Compare the2022 Toyota Prius PrimeVS 2021 Tesla Model S

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Prius Prime are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Tesla Model S doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Prius Prime has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Prius Prime Limited has standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Model S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Prius Prime Limited’s standard cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model S doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Prius Prime’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Model S doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Prius Prime has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Prius Prime and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, its standard front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Prius Prime the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model S was not even a standard “Top Pick” for 2016.

The Prius Prime’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Model S’ (5/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Prius Prime for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model S.

There are over 9 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Prius Prime’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Prius Prime’s reliability 64 points higher than the Model S.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 19th in initial quality. With 73 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 34th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 30th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Tesla is ranked 25th.

On the EPA test cycle the Prius Prime running on electricity gets better mileage than the Model S:

The Prius Prime’s maximum EPA estimated driving range on a full tank of fuel and a full charge is 652 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Model S’ range is only 412 miles, after which the minimum recharge time is 30 minutes for only a 49% 110-volt outlet can take up to 82 hours and 53 minutes.

For better maneuverability, the Prius Prime’s turning circle is 5.4 feet tighter than the Model S’ (33.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

The Toyota Prius Prime may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1200 to 1400 pounds less than the Tesla Model S.

The Prius Prime is 1 foot, 1.1 inches shorter than the Model S, making the Prius Prime easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Prius Prime is 8 inches narrower than the Model S, making the Prius Prime easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Prius Prime has .6 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom and 1.9 inches more rear headroom than the Model S.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Prius Prime to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model S.

The Prius Prime Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Prius Prime’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Model S’ headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Prius Prime’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Prius Prime has standard extendable sun visors. The Model S doesn’t offer extendable visors.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Prius Prime is less expensive to operate than the Model S because it costs $145 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Prius Prime than the Model S, including $339 less for a water pump, $59 less for front brake pads and $738 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Prius Prime as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Tesla Model S isn't recommended.