Compare the2023 BMW 530eVS 2022 Toyota Prius Prime

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The 530e’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW 530e 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 Prime doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The 530e has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The 530e offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The 530e has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Prius Prime Limited offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 530e has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Prius Prime Limited has a rear cross-path warning system.

Compared to metal, the 530e’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Toyota Prius Prime has a metal gas tank.

Both the 530e and the Prius Prime 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 and driver alert monitors.

The BMW 530e weighs 939 to 1051 pounds more than the Toyota Prius Prime. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 530e its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 122 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Prius Prime is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The 530e comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Prius Prime’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 530e’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Prius Prime’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 530e for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Prius Prime (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

Engine

The 530e’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 167 more horsepower (288 vs. 121) and 204 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 106) than the Prius Prime’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the BMW 530e is faster than the Toyota Prius Prime:

	530e	Prius Prime
Zero to 60 MPH	5.2 sec	10.2 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13.8 sec	30.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6 sec	10.2 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.1 sec	4.7 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	3.9 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	100 MPH	79 MPH
Top Speed	146 MPH	115 MPH

Transmission

The 530e’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the 530e’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius Prime:

	530e	Prius Prime
Front Rotors	13.7 inches	10 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	10.2 inches

The 530e’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Prius Prime are solid, not vented.

The 530e stops much shorter than the Prius Prime:

	530e	Prius Prime
70 to 0 MPH	154 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the 530e has larger standard tires than the Prius Prime (245/40R19 vs. 195/65R15). The 530e’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Prius Prime (F:245/35R20 & R:275/30R20 vs. 195/65R15).

The 530e’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius Prime’s standard 65 series tires. The 530e’s optional 245/35R20 front and 275/30R20 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Prius Prime’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 530e has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 15-inch wheels are available on the Prius Prime. The 530e offers optional 20-inch wheels.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 530e can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The 530e has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Prius Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The 530e offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Prius Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 530e’s wheelbase is 10.8 inches longer than on the Prius Prime (117.1 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 530e is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Prius Prime.

The 530e’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49.5% to 50.5%) than the Prius Prime’s (55.5% to 44.5%). This gives the 530e more stable handling and braking.

The 530e handles at .85 G’s, while the Prius Prime XLE pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The 530e executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Prius Prime XLE (26.6 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The 530e has 7.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius Prime (98.8 vs. 91.5).

The 530e has 4.5 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius Prime.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 530e offers cargo security. The Prius Prime’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the 530e. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 530e’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The 530e also offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The 530e uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Prius Prime uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the 530e is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Prius Prime. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 18% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the 530e, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat (memory seat optional for the front passenger), steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a memory system.

The 530e’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The 530e’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius Prime’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the 530e and the Prius Prime have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 530e is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Prius Prime prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 530e’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Prius Prime LE/XLE’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 530e’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Prius Prime’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The 530e 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 Prime has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the 530e has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the 530e to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

When the 530e is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Prius Prime’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The 530e’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Prius Prime offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the 530e and the Prius Prime offer available heated front seats. The 530e also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Prius Prime.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 530e keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The 530e offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Prius Prime.

The 530e’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the 530e and the Prius Prime offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the 530e has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The 530e’s available Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Prius Prime Limited’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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