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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 fuel efficiency, 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 2024 Toyota Prius ranges from $30,342 to $41,815 while a used 2024 Volkswagen Jetta is priced between $21,495 to $29,945. For a new model, the Toyota Prius's price is between $29,563 and $40,288, with the Volkswagen Jetta priced between $23,088 and $30,451.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Toyota Prius loses 30.7 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Jetta loses 36 percent of its value. This means the Toyota Prius retains 5.4 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 9.2 out of 10 while the Volkswagen Jetta's quality rating is 8.8 out of 10. This results in the Toyota Prius being ranked 1 out of 25 Best Hybrid Cars and the Volkswagen Jetta being ranked 13 out of 43 Best Small Cars.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Toyota Prius is 8.9 out of 10. For the Volkswagen Jetta the reliability rating is 8.1 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. The Prius is rated to deliver an average of 57 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 633 miles. The Jetta is rated to deliver an average of 34 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 554 miles. This gives the Toyota Prius the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Volkswagen Jetta. Both models use regular unleaded.

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. When comparing IIHS evaluations, the Toyota Prius has the advantage with a Top Safety Pick+ award.

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Model & Pricing
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Jetta

2024 Toyota Prius
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Toyota Prius for Sale

2024 Volkswagen Jetta
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Volkswagen Jetta for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$29,563 - $40,288

Starting MSRP:

$27,950

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

$25,900

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

$23,500 - $27,950

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$23,088 - $30,451

Starting MSRP:

$21,435

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

$26,555

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

$17,795 - $45,665

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$36,636

Price Range:

$30,342 - $41,815

Category Avg Price:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

$30,862

Category Avg Price Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

$27,111 - $36,636

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

2,752

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

1,704

# Good or Great Deals:

210

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$25,029

Price Range:

$21,495 - $29,945

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

$28,855

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

$19,171 - $47,673

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

1,060

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

4,179

# Good or Great Deals:

223

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$8,838

Depreciation %:

31.6%

Resale Value $:

$19,112

Residual Value %:

68.4%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

31.6%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

31.6% - 39.9%

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$7,817

Depreciation %:

36.5%

Resale Value $:

$13,618

Residual Value %:

63.5%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

31.6%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

24.4% - 40.1%

Toyota Prius Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

9.2 / 10

Reliability:

8.9 / 10

Retained Value:

8.6 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Volkswagen Jetta Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.8 / 10

Reliability:

8.1 / 10

Retained Value:

8.3 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Toyota Prius

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

12.3

Typical Category Life Expectancy:

N/A

Category Life Expectancy Range:

N/A

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

33.1%

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Jetta

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.3

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

11.2

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

10.1 - 13.6

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

9%



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

4.8

Typical Category Recalls:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

2.6

Category Range for Recalls:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

2.3 - 4.8

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2 - 18.8

Toyota Prius Rankings

Best Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Safest Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Most Reliable Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Best Family Hybrid Cars

1 / 25

Best Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

1 / 10

Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) with Best Resale Value

1 / 10

Most Reliable Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

1 / 10

Best Family Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

1 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 9

Best Family Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 9

Best Hybrid Cars Under $30k

1 / 9

Best Hybrid Small Cars Under $30k

1 / 4

Most Affordable Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

1 / 3

Best Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) Under $30k

1 / 2

Best Hybrid Cars for Teens

1 / 1

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Teens

1 / 1

Best Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) for Teens

1 / 1

Hybrid Cars with Best Resale Value

2 / 25

Hybrid Small Cars with Best Resale Value

2 / 9

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

2 / 9

Best Hybrid Cars for the Money

2 / 3

Best Gas Mileage Hybrid Cars

3 / 25

Most Affordable Hybrid Cars

3 / 10

Most Affordable Hybrid Small Cars

3 / 4

Most Comfortable Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV)

5 / 10

Most Comfortable Hybrid Small Cars

5 / 9

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Legroom

5 / 9

Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) with the Most Horsepower

7 / 10

Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) with the Most Legroom

7 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Tall People

7 / 9

Best Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV) for Tall People

8 / 10

Most Comfortable Hybrid Cars

11 / 25

Hybrid Cars with the Most Horsepower

12 / 25

Hybrid Cars with the Most Legroom

17 / 25

Best Hybrid Cars for Tall People

22 / 25

Volkswagen Jetta Rankings

Best Family Small Cars

3 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

6 / 43

Most Affordable Small Cars

8 / 24

Best Small Cars Under $25k

8 / 13

Best Small Cars for the Money

9 / 13

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

10 / 43

Safest Small Cars

11 / 43

Most Reliable Small Cars

11 / 43

Best Small Cars

13 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

24 / 43

Best Small Cars for Tall People

30 / 43

Most Comfortable Small Cars

34 / 43

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

37 / 43

Available Body Styles

Hatchback

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Hybrid

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Toyota Prius Trim Levels

LE, Limited, XLE

Volkswagen Jetta Trim Levels

SEL, Sport, S, SE

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

2 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

2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

TOP SAFETY PICK +

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 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):

0.055 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):


57 / 56 / 57

Range (city/hwy):

644 / 633 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

1.5 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Manual

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

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


29 / 42 / 34

Range (city/hwy):

383 / 554 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:

Standard

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

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

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot 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:

N/A

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Driver Attention Monitoring:

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:

115.0 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:

2895 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

Rising Blue Metallic

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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