Compare the2023 Toyota Prius Prime VS 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Prius Prime have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Kona Electric doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Prius Prime has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Prius Prime offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Prius Prime XSE Premium offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona Electric only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Prius Prime and the Kona Electric have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Prius Prime the rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kona Electric has not been fully tested, yet.

There are over 49 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Prius Prime’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 Prius Prime’s reliability 65 points higher than the Kona Electric.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

The Prius Prime’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 19 more horsepower (220 vs. 201) than the Kona Electric’s electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Prius Prime is faster than the Hyundai Kona Electric:

	Prius Prime	Kona Electric
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.1 sec

The Prius Prime SE’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 606 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Kona Electric’s range is only 258 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 47 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a professionally installed 220-volt charging station can take up to 9 hours and 15 minutes.

The Prius Prime stops much shorter than the Kona Electric:

	Prius Prime	Kona Electric
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Prius Prime XSE has standard 19-inch wheels. The Kona Electric’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Prius Prime’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Kona Electric (108.3 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Prius Prime XSE handles at .82 G’s, while the Kona Electric Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Toyota Prius Prime may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 pounds less than the Hyundai Kona Electric.

The Prius Prime has .9 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room and 2.5 inches more rear legroom than the Kona Electric.

The Prius Prime has a much larger cargo volume than the Kona Electric with its rear seat up (20.3 vs. 19.2 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Prius Prime XSE Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

When two different drivers share the Prius Prime XSE Premium, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Prius Prime XSE Premium’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 Kona Electric doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Prius Prime’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona Electric’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Prius Prime the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (Your Toyota service department must activate this window function.) The driver of the Kona Electric can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Prius Prime’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 Kona Electric’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Prius Prime’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kona Electric SE/SEL’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Both the Prius Prime and the Kona Electric offer available heated front seats. The Prius Prime XSE Premium also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kona Electric.

The Prius Prime has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Kona Electric Limited.

The Prius Prime has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Prius Prime XSE Premium’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Kona Electric doesn’t offer an automated parking system.