Compare the2022 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In HybridVS 2022 Toyota Prius Prime

Compared to metal, the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Toyota Prius Prime has a metal gas tank.

Both the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid and the Prius Prime have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Prius Prime’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Prius Prime. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Prius Prime ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Prius Prime’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Prius Prime (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 13th.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (139 vs. 121) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 106) than the Prius Prime’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s maximum driving range in pure electric mode is 29 miles, 16% further than the Prius Prime’s 25 mile range.

For better stopping power the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius Prime:

For better traction, the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has larger tires than the Prius Prime (205/55R16 vs. 195/65R15).

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius Prime’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has standard 16-inch wheels. Only 15-inch wheels are available on the Prius Prime.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has standard front gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Prius Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Prius Prime.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid is 6.9 inches shorter than the Prius Prime, making the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has 4.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius Prime (96.2 vs. 91.5).

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has .1 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius Prime.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has a much larger trunk than the Prius Prime with its rear seat up (23 vs. 19.8 cubic feet).

When different drivers share the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, the optional memory seats make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius Prime’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid and the Prius Prime have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Prius Prime prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Prius Prime has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid and the Prius Prime offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Insurance will cost less for the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid will cost $1085 less than the Prius Prime over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid and the Toyota Prius Prime, based on reliability, safety and performance.