Compare Toyota Prius Four vs. Chevrolet Volt

Finding the perfect eco-friendly car for your lifestyle can take a lot of time and research. To help you along your journey in finding the perfect eco-friendly car for you, we’ve put together a head-to-head comparison between the electric Chevrolet Volt Premium and the hybrid Toyota Prius Four.

Price

The Toyota Prius Four easily takes the cake in this category, with an MSRP that is nearly $8,000 less than its competitor. Prius Four’ starting MSRP is an impressive $29,685 compared to the Volt’s $37,570 starting MSRP. Additionally, the Prius will retain around 43% of its original price value according to IntelliChoice, compared to the Volt’s 27%. The Prius Four is a more affordable and reliable option in the long run.

Safety

Toyota is known for safe and reliable vehicles, so it’s no surprise that the Prius Four comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), which includes Pre-Collision System¹ with Pedestrian Detection², Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist³, Automatic High Beams⁴ and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control⁵.  While similar features are available on the Chevy Volt, they require spending more money on additional packages.

Convenience

Electric vehicles are a great way to be eco-friendly, but having to regularly plug them in can be a bit inconvenient. For example, to charge the Volt from home, it can take up to 12 hours. The Prius Four, on the other hand, does not need to be plugged in for the electric motor to continue working; it simply continues to charge as you drive.

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is important – and especially important when you’re shopping for eco-friendly vehicles. The Chevy Volt records an EPA-estimated 42 MPG when the gas powered generator is at work and the battery is at rest, compared to the Prius Four’s EPA-estimated 54/50/52 MPG.

Maintenance

No one enjoys scheduling vehicle maintenance, waiting in a crowded waiting room and paying top-dollar for an oil change. Thanks to ToyotaCare, you don’t have to. Each new Prius comes with a 2-year/2,000 mile (whichever comes first)⁶ no-cost maintenance plan which covers the routine maintenance on your new Prius. Chevrolet unfortunately does not offer a no-cost maintenance plan.

Cargo Space

Prius Four’s 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space doubles (and then some) the 10.6 cubic feet of cargo space of its competitor.

1. The TSS Pre-Collision System is designed to help avoid collisions or reduce the crash speed and damage in certain frontal collisions only. It is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness is dependent on road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.
2. The Pedestrian Detection System is designed to detect a pedestrian ahead of the vehicle, determine if impact is imminent and help reduce impact speed. It is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness depends on many factors, such as speed, size and position of pedestrians and weather, light and road conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.
3. Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist is designed to read lane markers under certain conditions. It provides a visual and audible alert and slight steering force when lane departure is detected. It is not a collision-avoidance system or a substitute for safe and attentive driving. Effectiveness is dependent on road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.
4. Automatic high beams operate at speeds above 25 mph. Factors such as a dirty windshield, weather, lighting and terrain limit effectiveness requiring driver to manually operate the high beams. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.
5. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is designed to assist the driver and is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving practices. System effectiveness is dependent on road, weather and traffic conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details.
6. Covers normal factory scheduled service for 2 years or 25K miles, whichever comes first. See Toyota dealer for details and exclusions. Valid only in the continental U.S. and Alaska.