2020 Toyota Prius vs 2021 BMW 5 Series

The 2020 Toyota Prius retained its iconic jellybean-like shape, a design choice driven by aerodynamics to achieve optimal drag coefficient. Over the years, Toyota made subtle tweaks to give it a more sedan-like appearance while maintaining its hatchback functionality. The Prius continued to look contemporary with its futuristic style, even as the rest of the industry caught up with its design cues. The cabin, with its central instrumentation and gauges, remained a standout feature, embracing an unorthodox design since its inception over two decades ago.

Trim levels for the Prius included L Eco, LE, XLE, and Limited. The base L Eco trim came with 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The LE trim added features like a rear windshield wiper and additional driver-assistance features. The XLE trim brought synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and wireless device charging. The Limited trim topped the range with adaptive headlights, a head-up display, and an 11.6-inch touchscreen, though it lost Android Auto support.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had the most restrained design among BMW sedans, lacking the design flourishes of the 3 Series and the imposing size of the 7 Series. For 2021, it received a minor styling refresh, including sleeker LED headlights and a larger twin-kidney grille. Other changes included trapezoidal tailpipes, new L-shaped taillights, and updated front and rear bumpers for the M Sport Package. The 5 Series grew by 1.2 inches in length, maintaining a drag coefficient of 0.27 for efficient aerodynamics.

Inside, the 5 Series retained its familiar BMW layout, with specific design elements like the touchscreen positioning and the unusual-looking shifter. Lower trim levels featured standard SensaTec upholstery, while higher trims offered Dakota and Nappa leather at an extra cost. The 540i xDrive test car had Nappa leather, enhancing the high-end feel, though the standard leather-wrapped sport steering wheel felt out of place. The 5 Series interior was defined by its specific BMW style, from the typefaces to the door chimes, contributing to the automaker’s identity.

The 2020 Toyota Prius featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and battery, producing a combined 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. It came with front-wheel drive as standard, with an all-wheel-drive variant (AWD-e) available, which employed a second electric motor for the rear wheels, operating up to 43 mph. The Prius offered smooth acceleration, especially at lower speeds, with a seamless transition between electric and conventional power.

The Prius had three drive modes: EV, Eco, and Power. EV mode relied solely on battery power, while Power mode provided quicker acceleration with more engine noise. Eco mode balanced performance, efficiency, and quiet operation. The unique shifter design required some getting used to, with specific movements for Reverse, Drive, Neutral, and Park. The "B" mode on the shifter allowed for engine braking, useful in mountainous regions. The Prius offered engaging handling with a low center of gravity, providing a smooth ride ideal for commuting.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series offered a range of powertrain options. The base 530i sedan had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The 540i featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, producing 335 horsepower and 362 pound-feet of torque, reaching 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds with rear-wheel drive and 4.6 seconds with xDrive all-wheel drive.

The M550i xDrive had a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 532 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, shaving a second off the 540i xDrive’s 0-60 mph time. The M5, with a more powerful V8, boasted 617 horsepower in Competition spec, achieving 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The 530e plug-in hybrid combined a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing 288 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds and an electric range of around 21 miles.

The 2020 Toyota Prius made efficient use of its space, with deep door pockets, a large tray area between the front seats, and helpful sub-trays around the center console. The front seats provided ample headroom and legroom, with good driver visibility. The rear seats also offered plenty of space, though taller passengers needed to watch their heads when getting in and out. The Prius had 50.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 24.6 to 27.4 cubic feet with the seats up, making it one of the most spacious and versatile hybrid options.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series, available only as a four-door sedan in the U.S., offered generous front-seat space and competitive rear-seat room. The 540i had 14.0 cubic feet of trunk space, more than the Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, with a 40/20/20 split-folding rear bench for longer items. The test car featured 16-way power front seats with lumbar support, heating, and ventilation, providing supportive bolstering. Forward visibility over the long hood was poor, but a surround-view camera system helped with parking.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen, featuring a sensible menu layout, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, a WiFi hotspot, and three USB ports. The Limited trim upgraded to an 11.6-inch screen with a customizable, tablet-like layout, though it lacked Android Auto. Available features included satellite radio, HD Radio, a head-up display, and a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system. The top-center instrument panel, a defining feature of the Prius, displayed hybrid drivetrain status and other critical readouts, with an available HUD for easier viewing.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series featured a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with the latest iDrive 7 system and a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. Standard features included Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The infotainment screen’s location atop the dashboard made it easy to read while driving, though the instrument cluster layout could have been better. The rotary knob controller provided a tactile feel, with voice control and gesture controls also available.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, and lane-tracing assist. The Prius earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" from the IIHS, though it fell short of the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating due to "average" scores in certain tests.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series received a "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS for the 2020 model, with top scores in all crash tests and front-crash prevention tests. Standard safety features included lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. The Driving Assistance Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, and emergency stop assist. BMW’s driver-assist tech was noted for its sophistication and smooth operation.