Toyota has gotten lots of mileage, literally, out of its popular Prius hybrid for more than a decade and steps up the car’s good neighbor, environment-friendly image another notch or two with its next offering in the line, the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in.

The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in recharges in relatively short order and offers basically the same outstanding fuel mileage of the regular Prius, but whether the Plug-in is worth the added upfront investment seems very much open to debate, at best, among reviewers.

A drawback to the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in is its limited range. The EPA pegs its range at 11 miles under all-electric power. That figure falls far short of the 40 miles or more registered by the Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car.

It’s not often, though, that the Prius Plug-in relies solely on electric power. The Prius Plug-in differs from the Volt in that its electric range may not be continuous. The engine on the Prius Plug-in will switch on and engage when it needs more power than the batteries can provide.

A 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine teams with a pair of electric motors to produce 134 horsepower and power the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in through its continuously variable transmission. The EPA estimates fuel mileage for the Plug-in at 50 mpg.

The battery pack in the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in checks in at 4.4 kilowatt hours, which is about 3 times larger than the unit in the regular Prius hybrid, but a fair amount smaller than those of extended range-vehicles such as the Volt and Nissan Leaf. The Prius Plug-in can be recharged in about 3 hours on 120-volt household power, using a cord that is provided. That charge time can be cut in approximately half by using 240 volts from separate Level 2 charging hardware, which runs around $1,000.

In most ways other than its electrical capabilities, the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in is much like a traditional Prius. It drives the same and looks much the same. It offers decent acceleration, nice interior space, legroom and comfort, but will not be mistaken for a sports car in the way it handles. But it does boast that impressive Prius mileage.

Some reviewers find fault with the quality of the materials in the cabin of the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in, which they say are harder and cheaper plastic than other cars in its price range. At the same time, they give the Prius Plug-in props for its “greenness” here, too, because the plastic material is plant derived, and less petroleum was used to produce it.

The Base 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in starts around $33,000, and an Advanced version is also available. Toyota packs even the Base trim with plenty of goodies, including heated front seats, Bluetooth connectivity, a back-up camera, navigation system, voice recognition and a 6-speaker sound system featuring a touchscreen display.

The Advanced adds upgraded upholstery, adaptive cruise control, an 8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar, unique exterior styling, enhanced Toyota Entune smartphone capabilities and an 8-speaker JBL sound system with a larger touchscreen display.

The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in features antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, a full array of airbags, hill start assist and a tire pressure monitoring system. A rear-view camera, lane- departure warning system and a “Safety Connect” system, which contacts authorities in case of emergency, are all available.