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Toyota Prius vs Volkswagen Polo

What's the difference?

VS
Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius

$39,990 - $45,635

2021 price

Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo

$22,490 - $39,880

2022 price

Summary

2021 Toyota Prius
2022 Volkswagen Polo
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Inline 4, 1.8L

Turbo 3, 1.0L
Fuel Type
Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
3.4L/100km (combined)

5.4L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Polarising exterior
  • Dorky central instrument cluster
  • Not so engaging to drive

  • Needs premium unleaded
  • No adjustable rear vents
  • No rear centre armrest
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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2022 Volkswagen Polo Summary

The sixth-generation Volkswagen Polo arrived in Australia in 2018, and four years down the track it’s time for an update.

The line-up has been trimmed from four to three grades, and in a conscious decision to better align the car with what Polo buyers are typically opting for, standard specification is up along with cost-of-entry.

Some of the headline upgrades are cosmetic tweaks front and rear, as well as new digital instrumentation, wireless charging, AEB, and LED headlights on all models.

We’ll get into the details shortly, but to clarify, this review will deal with the entry-level Life and more highly specified Style model, with the GTI hot hatch covered in a separate review.

Volkswagen Australia invited us to the car’s local launch drive which took in a combination of city, suburban, B-road, highway and freeway running. So we were able to get a solid first taste of how the refreshed small hatch measures up in a slowly shrinking, but still hotly contested city car market.

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Toyota Prius 2022 Volkswagen Polo

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