The Toyota Prius is one of the most reliable cars on the market and was the original eco-friendly alternative to all the big gas guzzlers. The Toyota Prius is also one of the most hated cars amongst motoring enthusiasts as it embodies everything we dislike about where motoring is moving towards. The Prius is also quite an ugly car.
What we can’t deny is that the Prius is one heck of a good hybrid, which delivers on its promises of fuel economy and reliability. It is a brilliant city run-about as it can travel on electric power alone for around 25 miles and thanks to its CVT transmission, the power delivery is smooth. The ride is comfortable and there is ample space in the cabin for families and their cargo.
Unfortunately, one aspect where the Prius falls well short is the performance. The Prius is one of the slowest cars currently on sale, which works in its favor to provide outstanding fuel economy. So, for those who want consistency, here are some true sports cars that have proven themselves as more reliable alternatives to the dreaded Prius.
8 Toyota Camry V6
The Toyota Camry has always been a bit of a boring choice when it came to mid-sized sedans, however for the 2021 model year, Toyota actually made it fun to drive. It is also one of the last sedans on the less expensive side to feature a V6 – as many rivals have downsized to a 4-cylinder turbo.
The Camry is built to be the best at being a reliable family-hauling sedan – a feat which it accomplishes brilliantly. Not only is it more reliable than a Prius, but it has less to go wrong since the engine is naturally aspirated and the transmission is a conventional torque converter. The Camry V6 also has about 170 hp more than the Prius, which is a good enough reason to have one over the boring hybrid hatchback.
7 Lexus ES
The Lexus ES is essentially a fancier and more expensive Toyota Camry Hybrid, which is a good thing. The ES is fitted with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated i4 and some electric gubbins to produce around 215 hp. Combined power goes through a CVT transmission to the front wheels.
The ES has recently been updated to look more premium, other than the previous model which was one of the most boring designs in modern motoring. With Lexus being named the most reliable and trustworthy manufacturer, anyone in the market for a good hybrid can walk straight past the Prius and ask the salesperson about the ES’ optional extras.
6 Honda Civic Si
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The Honda Civic Si is the newest addition to the Civic range – before the new Type R arrives later this year. It has a 1.5-liter turbocharged i4 and produces 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 6-speed manual with power going to the front wheels only.
The Civic Si is only available as a 4-door for this generation, dropping the coupé body style. Reviewers have so far been impressed by the Si, however almost everyone criticizes the slight coarseness of the engine, and whilst the rev-hang has been improved since the previous model, it is still very noticeable. This being said, Hondas are bulletproof cars almost guaranteed to last until we all run out of gasoline.
5 Ford Mustang
This might be an outside-the-box entry onto this list, but the current generation Ford Mustang has been quite a reliable car. The naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V8 has little to go wrong with and when mated to the 6-speed manual gearbox, the ‘Stang makes for a great sports car.
Granted, Ford does not nearly possess a better reliability and dependability reputation than that of Toyota (or any other Japanese manufacturer), but it has vastly improved over the last couple of years. The Ranger has even become the go-to alternative to the massively successful Toyota Hilux. So, whilst the Mustang is almost the complete opposite choice to the Prius, it is by far the more exciting car to go for.
4 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 changed the rule book on small roadsters. Usually, the small roadster was British and would be driven for a weekend every six months in-between waiting for parts to be replaced, but then Mazda came along and made their car something which could be driven every weekend – and even every day if need be.
The MX-5 has kept this reputation throughout its production cycles and is still the first choice when looking for a project car to do up, a weekend cruiser, or for anyone who wants to get into the sports car lifestyle. It is a simple design that is easily repaired and modified with the added bonus of being reliable. It is also faster than a Prius, which is always a good thing.
3 Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 was designed to be a faster alternative to the Mazda MX-5, Toyota MR-2, and in some cases, the Porsche Boxster. It was fitted with a high-revving 2.0-liter (later a 2.2-liter) naturally aspirated inline-4 which produced nearly 240 hp and only weighed around 2,800 lbs.
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The S2000 was only ever available with a 6-speed manual transmission with power going to the rear wheels only. Like the MX-5, it was a relatively simple design that offered huge tuning potential and gained popularity after it was featured in the Fast & Furious movies. Today, the S2000 is a sought-after sports car thanks to its ever-increasing rarity.
2 Mazda3 Turbo
Modern Mazdas are currently amongst the safest cars on the road, even bettering Volvo in the 2020 safety ratings surveys. Along with being safe, they have also gained the reputation of being extremely reliable thanks to their SkyActiv engines – both gasoline and diesel.
Whilst Mazdas of late have not really been called ‘performers’, Mazda changed this with the introduction of the Mazda3 Turbo – a kind of pseudo hot hatch. It is styled much like the normal Mazda3, making it quite difficult to differentiate between the two. Still, the Turbo produces 250 hp and comes standard with a 6-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive.
1 Subaru BRZ
The Subaru BRZ shares almost all its components with the Toyota GT86, which itself is a great budget sports car. It is fitted with a 2.0-liter boxer-4 engine which produced nearly 200 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The car was available with a 6-speed manual as standard, however, a 6-speed automatic could be optioned.
The BRZ was slightly more premium than the GT86, featuring some optional features as standard. It was also more expensive. Regardless, the BRZ is still a great option when looking for a small, reliable sports car that is also relatively economical when not hammering it around a track. Definitely better than a hybrid Prius.