trips, a low plywood platform makes it a real bed with storage underneath.
- Leave the Prius in Ready mode with the climate on: the engine cycles a few minutes at a time to hold the temperature, about half a gallon to a gallon a night. Open air only, never a garage.
Car camping in a Toyota Prius: common questions
Is the Toyota Prius good for car camping?
Yes. It has compact-car cargo space, so a compact camping kit fits without a roof box. It sleeps one inside with the seats folded.
Can you sleep inside a Toyota Prius?
With the rear seats folded, yes: one adult fits on a sleeping pad, diagonally if not straight.