.jpg "Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid")
Hybrid
690mi Range
Seats 5
26.5 ft3 Cargo
L=176
W=71.7
H=57
1.6kWh Battery
Customers looking for an inexpensive 4-door, 5-seat hybrid, will find the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq to be an excellent choice.
With an abundance of technology and safety features, and a lower price point than the Prius, the Ioniq hybrid is the Toyota Prius’ closest competitor. The compact hatchback has earned the coveted distinction of being the most fuel-efficient non-plug-in hybrid of the market; it’s EPA estimates of 55/58 are higher than Prius EPA estimates of 52/56. Toyota claims the hybrid gets: 57/59/58 MPG City/Hwy/Combined, and 690 total miles of driving range. That's a lotta miles for a hybrid!
Ioniq’s exterior and interior are considered by auto reviewers and customers to be more traditional than the “adventurous” Prius styling. And a big plus for techies is that Ioniq comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. (Prius offers neither.)
Cargo space is similar for both cars, though Ioniq has a little more at 26.5 cubic feet. With 122.7 cubic feet of interior space, the EPA actually moved the car up to a larger car classification. 60/40 split-folding rear seats offer additional loading options.
Ioniq hybrid is available in 3 trims: Blue (around $22,200), SEL (around $23,950) and Limited (around $27,500). Advanced materials and efficient design are at the heart of Ioniq’s performance; the smart use of aluminum, high-strength steel and aircraft-grade structural adhesives provide the hybrid hatchback with a light and rigid body structure.
Eco-conscious drivers will be happy to know that environmentally-friendly materials (bio-fabrics and recycled plastics) are used to create many components of the interior. Toyota says of the Ioniq: “Sugar cane accounts for 25% of the raw materials used in the interior’s soft-touch door trim panels. While recycled plastic combined with powdered wood and volcanic stone reduces the weight of some interior plastics up to 20%.”
A 1.6-liter Kappa series Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine contributes up to 104 horsepower (78 kilowatts) and 109 pounds-feet of torque. An electric motor working with a 1.56-kWh battery adds in 43-horsepower (32-kilowatts) and up to 125 pounds-feet of torque. Gas and electric combined create 139 horsepower. (Prius is 121hp.) Ioniq hybrid’s 0 to 60mph average is in the low 8 seconds compared to 10 seconds or so for the Prius.
Safety is a priority: features include hill-start assist control and seven airbags (including a driver’s knee bag). SafetyDual-zone climate control is standard. Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Detection, Smart Cruise Control, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Lane Keep Assist are available as options.
The Ioniq Hybrid comes with a 7-inch touch screen, tilt/telescoping steering wheel with redundant stereo and phone controls, power windows, a rearview camera.
Complimentary for 3 years, the Blue Link smartphone or smartwatch app allows Amazon Echo and Google to remotely start your car, set climate controls, defrost the windshield on cold mornings and send a collision notification along with a request for emergency assistance. You can lock or unlock your car remotely, get a Monthly Vehicle Health Report and use Destination Search (powered by Google with cars equipped with navigation) to find the most up-to-date Points of Interest.
An optional Integrated Memory System remembers each driver’s seat and mirror position.
Hyundai tells customers considering the Ioniq hybrid to “Drive it for the efficiency. Love it for the style. Hybrid powered vehicles are brilliant. But Ioniq takes things to a new level with thoughtful amenities, advanced safety features and ingenious design. Its comfort, convenience and responsiveness are proof that the future of hybrids is brighter than ever.”
Ioniq is the 2017 Women’s World Green Car of the Year. It’s a 2018 IIHS Top Safety Pick when equipped with Optional Automatic Emergency Braking and HID headlights.
Says Kelley Blue Book: “Stylish, comfortable and refined, the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq is a true alternative to the Toyota Prius, which invented the hybrid segment. With its reasonable base price and laundry list of standard and available features, the sporty Ioniq feels like a premium-compact car, and it’s a bit cheaper and more fuel-efficient than the popular Toyota. Hyundai also offers a better warranty with lifetime battery coverage.”
Says Hybridcars.com: “It was a long time coming, but Hyundai’s Ioniq Hybrid is its answer to the Toyota Prius and truly the first head-to-head alternative to the car that defined the term “hybrid.” Rumors since the beginning of this decade of a so-called Hyundai “Prius fighter” indicate the Ioniq Hybrid benchmarked against the Prius was something they took time for in getting the details right. And all this is characteristic of the Korean automaker’s usual modus operandi of moving into competitors’ markets. The company whose Genesis brand has also nearly cloned the design language of Mercedes Benzes matches the famous Toyota Hybrid in many important metrics. It arguably improves its product in ways as well, and prices it as much as a few thousand dollars less.”
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