Don't forget the size. The Prius is larger than the Corolla; if you
> think you'd want something larger that also gets good gas mileage,
> that's the Prius. If you think you're stuck with a Corolla-sized car,
> you're not. Not necessarily.
IMO they've similar in interior space. A few months ago we drove to the airport in a Corolla and returned in a Prius. The Prius did have the advantage of being able to pile our luggage up to the back window, so you couldn't see out the window even the tiny bit that is normal.
I would never pile the luggage that high for safety reasons and would wrap a cargo net around the Prius luggage to avoid it coming forward in a quick stop.
I have read that the Prius mileage in cold winter weather is similar to the Corolla's.