Compare the2023 Hyundai Sonata 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
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Sonata Hybrid Limited has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Prius only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Sonata Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system which 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 Sonata 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 Sonata Hybrid and the Prius have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee 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 and driver alert monitors.

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

	Sonata Hybrid	Prius
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	33%
Neck Stress	171 lbs.	323 lbs.
Neck Compression	33 lbs.	51 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	98 lbs.	222 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	29/21 lbs.	100/151 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 Sonata Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Prius:

	Sonata Hybrid	Prius
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	163	168
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	577 lbs.	781 lbs.

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 Sonata Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 158 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Prius last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sonata 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 Sonata Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 71 more horsepower (192 vs. 121) and 166 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 105) than the Prius’ 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is faster than the Toyota Prius:

	Sonata Hybrid	Prius
Zero to 60 MPH	8.1 sec	10.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	21.4 sec	31.4 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	9 sec	10.9 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	4.4 sec	5.1 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5.5 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16.1 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	79 MPH
Top Speed	130 MPH	115 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Sonata Hybrid has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius AWD-e’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Sonata Hybrid has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Prius FWD’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 11.3 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sonata Hybrid	Prius
Front Rotors	12 inches	10 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	10.2 inches

The Sonata Hybrid’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Prius are solid, not vented.

The Sonata Hybrid stops much shorter than the Prius:

	Sonata Hybrid	Prius
70 to 0 MPH	178 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	142 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sonata Hybrid has larger standard tires than the Prius (205/65R16 vs. 195/65R15).

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

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sonata Hybrid’s wheelbase is 5.5 inches longer than on the Prius (111.8 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sonata Hybrid is 4.6 inches wider in the front and 3.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Prius.

The Sonata Hybrid Limited handles at .85 G’s, while the Prius pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Sonata Hybrid Limited 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

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Sonata Hybrid a Large car, while the Prius is rated a Mid-size.

The Sonata Hybrid has 11.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Prius (104.4 vs. 93.1).

The Sonata Hybrid has .6 inches more front headroom, 3.8 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 2.5 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Sonata Hybrid. The Prius doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sonata Hybrid’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, 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.

Servicing Ease

The Sonata Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Prius uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Sonata Hybrid Limited, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Prius doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Sonata 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 Sonata 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 Sonata Hybrid and the Prius have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sonata 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 Sonata Hybrid’s power window and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Prius’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Sonata Hybrid’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Prius L Eco/LE’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Sonata Hybrid’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Prius’ headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Sonata 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.

When the Sonata Hybrid Limited is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Prius’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sonata 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 Sonata 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.

Both the Sonata Hybrid and the Prius offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sonata Hybrid has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Prius doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Sonata Hybrid Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Prius LE/XLE/Limited’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Recommendations

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

The Hyundai Sonata outsold the Toyota Prius by 68% during the 2021 model year.

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