Mazda 2 vs Toyota Prius
What's the difference?

Mazda 2

$14,500 - $26,998

2024 price

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Toyota Prius

—

2021 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2024 Mazda 2

2021 Toyota Prius

By Chris Thompson

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 1.5L

Inline 4, 1.8L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.4L/100km (combined)

3.4L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Still dynamically fun
Manual remains
Ergonomically sensible

Seamless hybrid drive
Incredible fuel efficiency
Comfortable and spacious

Dislikes

Interior is dating
Engine noise under load
Pricing not quite 'first-car'

Polarising exterior
Dorky central instrument cluster
Not so engaging to drive

2024 Mazda 2 Summary

The entry-point into one of Australia's most popular brands has been around for almost 10 years in its current generation, but the Mazda2 has had a refresh.

Possibly for the last time in its current lifespan, the small hatchback gets a facelift to remain appealing, Mazda hopes, to first-car-buyers.

Mazda's up against not only direct rivals, like the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris, but also the shifting market.

Mazda has sold just over 3500 Mazda2s so far this year, but almost 11,000 CX-3 small SUVs, the latter based on our friend here's platform.

It's a name with a little over two decades behind it, but can it be a first-car-favourite in an increasingly difficult small car market?

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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

2024 Mazda 2 2021 Toyota Prius

Verdict

While Mazda's insistence that the Mazda2 is a 'first-car' could be very limited by the incomes of most teenagers or early-20s city-dwellers, the starting price being close enough to $20,000 for a dynamically enjoyable and convenient small car isn't to be scoffed at.

The new styling of the Mazda2 is well executed, and as an alternative to small SUVs (which continue to become more popular) it's a sensible option, especially considering its efficiency and ease of use.

The lower specifications in the range are probably the best in terms of value, as even the features on the higher grades aren't groundbreaking, and the Pure SP definitely exudes the most style cred.

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.

Mazda 2 vs Toyota Prius What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mazda 2 vs Toyota Prius
What's the difference?