For years rivals have tried to beat the Toyota Prius, look at the Honda Insight and Ford C-Max, unfortunately the Insight is gone and does anyone even know the C-Max exists? Now it’s Hyundai’s turn. The Hyundai Ioniq may look like a Prius, but Hyundai has leap frogged the Prius by offering three versions: a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version of the Ioniq. For now, lets start with the 2017 Ioniq Hybrid, which will be the cheapest of the three and the most direct rival to the popular Prius. Here are the five things you need to know:
4Niro, what Niro?
The Ioniq shares its platform with the Kia Niro hybrid. Even though both models ride on the same platform, Kia has managed to style its hybrid more like a traditional crossover, rather than the Ioniq’s hatchback layout. Of course the U.S. continues to love anything that can even remotely be labeled as a crossover, so the Niro is outselling the Niro, by as much as 3 to 1. Does that mean that it’s better? No. After spending a week with both the Niro and Ioniq, I preferred the latter. The Niro may have a slightly more appealing exterior, but the Ioniq manages to drive much better. Both the Niro and Ioniq share the same powertrain, but the Ioniq just felt a bit more responsive around town. The Ioniq’s lower driving position also helps it feel a tad bit sportier than the Niro.
Read More: 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid – Review
At the end of the day, most buyers are choosing the Niro over the Ioniq, but the Ioniq is the better choice if mpg specs are are a priority, since the Niro is only rated at 52/49/50 mpg.
