Compare the2023 Chevrolet BoltVS 2022 Toyota Prius

The Chevrolet Bolt has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Prius doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Bolt offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Prius only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Bolt and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Toyota Prius:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Bolt is safer than the Toyota Prius:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Bolt’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Prius’ (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bolt’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 14th.

The Bolt’s electric motor produces 79 more horsepower (200 vs. 121) and 161 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 105) than the Prius’ 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Chevrolet Bolt is faster than the Toyota Prius:

On the EPA test cycle the Bolt gets better mileage than the Prius:

The Bolt can travel with zero emissions for 259 miles. The Prius has to start its internal combustion engine after only .6 miles.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Bolt higher (10 out of 10) than the Toyota Prius (7). This means the Bolt produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Prius every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Chevrolet Bolt as a “Zero Emissions Vehicle” (ZEV). The Toyota Prius is only certified to “Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle” (PZEV) standards.

For better stopping power the Bolt’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

The Bolt stops shorter than the Prius:

For better traction, the Bolt has larger tires than the Prius (215/50R17 vs. 195/65R15).

The Bolt’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Bolt has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Prius.

The Bolt has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Prius doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Bolt can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Prius doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Bolt’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56.3% to 43.7%) than the Prius’ (61% to 39%). This gives the Bolt more stable handling and braking.

The Bolt handles at .80 G’s, while the Prius pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Bolt is 1 foot, 4.8 inches shorter than the Prius, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt has .7 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more rear headroom and 2.6 inches more rear legroom than the Prius.

The Bolt has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Prius doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Bolt’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius’ parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Bolt and the Prius have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Bolt is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Prius prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Bolt’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Prius’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Consumer Reports rated the Bolt’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Prius’ headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Bolt has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Bolt is less expensive to operate than the Prius because typical repairs cost much less on the Bolt than the Prius, including $34 less for front struts and $245 less for a power steering pump.

The Bolt was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2017. The Prius has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Bolt was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2017. The Prius has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bolt as the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Prius has never been chosen.