Compare the2024 BMW 2 Series Gran CoupeVS 2023 Toyota Prius

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 2 Series Gran Coupe the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 174 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Prius has not been tested, yet.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Prius’ 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Prius’ (12 vs. 5 years).

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 2 Series Gran Coupe third among small premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Prius isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Toyota.

The 228i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 34 more horsepower (228 vs. 194) than the Prius’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The 228i Gran Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (228 vs. 196) than the Prius’ optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 106 more horsepower (302 vs. 196) than the Prius’ optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe is faster than the Toyota Prius 2.0:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Prius doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius AWD’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The 2 Series Gran Coupe has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius FWD’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 11.3 gallons).

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 are solid, not vented.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe stops much shorter than the Prius:

For better traction, the 2 Series Gran Coupe has larger standard tires than the Prius (225/45R17 vs. 195/60R17). The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Prius (235/35R19 vs. 195/60R17).

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius LE’s standard 60 series tires. The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Prius XLE/Limited’s 50 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 2 Series Gran Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Prius doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe offers an available 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’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe handles at .91 G’s, while the Prius Limited pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has 1.8 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the 2 Series Gran offers cargo security. The Prius’ 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 2 Series Gran Coupe. The Prius doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Prius doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Prius 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.

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.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 Prius doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 LE’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the 2 Series Gran Coupe offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Prius doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the 2 Series Gran Coupe 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’ mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Prius offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the 2 Series Gran Coupe has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Prius doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, based on reliability, safety and performance.