My volt dashboard says 80 MPG. Prius doesn't even come close. (Mic drop)

 

Let's see first, the Volt can go 50+ miles without using gas. For 80% of commuters, that means using no gas on their daily commute.

Then there is the Prius ugly factor. You can't drive the car while wearing a bag on your head. Without the bag, people will see you. In a fugly Prius. As the driver/owner.

 

Agreed, the G4 Prius if fugly. It's a 2 nagger (does anyone remember the old 2 bagger joke?)

 

In my Volt I have used 8 gallons of gas in 2,400 miles. I'll only need to change my oil once every 2 years based on this trend.

 

You used 8 gallons in 2400 Miles? Your so wasteful.. lol. I've used 4.45 (I'm at 50%) and just turned 2310.88 miles.
I would absolutely pick the Volt premier with acc all day long over the Prius prime advanced. More features, less gas used (don't let the MPG fool you) your going to pay for less gas over all. Plus you get Android Auto, Apple Carplay, better maps, better infotainment system. IMO, the 8inch mylink is better than that 11 inch thing and software they use. Plus the prius is ugly. Also, better to keep the money in the USA.

 

I've had 2 Pri (2008 and 2011) - both were great for my 160 mile daily commute and was very apprehensive going with a 'Chevy'. My 2016 uses about 5 gallons less fuel a week by only charging at home (4 day work week) and would be even better if I could charge at work. Do the math and see which works out best and don't forget that a (regular) Prius may not come with the Federal rebate. I have 30K on the 16 Volt so far with no issues - Love it - no regrets.

 

The Prius is very economical and very reliable but it's a crappy car. The ride on the second generation Volt is like a Mercedes C class. The ride on the Prius is like a Corolla. The Volt will get to 30 MPH about as fast as a base Tesla Model S. The Prius will get to 30 MPH in about the same time as a Corolla. So if you're looking at the Prius you might as well buy the Corolla and save a few bucks.

 

I already have a 2014 Corolla. Just looking for opinions about the Volt vs. Prius. I love the Volt, but Prius is a little cheaper at the moment.

 

How much cheaper? Bigger battery in the Volt means less spent at the pump.

 

I had a 2004 and a 2007 Prius. I owned them for a combined 10+ years and drove them 140K. Unless the built quality has improved a lot, and I mean a LOT, I would never buy another. Sure, I got an overall average of 60+ MPG, but I also had to put up with the poor handling, rattles, repairs, and noise. [three engine water pumps on the 2007 and two out of warranty plus some injector problems] My 2017 Volt is solid, handles reasonably well, and is as quiet as a church. In addition, I've had the Volt for four months and over 900 miles, and have yet to burn a drop of gas except for maintenance burns.

 

Prius:
A little Cheaper if buying new.
One of the most reliable cars
MPG in low 50s
Never have to plug it in
"Cred" as a tree hugger

Volt:
My mpg is 220. Can use almost no gas.
Better responsiveness and handling
Better ride
$7500 federal tax credit
Additional state credits for some states
Low maintenance:
Oil change every 2 years
Probably never need a brake job
Little else to maintain
Save enough on gas, maintenance to justify price diff.
Or get one used and pay less to purchase and own.
Almost never have to go to the nasty gas station
Styling is sporty, not nerdy
"Cred" as an environmentalist, or just as a guy who likes tech and a nice car.
HOV lane access
State of the art technology
Diversity of fuel sources. If either one is in shortage, use the other.
A hedge against gas price shocks.
Can tell your kids you did your best to leave them a habitable world.

I am not a Prius basher. It is a great car. Better than almost every other car. Just not the Volt. Can't go too wrong either way, really.

Please tell us the reasons the Prius guys told you that is the better car so we can address their points.

I will concede the Prius will use a little less gas under certain use cases, but they have to be pretty uncommon and extreme. Like you have essentially no access to charging or you drive a couple hundred miles a day with no destination charging. Also, if you have an extremely high electric rate and no option for a time of use plan, it could cost more to charge than gas up. At least until gas gets high.

 

Ok, since you asked. Here is a few of the Prius owners comments. These are not my opinions, just a copy and paste of their comments. Actually, several of them defended the Volt.
Here goes:

I considered a Volt, but chose the Prius Eco instead. Why? My commute is 95% highway, 70+ mph, 225-230 miles round trip daily, with no place to plug in at work. So I'd make it less than 1/4 of my daily drive on electricity, then the gas engine would kick in. The Volt gets in the low 40s on the highway, and I'm averaging about 51 mpg.

Add in the purchase price difference, and over time, the Chevy would cost me more. And that doesn't even include the cost of electricity.

I didn't consider the Volt for very long. I didn't even test drive one. When I was shopping, the Prius was far and away my first choice. My number one consideration was gas mileage. My second consideration was reliability

first of all, these are two completely different cars, and the choice should be easy.
but there are three important things imo:
1) interior room, front, rear and hatch.
2) typical driving patterns, are 50 miles of ev something you want and can well take advantage of, or would 54 mpg be better for you.
3) after a good long test drive of each, which did you like better?

Well the Gen4 is closer to 20-ft3 more space than Volt, with much more space in the rear seats and cargo.
In that case, consider the Prime plug-in as a better compromise between a Gen4 and a Volt.

I think the big problem with the Volt is the quality of the build. I remember watching a few reviews and even after a year, screws and other things were beginning to rust. I have had an issue with my previous Prius "C" but it was covered under warranty and there was no hassle.

I think it is a no brainer if you ask me. However it does depend on how you drive, where you drive but I'd probably still buy a Prius Prime if I were choosing between that and a Volt...

The main reason I went with a Prius was Toyota reliability over GM. My personal experiences. I will sacrifice bells and whistles over a "gee, we're not sure what is wrong with your car, but we will at least get it running" or "yeah I know your car is only 2 years old, but that part isn't covered under warranty and is a special order" type stuff I have been through it and I hated it. No issues like this with Toyota.

 

Well, you'd get the same owner bias here or anywhere. The only one that works for me is the mileage comment. If mileage matters to you (you drive similar distances daily) then Prius might be your car.

I just can't get into a fugly car, much less buy one. If my choice was Prius or walk to work I'd take it. There are so many other choices (this isn't the USSR - Trabant), plugin or otherwise. I might take my neighbor's Honda HR-V, but I think I'd lean toward the Trax if I wasn't going plugin.

My other car is a Silverado...........

 

Our volts have been totally trouble free, no repairs required. Maintenance has been oil and filter every two years, because of age and tire rotations. Gas mileage is 40-41 on the highway and much higher in suburban driving. Electric costs would be equal to 3 cents a mile for us at 10.9 cents per kWh, except it is free with our solar panels. These are nice driving cars, very smooth on long trips and pretty quiet, though the Goodyear tires are noisy. Handling is pretty good, not a sports car, but very predictable. Brakes take some getting used to, but they are plenty good. Prius may be a decent car, I was considering them until the Volt came out. I am happy with my choice. I can't get past the looks of the new Prius, good for a laugh when I see one!

 

Odds are better that the Prius will be more reliable, but the Volt is still pretty average.


The Volt is basically an electric car without range anxiety. The Prius always burns gas.

The Prius is an incredibly dull car, but reliable.

The Volt offers more excitement and max power in EV mode.

Drive both and see what you like. You can probably get a Volt much less than MSRP, and depending on tax situation you might get some incentives back at tax time. You are paying for all electric range and higher power motors, etc.

 

Dorkmobile

Vs.

Batmobile

 

Dorkmobile

Vs.

Batmobile

This made me LOL and was the real mic drop.

 

If you drove a _lot_ of highway miles every day, you might save a few dollars on gas with the Prius. But in almost every other way, the Volt is a better car.

 

Your Prius Guy's comments are reasonable overall. He is one of the edge cases I mentioned where his long distances don't favor the plug in. He is a little harsh on the build quality issue. Toyota is strong there, but my Volt has been far more reliable than my last Toyota. Volt is solid. You may get a couple of issues that you wouldn't get in a Toyota. Big deal. Take it in under warranty and get it fixed. You would still be there less overall due to guaranteed fewer maintenance items. That guy obviously had a bad experience with some GM car at some point, but it is not typical. The things I could tell you about my Toyota are worse, but that is not typical either.

If differences in rear room are important to you, I could see that being a factor. But Volt has good versatility there and it works well for many owners. Also he mentions space, then steers you to the Prime, which sacrifices a good chunk of that space for the battery. People have made a camping bed in the volt by folding the seats plus a couple of tricks. Two tall people can stretch out and sleep on a flat surface. That's not a car with no space.

 

I owned a 2007 Prius for eight years. Never a problem. 48 MPG. I considered a Prius plug-in, but the Toyota staff convinced me that Toyota was discontinuing the line. I bought a 2013 Volt for the same cost as I had purchased my Prius, both with around 10,000 miles on the odometer. Lifetime costs are similar. The up-side is the Volt is a great design for the future. I get the electricity for my daily commute free. The down-side is the inconvenience of hiking a half-mile to the charging station every night after two hours of charging. This is the fact the marketing team ignore when they tell you that you will be able to pass gas stations. You will skip the weekly trip to a gas station in exchange for the nuisance of plugging-in every night to an electric supply. The first year with the Volt, my average was 160 MPG. Then, I took a 4,000-mile trip with no access to electricity and burned 98 gallons of gasoline. Now, my lifetime average is 80 MPG. I really liked my Prius, enjoyed it for 8 years. I am not sure how many years I will keep the Volt. I may trade for upgraded technology. I may trade for a more aggressive adventure vehicle if a plug-in hybrid model comes along that can handle the boulders and potholes in any Forest Service road. Prius and Volt are extremely competitive in my mind. I would enjoy driving either.

 

IMO, the reason to choose the Volt over the Prius is performance.

A Volt accelerates in traffic like a real car. The Prius accelerates like a economy car.

Drive both. Put your foot into it, and check stability at 90 mph. Take a curve or two at high speeds.

If the Prius is enough for your needs, get the Prius. The extra initial cost of a Volt will never pay for itself. You are buying more performance, not just a EREV.

 

I'm another guy who puts in alot of miles to work (70-miles one direction). I charge at home and also at work, so I average about 43-miles on electricity and 17-miles gas each way. (I wish Chevy would push the battery capacity to 70-mile range)

I've never owned a Prius, so all my opinions about Prius is just as an observer when I was considering between the two.

The only logical comparison should be between the Prius plug-in and the Chevy Volt for obvious reasons.

I'm a bit of a motorhead/gearhead. I started out with VWs when I was young and transitioned to BMWs and then now the Chevy. I dabbled in chipping/modding the cars so performance is important to me.

So far I've driven my Volt gen1 for three years and put in 90K miles.

What's delighted me so far is the reliability of the car (Only issue I had was that I got a charging system warning indicator light when the battery cooling fluid dropped. The dealer topped the fluid and did a pressure check to ensure there were no leaks and the problem was gone) - I worried that a Chevy would routinely strand me on the side of the freeway - knock on wood, it's never happened so far. It's saying alot given the number of miles and years of driving this car.

Another thing I noticed is the pure driving fun with the high torque electric motor. It's really fast off the line, silent and vibration free. Every electric miles driven is a pleasure and I try to maximize my time on electricity. The fact that Prius is a parallel hybrid is a big turn-off. Prius is really a high-mileage gas car using battery to recoup energy during braking (even the plug-in version is arguably a "gas car"). Volt is a pure electric vehicle with a range extending generator. They are two fundamentally different cars.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the dealer service. They just do the required maintenance for a fair cost and don't aggressively look for things to "repair" or over-state the condition to sell more service. I can state that it was a constant struggle to fight the up-selling of service/repair at the VW and especially BMW dealers. Low maintenance of EV isn't just a theory, it has been a reality for me for the last three years.

I also realized that at some point if my commute drops in mileage or I give my car to someone else in the family, the chances are it can become a pure electric car because the total mileage is likely going to be less than the total electric range. Then you won't have to visit the gas station for a very long time.

At least when I was pricing the cars, the $7500 federal credit plus $1500 California credit on Volt made the Prius more expensive. And in the end I knew that I would be getting a poorly performing gas car with the Prius. Very reliable as data indicates, but no fun. I took the gamble, and I have been rewarded for three years of reliable and fun driving - I got to have my cake and eat it too.

Good luck in your choice.

- Peter

 

Exactly what are your driving needs and wants? This would be the best starting point.

 

I was a long time owner of the original Insight, but my wife had a Gen III Prius as a company car for three years. It was a perfectly acceptable but boring car. I never once looked forward to driving it, but it was not horrible. The Insight was engaging in that it demanded attention in order to get the potential milage. That level of engagement kept me interested in driving the car for over a decade. The Prius was the definition of an appliance. Between the vague disconnect that is inherit with CVT cars and the insubstantial construction (all for the benefit of weight savings, but still) and I can say that the Prius *never* brought a smile to my face.

Three months in, I still enjoy driving the Volt. Some of the light weight materials remind me of the Prius, but overall the car feels much more solid. Couple that with vastly better performance (both in terms of acceleration and handling), and I expect to enjoy driving the Volt for a long time to come.

As for styling, there's no accounting for taste. After driving the quirky Insight for so long, I'm enjoying a green car that does not scream "LOOK AT ME". YMMV.

In the end, and as others have pointed out, much of the analysis hinges on your driving habits. If you have long highway commutes, then the Prius may make sense and even with the tax credit, the Volt will cost a bit more. Also, the Prius hatchback has a bit more function than the Volt's "trunk". I honestly feel the build quality is close enough that it is not much of a factor, but Toyota dealers are better at supporting the Prius than the average Chevy dealer based on what you see in the forums (my Chevy dealer has been fine FWIW). This is the extent of the praise that I can conjure for the Prius.

 

Thanks to all of you for your helpful comments. I am really torn between the two. I should have given more info. and for that I apologize. I live in Alabama and it rarely gets below 30 degrees here. I live alone and drive about 25 miles one way to work, and can charge there if need be. Already cleared that with my boss. On my off day, I may drive up to 100 plus miles. I have a 2014 Corolla with over 100k miles. I average 47 mpg. So, its hard, and maybe not even smart, to move on to something else. I have never driven either and know that is where I need to start. The lack of Headroom in the rear is no issue for me. I rarely have a password anyway. So, that is my dilemma. Again, thank you for your help.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

I used to have a 50 mile per day round trip commute, averaged 90-100 mpg for those trips. Now my commute is 65 miles round trip now that my daughter is in high school. Still at 75-80 mpg. But as others have said, volt performance is awesome, I take every opportunity to beat pony cars and ricer boys with fart cans off the line at stoplights. Try that in a Prius....

 

I've read all the comments in this thread, and no one mentioned that the Volt is built (R&D'd, engineered, marketed, assembled, etc) domestically. Does supporting our neighbor not matter anymore?

 

Of course I want to support our local economy. That's like saying why don't I buy a Kia? It is made 5 miles from my house by Americans in America.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

Other cars to consider with a 25mi commute:

i3, Leaf, BoltEV, ELR, Malibu Hybrid, etc. Personally, I like a little luxury and style for my 40-mi rt commute.

My shopping list was:
3-series BMW
Camaro
Challenger
Corvette
ELR
ATS-V
CTS
A4

I chose ELR because all the rest had identical twins where I work. Helps that TCO is less due to electric drive.

 

I owned Gen III Prii, with the last one being a PiP. When I took a Volt for a test drive, I traded the PiP in on the spot and never looked back. For me, there was no comparison in the way the Volt performed over the Prius.

 

I think I would really enjoy the volt. Looking forward to all of your comments. As you have said, I think it is tailor-made for me. I just have to go test drive one. The only problem is, there are none near me without traveling 100 miles.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

One thing that's interesting to note about a real EREV like the Volt that is not true for hybrids (Plug in or not). Because all the power is coming from the electric motor, and regen in hooked into the brakes at up to 60kW, on city streets, if you like to do jackrabbit starts from lights, and generally drive aggressively, the electric only takes a small hit. Not true for ICE. If you drive a Prius aggressive in urban areas, the mileage drops significantly. If it's the plug in version, to do jackrabbit starts not only burns the battery quicker than a Volt, it uses gasoline also to do it. It does not have full power ever on electricity alone.

So if you are doing any significant amount of urban driving without Hypermiling the cars, the Volt is the instant winner and will arrive at your destination much sooner. Even when hypermiling the Volt creams the Prius in urban efficiency as long as you have electricity in the tank.