BMW i3 vs Toyota Prius
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
The Toyota Prius wins on money kept: 67% retained after three years vs 54%, worth about R 129 510 at trade-in time.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| i3 | Prius | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 525 000 | R 616 200 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 9 176/m | R 10 770/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 76% | 83% |
| Retained after 3 years | 54% | 67% |
| Value after 3 years | R 285 399 | R 414 909 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 239 601 | R 201 291 |
| Value after 5 years | R 198 630 | R 331 172 |
| Our tier | Premium (established) | Mainstream |
BMW i3 →
An early EV pioneer, the i3 was sold in South Africa from 2015 to 2022 in battery-only and range-extender forms. Carbon-fibre construction and rear-hinged doors made it unlike anything else on the road. Used prices fell hard early on, which now makes it one of the cheapest routes into a premium EV.
Known for: quirky carbon-fibre pioneer ev
Toyota Prius →
The Prius introduced South Africans to hybrid power in 2005 but never sold in meaningful volumes, with high pricing and cheap petrol working against it. Later generations arrived in small allocations before Toyota shifted hybrid focus to the Corolla Cross and RAV4. Used examples are scarce, cheap to run and slow to sell.
Known for: the original hybrid, always a niche here
Common questions
Which holds value better, the BMW i3 or the Toyota Prius?
The Toyota Prius. It keeps about 67% of its price after three years against 54% for the BMW i3, a gap of 13 points.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The BMW i3 loses about R 239 601 over three years and the Toyota Prius loses about R 201 291. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the BMW i3 runs about R 9 176 per month and the Toyota Prius about R 10 770, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.