New Toyota Prius vs Volkswagen Golf
It looks far more futuristic than its predecessors, but is the latest Toyota Prius a cut above its refreshed plug-in hybrid rival from Volkswagen?...
The contenders
NEW Toyota Prius Plug-in Excel
List price £39,955 Target Price £39,172
Available only as a plug-in hybrid in the UK, the latest generation of this pioneering petrol-electric model gets a dose of style to go with its expected efficiency
NEW Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI eHybrid Style
List price £36,760 Target Price £35,325
Updates to Volkswagen’s family hatchback include improvements inside and a larger battery for the plug-in hybrid version tested here, giving it an official electric range of 88 miles
Toyota Prius. This is the name that immediately pops into many people’s minds when you mention the word ‘hybrid’, and it’s undoubtedly become the car most closely associated with combining petrol and electric power to maximise fuel efficiency.
The rakish styling and more natural proportions of this new, fifth-generation version make it far more visually appealing than its predecessor, and because it shares its underpinnings with the Toyota Corolla (our reigning Family Car of the Year), it should be far better to drive as well.
The other big news is that this Prius is now available only as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in the UK (whereas the old model had a regular hybrid option as well), so officially you can travel for up to 44 miles on battery power alone.
The Prius might seem like the favourite in a battle of the hybrids, but it has fearsome competition in the shape of the latest Volkswagen Golf. The current iteration has just received a mid-life update that includes a huge battery upgrade for the plug-in eHybrid model we’re testing here, from 10.4kWh to 19.7kWh (usable capacity). As a result, the Golf’s official electric range is twice as long as the Prius’s (at up to 88 miles). The Prius, then, won’t have things all its own way.
Driving
Performance, ride, handling, refinement
Our contenders can get up to speed at a very similar rate when driving in hybrid mode, using both the engine and electric motor to sprint from 0-60mph in 6.9sec. The Prius responds more keenly when you need a sudden burst of acceleration, but the 30-70mph times are virtually identical as well.
The Golf’s stronger electric motor means it’s far more effortless when you’re running on battery power alone, requiring a gentler squeeze of the accelerator to pick up speed. That said, it feels more lethargic when the battery has been depleted and the car is running solely on petrol power.
Provided you top up the battery regularly, that won’t happen as frequently in the Golf, because its larger battery allowed it to cover an impressive 73 miles from a full charge on our real-world test route. That’s considerably more than any other plug-in hybrid we’ve tested before (the previous best being 57 miles from a Mercedes GLC 300e). The Prius managed 38 miles from its 13.6kWh battery.
The CVT automatic gearbox in the Prius delivers its power in a smoother way than the Golf’s more conventional auto. While both cars’ engines become quite vocal under hard acceleration, the Golf’s sounds more boomy and coarse. And with far less road noise and laminated side windows helping to minimise wind noise, the Prius is the quieter cruiser.
Both cars have regenerative braking to help top up the battery under deceleration, and the Prius has a default adaptive setting that slows you down automatically when approaching corners. Alternatively, nudging the gear selector from D to B in the Prius gives a constant braking effect when you lift off the accelerator. You can have a similar effect in the Golf, but you have to go to a sub-menu in the infotainment system to activate or adjust it – a clunky process. In these settings, both cars will slow you down to walking pace, but not to a complete halt.
When you need to press on the brake pedal, the Prius’s is precise and responsive, so coming to a smooth stop is fairly easy. In contrast, the Golf’s brakes are vague and grabby, although they can actually bring the car to a halt in a shorter distance.
Both cars are comfortable by the standards of plug-in hybrid family hatchbacks, but the Prius has a more settled ride and feels more tied down over undulating roads. While the Golf soaks up most bumps fairly well, it occasionally thumps when tackling sharper ruts and potholes.
In everyday driving, the Prius is more engaging to drive than the Golf, and it’s mostly down to its steering providing a greater sense of connection with the front wheels. A smaller steering wheel also helps the response feel more direct. Start pressing on and the Golf offers more outright grip, but otherwise it feels more laid back.
