Compare the2023 Chevrolet BoltVS 2023 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 knee airbags.

Both the Bolt and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact 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, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

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 standard electric motor produces 6 more horsepower (200 vs. 194) than the Prius’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Bolt’s electric motor produces 4 more horsepower (200 vs. 196) than the Prius’ optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Chevrolet Bolt is faster than the Toyota Prius 2.0:

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 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The Bolt, as a pure battery electric vehicle, has no need to “idle” its motors in traffic: they only burn power when moving. The Bolt’s climate control systems still work completely when the vehicle is stopped. The Prius still runs its internal combustion engine whenever it’s stopped, burning excess fuel.

For better traction, the Bolt has larger tires than the Prius (215/50R17 vs. 195/60R17).

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 LE’s standard 60 series tires.

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 is 1 foot, 5.9 inches shorter than the Prius, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt has 2.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (93.9 vs. 91.2).

The Bolt has 2.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the Prius.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bolt has a standard rear wiper. The Prius doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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.

The Bolt was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2017. The Prius has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

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.

The Chevrolet Bolt outsold the Toyota Prius by 1201 units during 2022.