Volkswagen Golf GTE vs Toyota Prius: two visions of family car efficiency collide

Is it possible for a plug-in hybrid to be fun? It’s a question that any petrolhead with an eye on penny-pinching will be keen to answer. As it turns out, it’s only if your budget is limitless that the answer becomes a resounding yes. The Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura both emphatically prove that petrol and electric can mix to spectacular effect. 

But step down the budgetary ladder and things aren’t so clear – often the extra weight and complexity of PHEVs makes them feel less pure and thrilling than simpler petrol or even fully electric alternatives.

The maker of the famed Golf GTI clearly knows its way around a hot hatchback, so if anyone can make an engaging PHEV, then we’d put our money on Volkswagen having a better stab at it than most. The latest version of the Golf GTE boasts more power than a GTI, a longer range than ever before, while also addressing some of the previous Golf foibles. And do not adjust your sets – its competitor here really is a Toyota Prius. The latest model has transformed from its predecessor’s slightly gawky eco-car shape to something that looks like it’s beamed in from a Japanese Anime. But unlike previous versions, UK buyers get the Prius exclusively with PHEV power. Has that transformed the Toyota into a driver’s car, or will VW’s hot hatch know-how shine through?

Volkswagen Golf GTE

There will be plenty of company-car drivers who lust after a Golf GTI, but its high CO2 emissions rule it out of many schemes. That’s where the GTE comes in, combining hot-hatch looks with tiny annual Benefit-in- Kind (BiK) deductions. At £40,140, it just undercuts the GTI on price. However, after adding options including leather upholstery with heated and cooled front seats (£2,135), a panoramic sunroof (£1,250), adaptive dampers (£735) and plenty more, the car pictured here costs £48,095.

Tester's notes

If plug-in hybrid tech appeals to you but you’re not in quite so much of a hurry, then the Golf line-up offers another PHEV choice. A 201bhp version of the GTE’s powertrain is available lower down the Golf hierarchy; it uses the same 1.5 petrol engine and battery, and while the electrical element is in a less potent state of tune, the maximum system torque is the same as in the GTE, at 350Nm. As a result, the overall performance is only slightly blunted, with 0-62mph taking 7.2 seconds. EV-only range increases to 88 miles, too.

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Current Golfs, including the GTE, have VW’s Car2X driver-assistance system. The tech can wirelessly communicate with other vehicles fitted with the same system, warning drivers of problems, such as vehicle breakdowns, and even cars performing emergency stops ahead, or incoming emergency vehicles behind. The set-up also uses the information it receives to detect when the end of a traffic jam is coming up, and can re-engage the car’s adaptive cruise control once the traffic clears.

Toyota Prius

Where once the Toyota Prius was seen as a fairly steady, dependable fuel-efficient hatchback, the fifth-generation model’s dramatic new look has the potential to tempt the more style-conscious away from established sporty hybrid options, including the GTE. A list price of £40,545 means the Prius is very similarly priced to its rival. Unlike the Golf, however, there isn’t a long options list that causes that figure to spiral; the only extra here is the striking ‘Mustard’ paint, which costs £655.

Tester's notes

We’ve griped about many new cars’ driver-assistance systems, but the Prius has a few more irritations than the average. Speed limit bongs reading incorrect signs and warnings when pulling out of T-junctions are fairly commonplace, but perhaps most irritating is the fact that it can be very tricky to turn these systems off. 

Most settings are buried in a sub-menu of the driver’s display, and are labelled by abbreviations that aren’t that clear or easy to understand. Some rivals make disabling these systems  easier than in the Prius.

Taking a more stylish approach with the Prius is an interesting strategy for Toyota. It’s a name that has long been associated with eco-conscious buyers, and slow and steady performance in the name of fuel efficiency. 

Now, the latest model has taken a radical turn; yes, low energy usage is still very much a core part of the Prius’s make-up, but it’s also trying to appeal to more style-driven buyers – and even keen drivers, too. The question is, does the Prius name have the prestige to carry off its new position?

Head-to-head

On the road

Toyota has judged the Prius’s chassis superbly, with a more compliant low-speed ride than the Golf, but with great body control on a twisty road. It’s fun, but still impressively refined. The Golf’s powertrain offers similar outright performance, but isn’t as smooth. However, its optional adaptive dampers are brilliant; the high-speed ride is great in their softest settings and the chassis is sharp in firmer positions.

Tech highlights

The GTE’s 19.7kWh battery is enough to see it officially cover 81 miles on electric power. Combined with a 108bhp motor and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, there’s 268bhp. The Toyota’s 149bhp Atkinson- cycle engine is designed for efficiency, and the 161bhp e-motor offers more grunt; combined, they make 220bhp. At 13.6kWh, its battery is smaller, but it still returns a WLTP electric range of 44 miles.

Price and running

THE GTE’s long EV range puts it into the six per cent tax band for company cars. That’s three per cent lower than the Prius, which is the difference between annual deductions of £480 a year for the Golf and £727 for the Toyota for a standard-rate income-tax payer. Charge the VW regularly at home and it will be cheap to run, but the Prius is much more fuel-efficient once the batteries have been depleted.

Practicality

The plug-in hybrid powertrain compromises the Golf’s boot space compared with other non-hybrid Golfs; capacity drops from 381 litres to 273 litres. But the cabin is as spacious as ever. The Toyota’s coupé-like profile harms its usability; the roofline makes access awkward in the front, and rear headroom is tight. Yet kneeroom is better than in the Golf, and the 284-litre boot is 11 litres larger than its rival’s.

Safety

Euro NCAP awarded the Golf family five stars when it was tested in 2022. While the standards have increased since then, so has the VW’s standard safety kit; the GTE gets adaptive cruise control, lane assist, a reversing camera and all-round parking sensors. The Prius hasn’t been tested by NCAP; the closest car that has is the Toyota C-HR – the pair share a platform and powertrain – and it earned five stars.

Ownership

Volkswagen finished 28th out of 32 brands in our 2024 Driver Power satisfaction survey, with disappointing marks for reliability and quality. Toyota didn’t quite hit the heights of previous years, but an eighth-place finish remains a strong result. The brand offers up to 10 years’ warranty cover, as long as annual services are carried out at an approved dealer. The Golf gets a less impressive three-year package.

Verdict

Winner: Toyota Prius

The Prius has become more desirable than ever before, but more importantly, it’s better to drive, too. The ride and handling are great, and thanks to its powerful PHEV powertrain, the car has got the performance to match its chassis where its predecessors didn’t. 

Most of all, and more than any other PHEV, the Toyota’s hybrid system feels like something that progresses automotive technology rather than simply acting as a company-car incentive box-ticking scheme. If you can live with the Prius’s slightly cramped rear headroom and small boot capacity, there are few more stylish hybrids for the money right now.

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Runner-up: Volkswagen Golf GTE

If you’re a company-car user, the Golf GTE deserves to be right at the top of your shopping list. Its superb electric-only range means it’s incredibly cheap to run on a company-car scheme, and the Volkswagen will  be kind on your pocket too, if you can charge it up regularly at home.

However, the Golf GTE is a little more costly than the Prius – especially if you load the car with options. While the VW’s hybrid tech isn’t quite as slick as its rival’s, it’s right on the money when it comes to ride and handling, and the cabin is spacious, too. The latest Golf isn’t perfect yet, but it’s better than ever.

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Prices and specs

What we would choose

Volkswagen Golf GTE 

Of the many options, the Dynamic Chassis Control system, which includes adaptive dampers, is the one we’d pick first. It transforms a decent chassis into a very capable one, with a great spread between comfort and sharp handling.

Toyota Prius 

We’re big fans of our car’s “Mustard” yellow paint, a £655 option. If you’d prefer a more sober shade, then there are six others; dark blue is a no-cost colour, red and pearl white are both £950, with the rest costing £655.

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