Cost and Build Quality of Prius vs. Corolla?

Why don't you test drive the corolla and report back. Corolla was my daily driver for almost 10 years and can tell you Prius is not hybrid corolla like some say. It's a whole class better car. Especially now when the new corolla is a very cheaply made car. Matrix is more comparable to Prius and the price differential was only 3,000 when I shopped for mine.

 

I had a base level LE 2005 Corolla for 9 years, and have a 2010 Prius. Drove them both at the same time for a while. You pay a big premium for the extra mileage but it was worth it for me. The 2005 Corolla seats were comfortable, more substantial. Took long multi-day trips over 1000s of miles in the Corolla and was always comfortable. The Prius seats have been engineered to be much lighter, there's not that much to them, BUT they happen to fit me perfectly fine so they are very comfortable for me. The Prius is fun to drive. I love the challenge of getting better mileage. Mileage has to be important to you to justify the extra expense. Both cars are very well made and should last a lifetime.

 

Don't get the Corolla, it's crap! I work in the plant where they are made, and have driven them every day for years, and they are NOT what they used to be. Very cheaply made. I've got a 2011 Prius and love it. Much better made, and with much better materials. The Corolla feels really cheap in comparison.

Unless it's a 2014 Corolla (Which it won't be, as we started production 3 days ago) I'd skip it.

Good luck.

 

Is 2014 the new 11th generation? Is it nicer? I need to look it it up. But, buying first year of production is gamble anyhow.

 

I also tend to feel Prius is better car quality, but we only had a bare bones 2002 Corolla we got off Craig's list for a cheaper price. If you drive as many miles as you did on your 2006 Prius you should have a chance to save enough fuel to pay off the difference. I think your tag line suggests South Dakota. If it was Virginia I'd say the excess taxes/fees on the Prius might break the deal. But I don't think you have the same issue.

 

You're leaving a very viable third option out of the equation, that being a Toyota Yaris. It has a very nice looking 30 city/37 highway MPG rating, it starts at two grand less than a Corolla, and it still comes with many modern motoring features such as a USB port for you iPod, an array of safety features, and folding seats for great versatility. You can easily slip on some Katzkin leather seats for a few hundred dollars and buy a good aftermarket navigation system if you need it. The Yaris looks like a baby Camry to me now, and I'd argue that its fewer parts will ensure maximum reliability. Should my faithful '06 with a brand new traction battery ever fail, I'd buy a newer Yaris. It's simply one of the best values for a new car out there.

As for the Prius vs. Corolla argument, they're both made by Toyota and as such both are probably manufactured using the Six Sigma method to ensure high quality. Since both of your choices have nav., then there's really not many feature differences that these cars have. The Prius has a simpler transmission, regenerative brakes (only 1 of 4 Prius braking systems), and the all-handy keyless lock, unlock, and start feature. Seven thousand dollars is a lot of money, and with the Yaris that margin will be even bigger. If you are comfortable spending that money on a better car, then go ahead. If your current financial situation is tight, then put that seven grand to work elsewhere.

 

It also depends on where you drive.

If you drive during rush hour in heavy "stop and go" traffic, the Prius is the way to go.

I stayed at my brother's house in Northern Virginia for four months, last year.

Most of the commuters with regular gasoline cars had to idle in heavy traffic burning gas.

I loved the way that the Prius went into EV mode and used almost no gasoline while stopped waiting in heavy trarfic.

 

Why stop here. How about Nissan Versa? The cheapest new car in USA starting at $12xxx.

BTW, have you driven Yaris? Hint: I have.

 

Yes I've driven Yaris and Versa, and even a couple Hyundai's for safe measure. I considered everything cheap before I got the Prius, but I got this one because it came with a new TB.

I just don't quite think Nissan's build quality is up there. When I think of Toyota, I think of bulletproof transportation. When I think of Nissan, I think of sportiness.

 

if your wallet is fat, go with your heart. if not, go with your head. all the best!

 

I considered the same question. Ultimately I decided I didn't need leather or a sunroof, so the initial price delta narrowed. I liked the versatility of the hatch and the more modern center console design.

Overall cost of ownership for 5 years ended up being similar when considering gas, depreciation and the fact the Prius will likely need one brake job while the Corolla may need 3 in 100k miles. Not huge savings, but savings nonetheless.

With that said, the Prius could be

 

I've only limited experience with the current generation Corolla (loaner while in for dealership service), but I feel Corollas have really gone downhill as of late and I couldn't wait to get own car back. The next generation Corolla looks promising, but the current one is just miserable.

 

I'm pretty excited about the 2014 Corolla. I haven't been able to tell the last three Corolla generations (or facelifts it seems) apart very well.

 

Well I can tell you first hand if you are thinking about a corolla and want one because of all the currently offered discounts. I work at the plant a we just started building the 2014 corolla it looks Amazing from the current model.

New things on the Corolla

Led or Hid lights on EVERY model (just not sure which)
New colours including blue, dark green, sone type colour and some others
I saw 3 different rim types sport with 17", and the other 2 not sure if they were 16" or 17"
Back up cameras option
Cloth & leather or just cloth or just leather
Signals in mirrors
Steering wheel controls
Heated seats
OVERALL THE COROLLA LOOKS EXCELLENT WITH A GREAT NEW UPDATED BODY STYLE AND MORE FEATURES OF ANY COROLLA.

They don't put in door stills anymore as the are now dealer option with option light up. The date for them to be on dealer lots is labour day.

The price will be within $100 of the current model however the rate will definitely be higher.


I just received my prius today and I love how on start up it told me I have 822 Kim's till tank is empty.


The current corollas are Huge discounts but that market is going to dry up VERY quickly as Mississippi is going to stop production in Sept and start making the 2014 corolla.

 

If you don't want people to pay attention to you get the Corolla as it's just any other car

You're coming from the Gen II. I'd get the Prius if you were happy with your previous Prius. Who knows, you might find yourself constantly annoyed at the wasteful idling.

 

This is an interesting topic. I had a 2004 Toyota Corolla LE. Wish I still had it. It landed up having about 50,000 miles with never a single blip. Only regular service at the Toyota dealership. My wife and I took a very long road trip in the car together. Over 2,000 + miles. Including to Montreal and then back down through Vermont on the mountains. There was a fairly bad snowstorm. The Corolla handled great. It almost felt like 4 wheel drive even. It was a fantastic, little, reliable car. Not sure how the new one is compared to 04.

 

I had (kind of still have) 03 Corolla model made in 2002. It was not exactly problem free being the first year production of a new model. I wrote a rather long review on this here: 2003 Corolla Consumer Reviews | Epinions.com

I guess I'm a slow learner, because I proceeded to buy RAV4 in 2006, another first year production of a new model. Sure enough, there were multiple issues that were fixed later. It shows on the TrueDelta.com website when one compares 2006 RAV4 vs later models.

So, I bought my 2010 Prius in late 2010 with a lot of trepidation, as it was a new model again. Fortunately, it was in production since 2009, so technically, second year of production. I'm glad I didn't wait for 2011 model, as Prius was very hard to buy in 2011. Interestingly, 2010 Prius shows good stats on TrueDelta.com, even against 2009. But we do know there were brake issues and water pump issues in the earlier 2010 Prius.

 

Was going to suggest Civic but maybe not given comment at bottom. Anyhow, yes, Prius more refined than Corolla, but you'd save money on lower trim or used.

2012 Toyota Corolla Reviews - Toyota Corolla Price, Photos, and Specs - CARandDRIVER

"Nothing about the Corolla excites enthusiasts, but everyone can appreciate its reputation for quality, low-cost operation, and refinement."

Toyota Prius Review - Toyota Prius Car Pricing, Photos and Specs - CARandDRIVER

"Legendary fuel efficiency, reasonably practical, lots of tech options...Quiet and decidedly un-fun behind the wheel, the Prius seems to hover more than it drives"

Honda Civic Review - Honda Civic Car Pricing, Photos and Specs - CARandDRIVER

"The beefier structure and stiffer suspension transform the 2013 Civic, giving it a controlled, refined ride. Quicker steering makes it feel nimble, but the carry-over 140-hp engine and transmissions are not eager to play."