Hi guys. I have a 2019 prius prime premium. Before buying it I was split between this and the ioniq phev. Even now I sometimes think about the ioniq with its dct, it is faster, 5 seats, charger port is in the front of the car, Android auto, better lane centering with adaptive cruise control, lifetime battery warranty. Other days I like alot of the stuff on the prime. I do wish I got the limited for the parking sensors. I was wondering if any of you guys also had the same dilemma when purchasing and ultimately what made you pick your prime over the ioniq?
Not me. Oddly enough my other choices were all Toyota hybrids - Camry, RAV4 and ES. The Prime was the only plug-in.
I drove the Ioniq and two issues came up for me. It uses a standard transmission and the transition between battery and engine is not as smooth which is noticeable Secondly it does not heat up fast as it doesn't have a heat pump in EV mode. It turns on the engine in cold weather for heat which affects your mileage in cold weather. Those issues may not matter where you are but worth considering here in New England as it changes the car appeal. That said it is a nice car and the Koreans offer alot of value these days.
I own a Prius Prime Advanced, AND a Ioniq, but not the plug in Ioniq. It's got a pretty good warranty. It's a pretty good car. Again, comparing apples to bananas, but I've also owned several Prius cars, still have a ten year old Gen III that one of my Daughters uses in College. So I can at least address the build quality. MPG is about the same, Ioniq vs. Prius , again comparing the "straight" hybrids here. And for LESS MONEY. Good Warranty and Costs Less is ALWAYS a winning hand! But I wouldn't be afraid of Hyundai at all, as far as your consideration for a Plug in Hybrid Vehicle, or next time around? MINE! I am VERY Angry that Toyota hasn't made good on the rotten, rotting Steering wheel on my Prius Prime Advanced. They want to PRETEND "wear and tear" in spite of others having the very same problem! So just like I switched "Once Upon A Time" from GM products to Toyota, this MIGHT Tip the Balance "Next Time" from Toyota to Hyundai in my family's case. It's sad to see Toyota copping some attitude like GM used to, and it MIGHT be time for Toyota to Wake Up and Smell The Kimchi. All the Best! DE W8LV BILL moto g power ?
My problem with Ioniq was availability. At least in my local, Hyundai dealers never had Ionique PHV in stock when I was shopping. This may have changed in the 2020 year model, for I see at least a dozen in stock in the local dealers. With the current $4500 cash rebate, the price will be just about the same or a bit lower than Toyota PP. Yes, you get better infotainment and technological safety features for the same money, but the biggest question is are they as reliable as Toyota? I just don't know.
I agree with you guys the reliability has been great. I too got the prime because of its sttong reliability. Interestingly the 2021 prime jd power reliability has dipped on us news car rankings. Would you guys say the dct on the ioniq make it less reliable vs the cvt?
Define reliability. CR gives the same weight to a loose door handle as a failing transmission in their reliability surveys. Fords were getting dinged for the early Sync systems, not because it wasn't working, but because it had an unfriendly interface. Without even knowing any details beyond the number, we can't say why one car is rated lower than the other. It could be transmission problems, it could be people just don't like how it shifts, but works fine, or it could be a loose headliner.
The post referred to the JD power rating, not CR. CR reliability ratings are broken out by component, not just a single number.
The Ioniq feels more like a normal compact car with 6 gears which it has, the Prius Prime has a CVT which some people do not like but it is smoother. Both cars felt fine but the transition between battery and engine is felt more in the Ioniq but does not affect the ride per se. The Ioniq cabin is nice and has lots of features. Really nothing wrong with it and drives fine. I think the Prius Primes heat pump worked better for me in a cold area. Also the Prius Prime has more Legacy and has been the torch bearer for ultra efficiency for years which appealed to me.
I am in the unique situation of owning both cars. I have a 2017 Prius Prime Premium and a 2020 Ioniq PHEV SEL (the comparable trim). I'm trying to sell my old Prime, that's why I own both. I have to say I would personally choose the Ioniq because of the added features. Android Auto, Lane departure warnings, Sport mode (in Hybrid mode), rear middle seat, etc. I will say though, that the Prime is much more punchier in EV mode. I suspect Hyundai has throttled the EV power output in order to boost their rated efficiency. However both cars have the same battery capacity so there's something Toyota's doing that's superior to Hyundai in that respect. Nonetheless, the Prime is really weak in Hybrid mode and if you need that extra power, you have it on the Ioniq (in Hybrid mode, that is). For me one of the biggest deciding factors was the entertainment/guidance/nav UI. The abomination that is Entune really broke the deal for me on the Prime. I will admit that Toyota does build quality and reliability very well, though.
I didn't get an Ioniq because all of the Hyundai dealers I visited here in SoCal were horrible. They seemed unprofessional, often using common sales tactics from 30 years ago. And all of their locations were small and had so many cars on the lot that there weren't places for visitors to park. My local Toyota dealers are very professional and have nice facilities, and the service on my previous Prius was always handled well. I also was worried about the Ioniq transmission because DCTs have a reputation for not being smooth at low speeds. The Prime on the other hand has a great drive system that couldn't be smoother. I'm super happy with my Prime. Toyota made a huge leap over my 3rd Gen Prius. Great handling, radar cruise is fantastic, comfortable seats, good stereo, 100mpg, and excellent drive feeling using EV power.
It's cold here in the winter and because of that the PHEV Ionic has gone off the list ... simply due to the fact my wife wouldn't be able to make it to work and back in EV in an Ionic as it would turn on the engine to heat the cabin.
Nothing wrong with that. If you don't use the engine, the car will eventually turn it on the 'exercise' it. Might as well use the engine for cabin heat instead of having just come in the middle of summer 'just because'. These are PHEVs. If the goal is to not use the engine, perhaps a BEV is a better choice.
But it's nice to have the choice instead of being frustrated that the ICE turned on by itself. Advantage Prime on the heat pump.
I decided to go with the prius prime for the following reasons: price, dealers were willing to drop the price way more than Hyundai reliability real-world efficiency both in EV and in HV mode (Hyundai had a history of overstating) What interested me in the Ioniq was the instrument cluster and android auto. I really hate the prius' excessively redundant and independently operated screens and the lack of android auto.