Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra HybridVS 2022 Toyota Prius

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Elantra Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Prius LE/XLE/Limited offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra Hybrid has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Prius LE/XLE/Limited has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Elantra Hybrid and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Prius:

	Elantra Hybrid	Prius
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	142	229
Neck Injury Risk	21%	33%
Neck Stress	268 lbs.	323 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	274/256 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Prius:

	Elantra Hybrid	Prius
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	168
Hip Force	327 lbs.	373 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	355 lbs.	463 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
HIC	184	267

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Prius last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

The Elantra Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Prius’ 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Prius. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Prius ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Elantra Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Prius’ (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra Hybrid for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Prius (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

Engine

The Elantra Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (139 vs. 121) and 90 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 105) than the Prius’ 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is faster than the Toyota Prius:

	Elantra Hybrid	Prius
Zero to 30 MPH	3.2 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	10.3 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.3 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.8 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85 MPH	81 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra Hybrid gets better mileage than the Prius:

			MPG
Elantra Hybrid
	FWD	Blue 1.6 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/56 hwy
Prius
	FWD	1.8 4-cyl. Hybrid	54 city/50 hwy
	AWD	1.8 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/47 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Elantra Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Prius:

	Elantra Hybrid	Prius
Front Rotors	11 inches	10 inches
Rear Rotors	10.3 inches	10.2 inches

The Elantra Hybrid stops much shorter than the Prius:

	Elantra Hybrid	Prius
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Elantra Hybrid has larger standard tires than the Prius (205/55R16 vs. 195/65R15). The Elantra Hybrid Limited Sedan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Prius (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R17).

The Elantra Hybrid Blue Sedan’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Elantra Hybrid Blue Sedan has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Prius.

Suspension and Handling

The Elantra Hybrid has standard rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Prius’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Elantra Hybrid is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Prius.

The Elantra Hybrid Limited Sedan handles at .85 G’s, while the Prius L Eco pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Elantra Hybrid Limited Sedan executes Motor Trend’s “Figure eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Prius L Eco (27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Elantra Hybrid has 6.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (99.4 vs. 93.1).

The Elantra Hybrid has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 4.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Elantra Hybrid’s trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The Prius doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the Elantra Hybrid Limited, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Prius doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Elantra Hybrid Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Prius doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Elantra Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius’ parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Elantra Hybrid and the Prius have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Prius prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Elantra Hybrid’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Prius’ headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Elantra Hybrid has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Prius has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Elantra Hybrid Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Prius doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Elantra Hybrid’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Prius doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and the Toyota Prius, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Toyota Prius by over two to one during the 2021 model year.

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