Compare the2023 Kia Niro Plug-In HybridVS 2022 Toyota Prius Prime

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Niro Plug-In 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 Prime Limited offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Niro Plug-In 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 Prime Limited has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Prius Prime have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

Warranty

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

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro Plug-In Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Prius Prime. 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 Prime ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

Engine

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 59 more horsepower (180 vs. 121) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 106) than the Prius Prime’s 1.8 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 33 miles. The Prius Prime has to start its internal combustion engine after only 25 miles.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid has larger standard tires than the Prius Prime (205/60R16 vs. 195/65R15). The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Prius Prime (225/45R18 vs. 195/65R15).

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Prius Prime’s standard 65 series tires. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Prius Prime’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Niro Plug-In Hybrid EX has standard 16-inch wheels. Only 15-inch wheels are available on the Prius Prime. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX has standard 18-inch wheels.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Niro Plug-In Hybrid is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Prius Prime.

Chassis

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid is 8.9 inches shorter than the Prius Prime, making the Niro Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.4 inches more rear hip room and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Prius Prime.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Prius Prime 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 Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX’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 Prime doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Prius Prime’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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

The Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Prius Prime LE/XLE’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a standard rear wiper. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Niro Plug-In 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. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Prius Prime has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/Limited.

When the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX 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 Prime’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Niro Plug-In Hybrid and the Prius Prime have standard heated front seats. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Prius Prime.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Prius Prime doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Niro Plug-In 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 Prime doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Prius Prime XLE/Limited offers wireless charging.