2021 head-to-head · Midsize Car

2021 Toyota Prius vs Toyota Prius Prime

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$830/ year to fuel
56 MPG
✓ Cheaper to run
$763/ year to fuel
133 MPGe + 54 MPG

FWD · 1.8L 4-cyl · CVT · 133 MPGe + 54 MPG

The 2021 Toyota Prius Prime is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, it costs about $763 a year to fuel (133 MPGe + 54 MPG), versus $830 for the 2021 Toyota Prius (56 MPG). That's roughly $68 a year, or about $338 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • Toyota Prius
  • Toyota Prius Prime

Side by side

Toyota PriusToyota Prius Prime
$830 Your annual fuel cost $763
56 MPG Combined efficiency 133 MPGe + 54 MPG
58 MPG City 145 MPGe / 55 MPG
53 MPG Highway 121 MPGe / 53 MPG
— Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) 25 kWh
— Driving range 640 mi
— All-electric range 25 mi
91 cu ft Passenger volume 91 cu ft
27 cu ft Cargo volume 20 cu ft
158 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 78 g/mi
10/10 EPA fuel economy score 10/10
10/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 10/10
— Charge time at 240V 2 hrs
Hybrid Powertrain Plug-in hybrid
Regular gasoline Fuel Regular gas + electricity
1.8L 4-cyl Engine / motor 1.8L 4-cyl
CVT Transmission CVT
FWD Drivetrain FWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

Toyota Prius vs Toyota Prius Prime across model years

  • Toyota Prius
  • Toyota Prius Prime

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Per EPA interior volume figures, the Toyota Prius has more cargo space (27 vs. 20 cu ft).

Among 54 2021 midsize cars, the Toyota Prius ranks 6th and the Toyota Prius Prime 3rd for lowest fuel cost.

The powertrains differ: the Toyota Prius is a full hybrid, while the Toyota Prius Prime is a plug-in hybrid.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2021 Toyota Prius or the 2021 Toyota Prius Prime?

Measured by cost to drive, the Toyota Prius Prime. The Toyota Prius is rated 56 MPG combined and the Toyota Prius Prime 133 MPGe + 54 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2021 Toyota Prius vs. the Toyota Prius Prime per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas and 18¢/kWh electricity, about $830 for the Toyota Prius and $763 for the Toyota Prius Prime.

Which has more cargo space?

The Toyota Prius, with 27 cu ft of luggage volume versus 20 cu ft (EPA interior volume index).

Toyota Prius vs Toyota Prius Prime in other years

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