Compare the2022 Chevrolet BoltVS 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Bolt are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Chevrolet Bolt has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Bolt offers optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Ioniq Electric only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Bolt and the Ioniq Electric have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Acceptable” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Bolt the rating of “Top Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 160 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Ioniq Electric has not been tested, yet.

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Bolt’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Bolt’s reliability 43 points higher than the Ioniq Electric.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 10th.

The Bolt’s electric motor produces 66 more horsepower (200 vs. 134) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 218) than the Ioniq Electric’s electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Bolt is faster than the Hyundai Ioniq Electric:

The Bolt’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 259 miles on a full charge, 52% further than the Ioniq Electric’s 170-mile range.

The Bolt stops much shorter than the Ioniq Electric:

For better traction, the Bolt has larger tires than the Ioniq Electric (215/50R17 vs. 205/55R16).

The Bolt’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ioniq Electric’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Bolt has standard 17-inch wheels. Only 16-inch wheels are available on the Ioniq Electric.

The Bolt has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires standard on the Bolt can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Bolt LT handles at .78 G’s, while the Ioniq Electric pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Bolt is 1 foot shorter than the Ioniq Electric, making the Bolt easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Bolt has 1 inch more front headroom, 2.1 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Ioniq Electric.

The Bolt has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Bolt’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Ioniq Electric’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically. The Ioniq Electric’s optional rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to lower them fully.

The Bolt’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Ioniq Electric’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Bolt has a standard rear wiper. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

On extremely cold winter days, the Bolt’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Bolt offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Ioniq Electric doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its July 2016 issue and the Chevrolet Bolt LT won out over the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.

The Bolt was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2017. The Ioniq Electric has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Bolt was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2017. The Ioniq Electric has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Bolt as the 2017 North American Car of the Year. The Ioniq Electric has never been chosen.

The Chevrolet Bolt outsold the Hyundai Ioniq by 53% during 2020.