2023 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Volkswagen Jetta

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta underwent a subtle makeover, featuring an updated engine, minor exterior styling tweaks, and enhanced infotainment options. The Jetta Highline trim, which was the focus of this review, showcased these changes with a redesigned front fascia, bumper, and grille, incorporating more chrome elements. The exterior updates were so understated that they were almost unnoticeable, akin to differentiating one black suitcase from another at baggage claim. The Jetta's design remained functional yet unremarkable, with new wheel designs and metallic colours like Kings Red, Oryx White, and Rising Blue adding a touch of freshness. Inside, the Jetta received modest but appealing updates, including a new rhombus pattern on cloth seats and contrast stitching across all interiors. The Highline trim offered a two-tone leather interior option and a standard heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The 8-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster became standard, with the Highline trim featuring the 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and an 8-inch touchscreen-navigation system.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota Prius received a complete makeover, transforming it into a more visually appealing hybrid. The new design featured a sleek blend of curves and edges, giving it a futuristic look while maintaining appeal for conservative buyers. The wheels were pushed further into the corners, enhancing handling and giving the Prius a more athletic stance. The car was longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor, with 19-inch alloy wheels standard on Canadian models. The interior boasted top-notch materials and fit and finish, with a pair of screens mounted beside the driver's seat and a dashboard-mounted infotainment screen. The cabin prioritized function over form, with minimal decorative trim but ample comfort. The new Prius offered a comfortable driving experience, with a solid platform that absorbed rough surfaces well, making it a more engaging daily driver.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta was powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 1.4-litre turbo-four. This engine produced 158 horsepower, an increase of 11 hp from the previous model, while maintaining 184 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options included a standard 6-speed manual or an optional 8-speed automatic, with the automatic being standard on the Highline trim. The Jetta was exclusively front-wheel drive. Fuel economy was impressive, with Natural Resources Canada estimating 8.0 L/100 km city, 5.5 highway, and 6.9 combined for the manual, and 7.7 L/100 km city, 5.7 highway, and 6.8 combined for the automatic. On a 1,300-kilometre tour, the Jetta averaged 5.0 L/100 km on the highway. Despite its fuel efficiency, the Jetta's powertrain had drawbacks, with a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and tepid dynamics. The drive modes—Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom—offered limited engagement, with Sport mode providing a slight improvement. The Jetta's ride quality was comfortable, but the power delivery felt jumpy in stop-and-go traffic.

The 2023 Toyota Prius featured a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired with a more powerful electric motor and lithium-ion battery, delivering 196 total horsepower in all-wheel drive models, standard in Canada. This was a significant increase from the previous model's 121 horsepower. The Prius used a continuously variable automatic transmission. Fuel economy ratings from Natural Resources Canada were 4.8 L/100 km city, 4.7 highway, and 4.8 combined, among the best for conventional hybrids. The new Prius felt more athletic and eager, with no lag and ample acceleration. The 0-100 km/h time improved to just over seven seconds from more than 10.5 seconds in the older model. Road and wind noise were well isolated, except during hard acceleration. The Prius's handling was agile, with a revised suspension and longer wheelbase contributing to a smooth ride. The brakes had minor squishiness typical of hybrids but were otherwise effective.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, despite its compact size, offered ample passenger space for four adults, with the option to accommodate five. The seats were comfortable, though the front seat cushions had a slight incline that might not suit shorter passengers. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and seat controls conveniently located. Storage options included door pockets, a centre console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The centre storage bin lacked a latch, which was unusual but not problematic.

The 2023 Toyota Prius, while larger on the outside, had a slightly smaller interior in some dimensions compared to its predecessor. Headroom was reduced due to the sloping roofline, but legroom increased, allowing taller passengers to fit comfortably in the rear seats. SofTex leatherette upholstery was standard, with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel in all Canadian models. The Limited trim featured a fixed glass roof with two panels, enhancing the cabin's openness. Cargo space decreased to 575 litres, and rear visibility was somewhat compromised by the loss of the split rear window. The cabin included cupholders, a wireless smartphone charging pocket, and USB-C ports. The cargo area had small underfloor storage cubbies, and a flexible cargo cover was integrated into the rear window.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received a technology upgrade, with all models featuring the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster. Comfortline and Highline trims had an 8-inch infotainment system, while the Highline offered the Digital Cockpit Pro with a 10.25-inch display. The system allowed for customization, such as displaying navigation on the instrument cluster. The Trendline trim had a 6.5-inch MIB2 system with capacitive-touch capabilities, App-Connect for smartphone integration, Bluetooth, and USB-C ports. Comfortline models and above included a charge-only port, premium Beats Audio, and a remote start system.

The 2023 Toyota Prius XLE models came with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, while the Limited trim featured a 12.3-inch screen. The larger screen was recommended for its responsiveness and intuitive menus. The navigation system required a subscription to Toyota's Drive Connect for real-time updates. All models had a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, which was considered too busy. The Limited trim included wireless smartphone charging, an 8-speaker JBL audio system, and a digital rearview mirror. Subscription-based connectivity bundles offered features like remote access, safety assistance, and cloud navigation.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta included standard forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available from the Comfortline trim, along with adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist combined adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, while Emergency Assist monitored driver attentiveness. The Jetta received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA but fell short of a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to an Acceptable side crash test score and Marginal to Poor headlight ratings.

The 2023 Toyota Prius featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane-departure alerts, lane-tracing assist, and Proactive Driving Assist. The latter used radar and cameras to detect obstacles and adjust speed accordingly. All driver assistance features were standard across all trims. Additional safety features included stability control, traction control, eight airbags, and blind-spot monitoring. The Limited trim offered Advanced Park for hands-free parallel parking. The Prius received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, with no NHTSA rating available at the time.