What does it take to outdo the Prius at hybridness? Hyundai — and the Ioniq hybrid.
It costs less, goes farther on less gas and has more room inside.
What It Is
Like the Prius, the Ioniq is a compact five-door hatchback hybrid.
Also like the Prius, it isn't just a hybrid. It is a dedicated hybrid.
There is no regular (non-hybrid) version of either the Ioniq or the Prius. Put another way, they weren't converted into hybrids after the fact — as were most of the other hybrids on the market, such as the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
But dedicated hybrids are lighter and more aerodynamically-efficient than converted hybrids. Which is why both the Prius and the Ioniq are 10-15 mpg more fuel-efficient than converted hybrids like the Camry and Fusion.
Converted hybrids are also usually impaired by tiny trunks — some less than 10 cubic feet — because there was nowhere else to put the batteries after the fact.
They have to put the batteries somewhere in the Prius and Ioniq, too. But because they were designed to be hybrids from the wheels up, space for the batteries was designed in, leaving plenty of cargo space in both.
The Ioniq begins to part ways with the Prius with its lower price. You can pick one up for $22,200, the MSRP of the entry-level Blue trim, versus $23,475 for the least-expensive version of the Prius.
The gap continues to widen at the pump. The EPA says 57 mpg city and 59 mpg highway for the Hyundai hybrid and 54 mpg city and just 50 mpg on the highway for the Prius.
The Ioniq also comes standard with almost twice the warranty coverage: five years and 60,000 miles versus three years and 36,000 miles on Toyota.
What's New
The 2019 Ioniq offers a drowsy driver alert system, automatic high beams, automated emergency braking and adaptive cruise control (SEL trims).
What's Good
It's extremely economical ... and fun .
It doesn't look weird — or drive weird.
It has unbeatable warranty coverage.
What's Not So Good
Rear glass is almost horizontal — hybrid under glass! — resulting in a skewed view to the rear.
If you want people to know you're driving a hybrid, they won't.
Kia Niro hybrid — the Ioniq's brother from the same mother — has even more room.
Under the Hood
The Ioniq is quick! It goes from zero to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds, which, for perspective, is almost two seconds quicker than the Prius.
Of course, quickness isn't why most people buy a hybrid. Gas mileage is. And the Ioniq is very efficient, best in the class and best pretty much period.
To use less gas, you'll need to buy an electric car.
On the Road
The Ioniq doesn't make an issue of its hybridness; it has a normal car shifter (not a toggle, as in the Prius), and most of its gauges look normal.
Its standard six-speed automated manual transmission (versus the continuously variable transmission used in most hybrids) is also more performance-car oriented. It is capable of quick, even aggressive shifts — when in Sport mode — and the Regenerative Braking system, used to capture the energy of momentum and use it to recharge the batteries as you drive, is much less noticeable to the driver than in other hybrids.
Yet the car still manages to achieve almost 10 mpg better efficiency on the highway than other hybrids, including the Prius.
At the Curb
Other than its very fast (almost flat) back and nearly horizontal rear glass, the Ioniq looks like most other compact hatchback sedans.
Its beauty lies inside, where you'll find 35.7 inches of legroom (2 inches more than in the Prius) as well as a cargo area that is almost twice as spacious as the trunk of any current midsize sedan (26.5 cubic feet).
Space-efficiency-wise, the Ioniq is only outdone by its Kia-badged sibling, which is basically the same package in a different wrapper. The Niro is shaped like a small crossover SUV, so it has a taller roofline and more cargo space (54.5 cubic feet) as well as an incredible (for its size) 37.4 cubic inches of rear-seat legroom.
But the Niro isn't as fuel-efficient (51 mpg city and 46 mpg highway) because of the additional weight and less-favorable aerodynamics of its crossover SUV layout.
It costs more, too: $23,340 to start.
The Rest
This car's main problem is that not many people know about it.
Hyundai hasn't done a very good job of marketing it — or the Kia Niro. It ought to pour the coals to this one, because it's a winner.
The Bottom Line
For the first time since '98, the Prius is no longer the obvious pick of the hybrid litter.
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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