Prius vs. Corolla

If the Corolla could achieve the fuel mileage, that of a Prius, I would have on in a heartbeat . The Brand new rental I drove was so much better in every respect from a Prius. The first thing I notice was the beautiful fit and finish. The interior is well designed and exudes quality far above the plastic feel of the Prius. It feels solid as a rock. I didn't take it to task around the corners and I never drove it aggressively but it was very stable.

 

I was looking at the same exact cars. Lots of internet searching. I found a dealer with both on the lot. I got to test drive the Prius but the customer service wasn't the greatest, so I never got to drive the Corolla, the negotiation for either car came to a pretty abrupt stop. I ended up buy a 13 Prius at another lot. I like the fact the Prius is a little more technology advanced. SKS entry, push button start as standard features. Also, the base Corolla still has the 4 speed auto. The Corolla (base trim) seem a little behind compared to the competition. Of course, maybe that is how they are some of the most dependable cars you can buy.

 

I rented a 2015 S and was pleasantly surprised how well it drove. It's a vast improvement in handling versus the previous gen and is a sports car co pared to the Prius. The LED headlights look really nice and show a lot of light. The interior was also a notch above the Prius. The HVAC is also a lot easier to use. I didn't like the 17" wheels, although gorgeous looking, they were a bit loud. Power was more or less comparable to the Prius. You get a little more grunt on the low end in the Corolla but as speeds approach 40 mph and up, both are pretty are equally gutless. Basically, the Corolla is better in every way except ownership. Despite all this, I much rather have the lower ownership costs of my Prius and greater cargo capacity. The Corolla trunk was rather large but still can't compare to a hatchback.

 

They're both cheap compact cars, so you shouldn't expect a drastic difference between the two. The prius does have a decent amount of body roll, which is not as pronounced in the corolla. Steering feel is about the same for both cars because of electric power steering. The corolla is slightly more on power, but again not much of a difference. Both cars are built to be efficient and to appeal to as many people as possible, while still keeping a low price tag on them. As a result they are going to have some short comings. Here are detailed reviews for both cars if you are interested.

Prius:

Corolla:

 

This would be an intriguing thread, back when the new Corolla was first rolled out. Now though...

Why aren't you considering the gen-4 Prius ?

 

Owning a 2010 Prius, 2015 Prius and a 2014 Corolla...my impression is the Corolla is more solid has a much better ride. As to the TCO economics...that depends on your personal usage.

 

Different animals. Before we bought the 15 Prius for my wife we considered the Civic and Corolla. Both are more fun than the Prius though let's face it none of these options are awe inspiring. The steep price cuts on the Prius ultimately led to our decision. $18,595 + fees down from a 25k sticker on the Prius 2 was just too good to pass up. Prius has better tech and of course the MPGs are the best you can get anywhere near this price. Also, the hatch was much better for transporting our Labrador. My wife didn't want dog hair all over the seats so the cargo area is great. Both are stupid reliable. cant go wrong either way

 

Obviously Look at fuel prices. California Prius is a slam dunk now over 30% of hybrids are sold in CA. Other states obviously hybrids losing ground with cheaper fuel. I always liked Prius better than Corolla but the Corolla we had 2002 sounds like much better today.

(I also like hatch back idea)

 

Agreed now is the time to buy a hybrid with gas as cheap as it is. Consumers are short sighted. It will go back up and you'll be thrilled with the Prius when 87 is near 4 bucks a gallon

 

Compare apples to apples! Prius is a hybrid hatch, corolla is a ice sedan! If you what both look into accord sonata , fusion volt , jetta hybrid.

 

Corolla vs Prius Mexico vs Japan, if anybody cares.

 

Are not all the Prius made in Japan?

 

I'm pretty sure our latest Gen 2014 Corolla was made in MS, not Mexico....Prius Japan. Keeping it to like trim level, the lower cost, lower mpg of the Corolla vs Prius became a wash based on projected yearly mileage and years of ownership for us...and both can be set up for average household towing and hauling needs. That, and the fact the Wife didn't want a Prius, is why we have a Corolla. Both cars serve us very well and will live long after we are done with them. Of course when it was time to replace my Son's "first car "...you know, the one they learn to drive with the first couple of years...I went with Prius again. You won't go wrong either way.

 

If you want the performance, you may want to look at Mazda3 or even new Civic. Prius is a different car. I would not buy the Corolla, even if it would have the same mpg as the Prius. Very plain looking sedan, imo.

 

I'm sorry I guess I was mistaken, I thought when the Corolla production left Fremont Ca. I thought it went to Mexico, did it first go to Mississi[ppi and to Mexico next year?