The Toyota Prius was not just the first hybrid. For a long time, it was without question the best hybrid.
Nothing else even approached its 50-plus average mpg capability (not just highway mpg), and nothing else had the blue-chip Toyota rep.
The 2018 Prius still has the rep.
It also has real competition.
For the first time, there's another hybrid, Hyundai's Ioniq, that gets better mileage (almost 60 mpg), costs less and comes with a longer warranty.
But it hasn't got the blue-chip rep ... yet, which gives the Prius some breathing room ... for a while.
What It Is
Like Elvis, the Prius needs no introduction. It's Toyota's perennially best-selling hybrid.
And it's still the best-selling hybrid period, at least until word gets out about the Ioniq, or Toyota ups the Prius game.
Base price is $23,475 for the entry-level One trim; a top-of-the-line Four Touring trim has a $30,565 sticker. All trims come with the same gas-electric powertrain.
The primary cross-shop — and triple threat — is the new Hyundai Ioniq, which costs $22,200 to start and tops out at $27,550.
What's New
The main change for 2018 is that the formerly standard and Tesla-like 11.6-inch LCD touch screen becomes optional.
Toyota has also held the line on prices. The 2018 Prius costs exactly the same $23,475 to start as the 2017 Prius. This probably reflects the increasing ferocity of the competition, especially from upstart Hyundai.
What's Good
The mileage may not be as high as the Ioniq's, but the Toyota's low depreciation is unassailable, and its reputation for reliability remains unquestionable.
The hatchback layout gives more than twice the cargo capacity of the typical compact sedan.
The available 11.3-inch touch screen is much larger than most cars' touch screens — including the Ioniq's much smaller touch screen.
What's Not So Good
Cargo capacity and back-seat legroom are down compared with that of the previous generation Prius.
The Ioniq's lower price and higher mileage make it more attractive as a money saver.
Angry samurai looks may be off-putting to some.
Under the Hood
As it always has been, the Prius is powered by both a gas-burning internal combustion engine — a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine — and an electric motor/battery pack, which supplements the power of the IC engine when maximum acceleration is needed and takes over for the IC engine when not much power is needed — as when the Prius is coasting — or when the car's not moving at all — as when it's stuck in traffic.
This is how it uses less gas than conventional cars, which need the gas engine running all the time — or at least in order to get moving and stay moving.
The Environmental Protection Agency says it gets 54 mpg in city driving and 50 mpg on the highway — not quite as good as the Hyundai Ioniq's extremely impressive 57 mpg city and 59 mpg on the highway.
On the Road
The Prius has a more aggressive regenerative braking feature than the Ioniq — and that's a good thing. The idea is to convert deceleration into electricity — to charge the batteries — rather than just waste it as heat though braking.
And the Prius has an additional driver-selectable "B" range on is toggle-style shifter to kick up the regenerative braking effect a notch over what you'll find in other hybrids, including the Ioniq — which has a Sport setting instead of a regenerative braking setting.
This may give the Prius a real-world efficiency advantage, depending on where you drive — and how you drive.
If you drive in an area where there are lots of hills to go down — and you drive so as to make the most of them — you may be able to beat the EPA mileage ratings.
At the Curb
The previous Prius model (2015 and earlier) was clunky-looking compared with the current slick-roofed model, but it was a more practical.
It was almost an inch taller (58.7 inches versus 58.1 for the current model), and its boxier shape endowed it with 39.6 inches of cargo capacity — comparable with that of many small crossover SUVs — versus 24.6 cubic feet for the current model.
The Hyundai Ioniq has only slightly more cargo room (26.5 cubic feet), but it has much more back-seat legroom (35.7 inches versus 33.4 inches for the Prius). That makes it more practical than the Prius.
The Rest
Both the base One trim and the next-up Two trim come standard with lower-rolling resistance 15-inch wheels and tires. Be advised that if you move up to a Three or a Four trim, you'll jump two wheel and tires sizes, to 17-inchers, which have a higher rolling resistance and will cost you a couple of mpgs, enough to be noticeable.
The Bottom Line
The Prius isn't the only hybrid in the game anymore — but it's still got game.
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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