Toyota Prius v Hyundai IONIQ 2019 Comparison

In the next few years, Australian drivers will be presented with a wealth of options when it comes to electric vehicles. And, as more choices become available, it’s likely that you’ll soon be weighing up an EV (or Electric Vehicle) of your own.

Here we’re comparing two of the EV options: the ‘conventional’ petrol-electric hybrid in the form of the Toyota Prius i-Tech and the plug-in hybrid type represented in this case by the Hyundai IONIQ Premium.

Both are bridging technologies towards the pure-EV end-game.

The Toyota Prius has been the halo car for the Japanese brand for over two decades and it is still seen as the poster child for the eco-conscious motorist.

In Australia, the Prius is available only as a conventional petrol-electric hybrid , but a Prius Prime plug-in variant is offered overseas

One new small plug-in hybrid car that is on sale in Australia right now, however, is the 2019 Hyundai IONIQ . Hyundai recently launched the IONIQ with a trio of technologies: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric (also known as a battery electric vehicle).

The Hyundai IONIQ is the boldest play yet by a car manufacturer into small electric vehicle territory.

We wanted to take a look at the two different technologies as well as the vehicles themselves.

Which set-up favours the country driver? What’s best for the city dweller? Can anyone really be bothered with faffing about with a plug every night?

We also wanted to know if it was okay to make your neighbours hurdle your electrical cable in the pursuit of eco-friendly motoring? And if Australia is geared-up for plug-in cars yet?

For this back-to-back comparison we’ve taken a look at the vehicles as a whole as well as their different technologies to see which one fits best in Australia right now.

A modern hybrid vehicle should be of interest to all drivers in the market for a new vehicle.

In addition to offering more fuel-efficient motoring with fewer tailpipe emissions, hybrids also cost less to run, even though their starting price can be higher than an internal combustion engine (or ICE) powered vehicle.

In reality, the Toyota Prius and Hyundai IONIQ are more likely to appeal to fleet buyers or really motivated eco-friendly drivers (sometimes also called ‘early adopters). Small cars just don’t have the same appeal as an SUV for family buyers, so a hybrid small car may not tick enough boxes for today’s Australian drivers.

Each vehicle has space for five passengers but there’s more realistic accommodation day-to-day for four. Head-room is compromised in each car due to the swooping rooflines, but there’s better space for taller passengers in the IONIQ.

And while the spare tyre is eschewed in each in favour of a compressor kit (to make room available for the battery technology), each boot has similar luggage capacity. With the back seats in place the Prius offers 343 litres of cargo space, just more than the IONIQ’s 341 litres. Both have 60:40 split-fold rear seats to give flexible cargo space.

Styling-wise, the Prius has been toned down for its most recent iteration. It’s still recognisably different for drivers who want to make a statement, but it’s not so polarising that passers-by still want to throw lumps of coal at it.

Interestingly Hyundai has followed suit with a split rear window and space-age styling that ensures the IONIQ stands-out – just enough that fellow motorists know it’s an EV.
And to ensure fellow motorists know this is a special car, the IONIQ is badged on the rear as a plug-in EV.

The 2019 Toyota Prius i-Tech model on test costs $44,050 (plus on-road costs). It sits at the top of the Prius model range and is well equipped with comfort features including heated front seats and wireless phone charging, as well as a goodly amount of driver assistance technology (including AEB, blind-spot monitoring, reverse camera and rear cross-traffic alert to name a few).

The Hyundai IONIQ plug-in premium costs $45,490 (plus ORCs) and sits midway between the full hybrid – which is priced from $33,990 in its base form – and the electric-only EV from $48,990.

Like the Prius, the IONIQ is loaded with tech which goes above and beyond the powertrain wizardry. In addition to the Toyota’s gadgets it adds a heated steering wheel, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and puddle lights.

Each manufacturer offers a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and capped-price servicing. Hyundai offers longer service intervals at 12 months / 15,000km (whichever comes first), while Toyota’s intervals for the Prius are six months / 10,000km (again, whichever comes first).

If you choose to service at a dealership, then over the first three years, you’ll pay $795 at Hyundai and $840 at Toyota.

Both of the hybrid cars on test are frugal performers when it comes to fuel economy. But they go about their hybrid task quite differently.

The Toyota Prius is electric only at very low speeds, meaning that you’re always likely to be using the petrol engine during your journey.

The Hyundai IONIQ plug-in, on the other hand, can drive up to 60km on electric charge only (claimed), so for short distance driving there’s a real chance that you won’t use the petrol engine at all.

If you’re driving the IONIQ much further, which we did for a couple of days during our week with the cars, then you will use the petrol engine. But the hybrid system continues to charge the battery and add range depending on driving conditions.

To give an idea of how the two cars compare, on a similar round trip of 120kms including city and highway driving, the Prius achieved fuel economy of 4.0L/100km while the IONIQ with full battery charge showed 2.7L/100km.

To charge the 8.9kWh battery in the IONIQ via a regular household socket will take around six hours, which is reduced significantly if you can find a local fast charging station.

While the IONIQ is the heavier car at 1550kg (the Prius is 1400kg), the Toyota feels like a more confident drive. It feels more substantial, with a better quality of material that makes you feel slightly better about shelling out over $40,000 for a small car.

The continuously variable transmission (or CVT) in the Prius is smooth and quiet, and is a responsive match to its powerplant. Conversely, we found the dual-clutch transmission in the IONIQ quite laggy when driven in hybrid mode.
Around town, the Prius has a lighter steering that the IONIQ, making it an easier vehicle to drive (and park!) within city limits.

Bizarrely, despite oozing technology, both cars still operate the much-hated foot-operated park brake.

The Hyundai IONIQ interior – while it does offer better accommodation and air vents for the rear-seat passengers – feels like a cheaper car. The quality of the materials is not as good as the Prius, with hard-touch plastics not really reflective of a car of this cost.

Yes, of course it’s the technology in the plug-in IONIQ that you’re paying for. But both Nadine Armstrong and I both agreed that at this pricepoint, the Prius had the edge in terms of fit, finish and finesse.

While judging the two EV options, we needed also to evaluate the effectiveness of the technologies presented. There’s no doubt the Toyota Prius is an easier proposition for city dwellers who don’t have access to a charge point at their home.

It is, in a nutshell, a conventional petrol-powered vehicle which happens to be very fuel efficient. As it stands right now, there’s no infrastructure or solution for on street charging in suburbia and it’s not safe nor practical to string a cable across a footpath to charge the IONIQ [Ed: in fact in most municipalities there are bylaws specifically prohibiting it].

The plug-in Hyundai IONIQ is an easier sell to drivers with garages and easy access to powerpoints, however, and for a driver like myself who does short trips during the week punctuated with one or two longer journeys, a plug-in hybrid or even full EV might make sense.

That said, driving an EV and making use of charging stations on the go is still a hit-and-miss proposition in Australia. Many smaller suburban shopping centres and public parking areas still don’t offer EV charging points, and it becomes a rather exhausting exercise to constantly hunt out locations, particularly if you live in country Australia or on the city fringes.

Given the choice between a conventional petrol-electric hybrid like the Toyota Prius and a plug-in electric vehicle like the Hyundai IONIQ, we’d take the Toyota Prius.

It’s a better vehicle to drive, is better finished, and feels more cohesive as an overall package.

The IONIQ plug-in is let down by its cheap finishes, even with all the expensive driveline technology that’s bolted to it.

If you’re a family dead set on a plug-in hybrid EV then you may actually find that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV details is a better option than the IONIQ. It meets the requirements of today’s families with its larger SUV bodystyle, but offers a similar technology set-up to the IONIQ – albeit with a slightly lower all-electric range (54km).

But head-to-head in small car territory, we reckon it’s the Toyota Prius that just tips the balance on this test.

How much does the 2019 Toyota Prius i-Tech Hybrid cost?
Price: $44,050 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 72kW/142Nm
Motor: Water-cooled DC, permanent magnet
Output: 53kW/63Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 3.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 80g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

How much does the 2019 Hyundai IONIQ Premium PHEV cost?
Price: $45,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 77kW/147Nm
Motor: Permanent magnet synchronous electric
Output: 44.5kW/170Nm
Combined system output: 104kW/265Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 1.1L/100km
Electricity: 94Wh/100km
CO2: 26g/km
Safety rating: N/A