BMW 1 Series vs Toyota Prius
What's the difference?

BMW 1 Series

$44,997 - $89,900

2025 price

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Toyota Prius

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2021 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2025 BMW 1 Series

2021 Toyota Prius

By Chris Thompson

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

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Inline 4, 1.8L

Fuel Type

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Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

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3.4L/100km (combined)

Seating

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Likes

Driving dynamics and performance
Front-row layout
Pricing remains competitive

Seamless hybrid drive
Incredible fuel efficiency
Comfortable and spacious

Dislikes

New face might divide opinion
Second-row amenities lacking
A tad thirsty

Polarising exterior
Dorky central instrument cluster
Not so engaging to drive

2025 BMW 1 Series Summary

Can you believe the 1 Series is already in its fourth generation? It might not look incredibly like it, because this new car looks a little like the third.

But it’s been more than half a decade since the F40 1 Series debuted, so BMW decided it was already time for a new kid on the block. Meet the F70.

It’s just landed in Australia and it promises new-gen tech and features compared with its predecessor. We checked out BMW’s new baby at its Australian launch to find out if it delivers.

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2021 Toyota Prius Summary

What to say about the Toyota Prius in 2021? A car that was once a technology trailblazer seems now to have become properly retro, even while it’s still being built and sold.

The awkward-looking wedge, an eco-punk icon, not only brought Toyota’s hybrid synergy drive to the masses, it also debuted the brand’s excellent TNGA architecture and set the scene for the company's absurd hybrid success, which now sees the RAV4 version topping the sales charts.

So, after all these years (25 to be precise), is the Prius’s time finally over? Or does this quaint hybrid hero still have more to offer? I took a top-spec I-Tech for a week to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 BMW 1 Series 2021 Toyota Prius

Verdict

A brief dalliance with the 1 Series has left me impressed, if wanting to spend more time with it to get a better assessment of the day-to-day liveability of BMW’s entry-level model.

It’s a compelling offering if you’re after a premium small car, and even without the performance of the M135, the 118 is feature-packed.

Keeping pricing competitive should help the 1 Series buck the trend of buyers opting for small SUVs, but ultimately it’s just refreshing to see BMW putting effort into keeping a hatchback relevant (and up-to-date).

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Verdict

The Prius can rest its weary head. The Age of the Hybrid has begun. Even though this iconic eco car might have lost its ultimate purpose to more mainstream models in the last few years, it’s still the best execution of Toyota’s hybrid tech on the market and if you can look past its divisive-as-ever looks, it’s comfortable and practical, too.

The brand’s Australian division promises the Prius will stick around in one form or another, so we’re keen to see what its next iteration will look like. Plug-in? Fully electric? Time will tell.

BMW 1 Series vs Toyota Prius What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW 1 Series vs Toyota Prius
What's the difference?