2021 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

To many people, cars are appliances made to serve a function. These consumers own a car because they need to get from where they are to where they’re going, and with a minimum of hassle, expense, or discomfort. Reliability, efficiency, safety, and economy are the critical deciding factors, and the 2021 Toyota Prius delivers on all fronts.

Confusingly, for 2021, the Prius lineup offered a 2020 Edition. Toyota built just 2,020 examples to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first Prius sold in the U.S. market. It has blacked-out trim, black 17-inch wheels, a body-color rear spoiler, and comes in Supersonic Red or new Wind Chill paint colors.

Additionally, Toyota improved the 2021 Prius’s driving-assistance systems by making Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 standard across the board. Android Auto is also standard (joining Apple CarPlay), except for the unique infotainment system in the Prius Limited.

The Toyota Corolla needs no introduction. With 12 generations spanning over five decades of production, the Corolla is the bestselling nameplate in automotive history. And it continues to be a popular choice for new car buyers looking for a reliable and sensible compact car, competing against other established names like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, and Volkswagen Jetta for sales.

The only significant change for 2022 is the addition of two new colors: Ruby Flare and Windchill Pearl. What hasn’t changed are the number of other choices buyers get. Toyota offers sedan and hatchback body styles, manual and automatic transmissions, and multiple powertrain options—including a hybrid. The Corolla Cross SUV also launched for 2022 but, while it shares a basic platform with the Corolla sedan and hatch, it’s effectively a different vehicle.

Finally, you get the expected array of trim levels. The Corolla sedan is available in L, LE, XLE, SE, and XSE grades, plus Apex Edition and Nightshade Edition versions of SE and XSE, with more limited options for the Corolla hatchback and hybrid (both of which will be covered separately). For this review, we tested the Apex Edition sedan in its lower SE grade. The Apex is the sportiest Corolla variant, at least until the GR Corolla hot hatchback arrives for the 2023 model year.