Compare the2022 Toyota Prius PrimeVS 2022 BMW i4

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 BMW i4 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 i4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Prius Prime and the i4 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, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The i4 has not been tested, yet.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Prius Prime 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the i4. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the i4 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Prius Prime’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. BMW is ranked 12th.

On the EPA test cycle the Prius Prime running on electricity gets better mileage than the i4:

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 i4’s range is only 227 to 301 miles, after which the minimum recharge time is 31 minutes for only a 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a conventional charging station can take up to 8 hours and 15 minutes.

For better maneuverability, the Prius Prime’s turning circle is 7.6 feet tighter than the i4’s (33.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Toyota Prius Prime may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1300 to 1650 pounds less than the BMW i4.

The Prius Prime is 5.6 inches shorter than the i4, making the Prius Prime easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Prius Prime a Mid-size car, while the i4 is rated a Compact.

The Prius Prime has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the i4.

The Prius Prime has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the i4 (19.8 vs. 10 cubic feet).

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 i4 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Prius Prime, based on reliability, safety and performance.