SUV comparison

Tesla Model Y vs Toyota Prius

Which costs less to own over 5 years? Compare purchase price, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation — then customize with your own numbers.

Tesla Model Y vs Toyota Prius: Quick Verdict

Based on average driving (12,000 miles/year), the Toyota Prius costs approximately $11,925 less over 5 years compared to the Tesla Model Y. The gas vehicle's lower purchase price outweighs the EV's fuel savings at this mileage.

Tesla Model Y

$44,990

purchase price

Toyota Prius

$28,545

purchase price

Gas saves

$11,925

over 5 years

Customize your mileage, gas price, and electricity rate below to get a personalized comparison.

Your Numbers

Adjust the inputs to match your situation. Results update instantly.

Average American drives ~13,500 miles/year

Charge at home overnight — cheapest option

Gas/Hybrid is better for this scenariohigh confidence

Toyota Prius Is Cheaper

Gas saves you

$11,925

over 5 years

EV saves per month

$5

fuel + maintenance

Operating cost payback

21.7 years

beyond ownership

Best case (Home charging): EV costs $11,925
Worst case (Public charging only): EV costs $16,299

The Toyota Prius costs $11,925 less over 5 years than the Tesla Model Y.

These vehicles are in different classes. The comparison is still valid but keep the size/class difference in mind.

Operating cost payback falls outside your ownership period. You may not recover the extra upfront cost through fuel and maintenance savings alone.

Gas saves you

$11,925

over 5 years (all-in)

EV saves per month

$5

fuel + maintenance

Operating cost payback

21.7 years

beyond ownership period

Vehicles compared

Model Y · Prius · RAV4 Hybrid

EV · Gas · Hybrid

Full Cost Breakdown

Tesla Model Y

Electric

Purchase Price$44,990
Monthly Fuel$35
Annual Fuel$421
Total Fuel$2,106
Total Maintenance$3,000
Total Insurance$10,500
Resale Value$24,745
Total Cost of Ownership$35,852

Toyota Prius

Hybrid

Best
Purchase Price$28,545
Monthly Fuel$61
Annual Fuel$737
Total Fuel$3,684
Total Maintenance$4,250
Total Insurance$8,000
Resale Value$20,552
Total Cost of Ownership$23,927

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Hybrid

Purchase Price$35,385
Monthly Fuel$88
Annual Fuel$1,050
Total Fuel$5,250
Total Maintenance$5,000
Total Insurance$9,250
Resale Value$24,062
Total Cost of Ownership$30,823

Cost Over 5 Years

Year 1Prius leads
Model Y
$8,191
Prius
$5,002
RAV4 Hybrid
$6,527
Year 2Prius leads
Model Y
$15,811
Prius
$9,889
RAV4 Hybrid
$12,858
Year 3Prius leads
Model Y
$22,924
Prius
$14,667
RAV4 Hybrid
$19,010
Year 4Prius leads
Model Y
$29,588
Prius
$19,344
RAV4 Hybrid
$24,994
Year 5Prius leads
Model Y
$35,852
Prius
$23,927
RAV4 Hybrid
$30,823
Tesla Model Y (EV)Toyota Prius (HYBRID)Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (HYBRID)

Why This Result

The gas vehicle's lower purchase price and depreciation outweigh the EV's fuel savings at your current mileage. Driving more or higher gas prices could change this.

Fuel vs Charging

Charging the Model Y costs about $421/year vs $737/year for gas in the Prius. That's $316/year in fuel savings alone.

Maintenance

EVs have fewer moving parts — no oil changes, less brake wear, no transmission fluid. The Model Y saves roughly $1250 in maintenance over the ownership period.

Depreciation & Resale

The Prius holds 72% of its value vs 55% for the Model Y. Purchase price and resale value are often the largest factors in total cost of ownership.

Insurance

EV insurance tends to run higher due to specialized repair costs. We've included $2,100/year for the Model Y vs $1,600/year for the Prius in the total comparison.

Share Your Result

Let others see how the numbers compare.

At my mileage, the Toyota Prius beats the Tesla Model Y by $11,925 over 5 years. Check yours → isevworthit.com

About the Tesla Model Y

The Tesla Model Y is a fully electric suv with an efficiency of 0.27 kWh per mile. Priced at $44,990, it costs around $600/year to maintain and $2,100/year to insure. It's widely regarded as the Most Popular EV option in its class.

About the Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a hybrid suv achieving 57 MPG. Priced at $28,545, it costs around $850/year to maintain and $1,600/year to insure. Note that these vehicles are in different classes — keep size and use-case differences in mind.

How We Calculate Total Cost

Total cost of ownership includes purchase price, fuel or charging costs over your ownership period, annual maintenance, annual insurance, minus estimated resale value based on depreciation. This gives you the true all-in cost of each vehicle — not just the sticker price.

← Compare all vehicles on the homepage