2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2020 Toyota Prius

The 2020 Toyota Prius maintained its iconic jellybean-like shape, a design optimized for aerodynamics. Over the years, Toyota refined this shape with subtle styling tweaks to give it a more sedan-like appearance while retaining its hatchback functionality. The Prius's futuristic design, especially its centrally located instrumentation and gauges, continued to set it apart, even as other manufacturers adopted similar cues. The Prius's cabin, with its unorthodox layout, remained a standout feature, emphasizing a modern and efficient aesthetic.

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. Higher trims like the XLE and Limited added features such as synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a larger 11.6-inch touchscreen. The 2020 Edition celebrated 20 years of the Prius with unique dark exterior accents and a limited production run.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza, in contrast, adopted a more conservative design compared to its previous iterations. Both the sedan and hatchback versions featured sleek headlights and taillights, a tapered front end, and subtle body scalloping. The Impreza Sport models stood out with 18-inch alloy wheels and specific styling touches. Built on the Subaru Global Platform, the Impreza shared its underpinnings with other Subaru models, contributing to its overall refinement.

Inside, the Impreza's design was straightforward, with a dashboard split by the infotainment touchscreen. The Sport trim added contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the Limited trim offered leather upholstery and LED headlights. Despite its conservative design, the Impreza's interior was functional and comfortable, catering to a wide range of drivers.

The 2020 Toyota Prius featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor, producing a combined 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. Available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) variants, the Prius AWD-e employed a second electric motor for the rear wheels, operating up to 43 mph. The Prius offered smooth acceleration, with a seamless transition between electric and conventional power. It had three drive modes: EV, Eco, and Power, each catering to different driving needs. The unique shifter design and Engine Braking mode added to its distinctive driving experience. The Prius's low center of gravity contributed to its engaging handling, making it a practical choice for daily commutes.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine, delivering 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Most models featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while a five-speed manual was available on select trims. The Impreza Sport trim offered model-specific suspension tuning and torque vectoring for improved handling. While the Impreza provided a solid and refined ride, its steering and engine power fell short of making it a true driver's car. Nonetheless, it remained an agreeable daily driver with a good balance between ride quality and handling.

The 2020 Toyota Prius made efficient use of its space, with deep door pockets, a large tray area between the front seats, and sub-trays around the center console. The front seats offered ample headroom and legroom, with good driver visibility. The rear seats were also spacious, though taller passengers needed to be cautious when entering and exiting. The Prius provided 50.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and between 24.6 to 27.4 cubic feet with the seats up, depending on the trim. Its hatchback design made loading and unloading cargo easy and convenient.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza offered reasonable legroom in both the sedan and hatchback versions, though headroom was slightly below average. The sedan's trunk space was limited to 12.3 cubic feet, but the hatchback provided 20.8 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 55.3 cubic feet with them folded. The Impreza hatchback also featured standard roof rails on all trims except the base model. Higher trims included an All-Weather Package with heated front seats, a heated windshield, and heated exterior mirrors. The Sport trim added keyless entry with pushbutton start, while the Limited trim offered a six-way power driver’s seat and automatic climate control.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen, featuring a user-friendly 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 layout, though it lacked Android Auto. Additional features included satellite radio, HD Radio, a head-up display (HUD), and a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system. The top-center instrument panel, a hallmark of the Prius, provided critical readouts and hybrid drivetrain status, with many functions accessible via the steering wheel.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza's base and Premium trims featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen, with the Limited trim offering an optional package that included TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. A secondary display above the main touchscreen provided additional information close to the driver’s line of sight. The Impreza's infotainment system was easy to use, with large icons and minimal menu digging for essential functions, though it lacked advanced tech features found in higher-end vehicles.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included 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, front-and-rear parking sensors, and active park assist. The Prius earned a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though it fell short of the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating due to "average" scores in certain tests.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza received a "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS, with the highest "Good" score in all crash tests. However, it missed the "Top Safety Pick+" award due to "Marginal" headlight ratings on standard models. The Limited trim's headlights received a "Good" rating. The NHTSA awarded the Impreza a five-star overall safety rating. Subaru's EyeSight safety tech was standard on CVT-equipped models, offering features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert. Additional options included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights.