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Toyota Prius vs. Volkswagen Jetta

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Jetta contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Toyota Prius and the Volkswagen Jetta.

When we compare the Toyota Prius's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Toyota Prius has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value, interior volume, overall quality score and base engine power. The Volkswagen Jetta has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing and typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars. Based on this comparison of the Toyota Prius's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Toyota Prius is a better car than the Volkswagen Jetta.

Pricing: A used 2026 Toyota Prius ranges from $30,339 to $37,878 while a used 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is priced between $19,997 to $27,587. For a new model, the Toyota Prius's price is between $30,099 and $40,114, with the Volkswagen Jetta priced between $22,865 and $30,186.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Toyota Prius loses 35.6 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Jetta loses 40.2 percent of its value. This means the Toyota Prius retains 4.7 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Volkswagen Jetta.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Toyota Prius is 9.0 out of 10 while the Volkswagen Jetta's quality rating is 8.0 out of 10. This results in the Toyota Prius being ranked 1 out of 25 Best Hybrid Cars and the Volkswagen Jetta being ranked 18 out of 37 Best Small Cars.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Toyota Prius is 8.1 out of 10. For the Volkswagen Jetta the reliability rating is 7.5 out of 10. This gives the Toyota Prius a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Volkswagen Jetta.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Toyota Prius’s base engine makes 194 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Jetta base engine makes 158 horsepower.

Passenger Space Comparison: The Toyota Prius, a hybrid compact car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front leg room and cargo space. The Volkswagen Jetta, a compact car, has the advantage in the areas of front head room, front shoulder room, rear head room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Toyota Prius and the Volkswagen Jetta have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.

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Model & Pricing
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Jetta

2026 Toyota Prius
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Toyota Prius for Sale

2025 Volkswagen Jetta
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Volkswagen Jetta for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

30099 - 40114

Starting MSRP:

28550

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

29338

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

24575 - 33775

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

22865 - 30186

Starting MSRP:

22995

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

28470

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

21590 - 47100

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

34477

Price Range:

30339 - 37878

Category Avg Price:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

34477

Category Avg Price Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

34477 - 34477

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

# Good or Great Deals:

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

23083

Price Range:

19997 - 27587

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

30314

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

22070 - 52316

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

# Good or Great Deals:

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

10396

Depreciation %:

0.36412662

Resale Value $:

18154

Residual Value %:

0.63587338

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

0.35835614

Category Depreciation Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

0.33801262 - 0.43740554

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

9380

Depreciation %:

0.40791786

Resale Value $:

13615

Residual Value %:

0.59208214

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

0.3979908

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

0.31796157 - 0.42854561

Toyota Prius Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

9.0 / 10

Reliability:

8.1 / 10

Retained Value:

8.8 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Volkswagen Jetta Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.0 / 10

Reliability:

7.5 / 10

Retained Value:

8.5 / 10

Safety:

8.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Toyota Prius

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

15.7

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

13.0

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

10.4 - 15.7

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

0.429

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Jetta

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.1

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

12.4

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

8.8 - 16.2

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

0.067



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

Typical Category Recalls:

N/A

Category Range for Recalls:

N/A

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2.0292701540362343

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.6

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

1.8 - 28.7

Toyota Prius Rankings

Best Family Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Best Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Most Reliable Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Safest Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Best Hybrid Cars for the Money

1 / 15

Best Family Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 10

Best Hybrid Cars Under $30k

1 / 9

Most Reliable Hybrid Cars Under $30k

1 / 9

Best Hybrid Small Cars Under $30k

1 / 5

Most Reliable Hybrid Small Cars Under $30k

1 / 5

Best Hybrid Cars for Teens

1 / 1

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Teens

1 / 1

Most Affordable Hybrid Cars

3 / 15

Most Affordable Hybrid Small Cars

3 / 7

Best Gas Mileage Hybrid Cars

4 / 25

Hybrid Cars with Best Resale Value

5 / 25

Hybrid Small Cars with Best Resale Value

5 / 10

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

5 / 10

Most Comfortable Hybrid Small Cars

6 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Tall People

7 / 10

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Legroom

8 / 10

Most Comfortable Hybrid Cars

9 / 25

Hybrid Cars with the Most Horsepower

16 / 25

Hybrid Cars with the Most Legroom

18 / 25

Best Hybrid Cars for Tall People

21 / 25

Volkswagen Jetta Rankings

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

6 / 37

Best Small Cars Under $25k

7 / 13

Most Reliable Small Cars Under $25k

7 / 13

Best Family Small Cars

8 / 37

Best Small Cars for the Money

8 / 22

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

9 / 37

Most Affordable Small Cars

9 / 22

Safest Small Cars

15 / 37

Most Reliable Small Cars

17 / 37

Best Small Cars

18 / 37

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

22 / 37

Best Small Cars for Tall People

24 / 37

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

24 / 37

Most Comfortable Small Cars

27 / 37

Available Body Styles

Hatchback

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Hybrid

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Toyota Prius Trim Levels

LE, Limited, Nightshade, XLE

Volkswagen Jetta Trim Levels

S, SE, SEL, Sport

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

4 years / 50000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

4 years / 50000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years / 36000 miles

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

Not yet available

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

Not yet available

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

194 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque:

Not yet available

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.063 hp per pound

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

158 hp @ 5500 rpm

Torque:

184 foot-lbs @ 1750 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.052 hp per pound

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD / AWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


Not yet available

Range (city/hwy):

Not yet available

Recommended Fuel Type:

Not yet available

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

1.5 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Automatic

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


29 / 39 / 33

Range (city/hwy):

371 / 499 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Wifi:

Standard

Automatic Parking:

Available

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Paddle Shifters:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

N/A

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Available

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Available

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Wifi:

Available

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Parking Sensors:

N/A

Power Lift Gate:

N/A

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Paddle Shifters:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

38 inches

Front Leg Room:

43.2 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

55.3 inches

Rear Head Room:

36.4 inches

Rear Leg Room:

34.8 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

52.8 inches

Cargo Space:

23.8 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

115 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

38.5 inches

Front Leg Room:

41.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

55.9 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.2 inches

Rear Leg Room:

37.4 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

54 inches

Cargo Space:

14.1 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

94.7 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3097 lbs

Width:

70.2 inches

Height:

55.9 inches

Length:

181.1 inches

Wheelbase:

108.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.6 inches

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3012 lbs

Width:

80.2 inches

Height:

57.7 inches

Length:

186.5 inches

Wheelbase:

105.7 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.5 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

17.0 x 6.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P195/60R17

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

16.0 x 6.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy with painted accents

Tire Size:

P205/60R16

Exterior Colors

Black

Midnight Black Metallic

Blue

Reservoir Blue

Gray

Guardian Gray

Red

Supersonic Red

Silver

Cutting Edge

White

Wind Chill Pearl

Exterior Colors

Black

Deep Black Pearl

Blue

Monterey Blue Pearl

Gray

Platinum Gray Metallic

Red

Not available

Silver

Pyrite Silver Metallic

White

Pure White

Interior Colors

Black

Gradient Black

Gray

Light Gray

Interior Colors

Black

Titan Black

Gray

Storm Gray

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