I haven't driven the Gen 4 Prius, but the Gen 5 Prius, while cool, definitely has limited space, both back seat and trunk. Not at all like the Gen 2 Prius (the jellybean), which I did own. It does have Toyota reliability and dealer network, which would be a plus. I find the new Niro much roomier, but I don't know if that applies to pre-2023 comparisons.

The Kona is probably pretty close to the Niro in many ways. Hyundai and Kia are sister companies. When you say Ioniq, do you mean the original Ioniq (which can be a hybrid) or the newer Ioniq 5 and 6 (EV-only)?

 

Yes, I meant the original Ioniq hybrid.

I had a Gen 2 Prius, twice in fact, and it was a great car. They're getting a bit long in tooth now, though.

 

I am unaware of a hybrid Kona. I was under the impression that the Kona is either a full electric or a standard gas engine. If you're looking at the EV version, that would explain the higher prices. The Ioniq does come in a HEV, PHEV and EV version, so make certain which one you're looking at. The Ioniq HEV is identical to the Niro HEV under the skin, same powerplant and electrification. The Ioniq is more of a sedan while the Niro is a CUV/small wagon. My granddaughter drives an Ioniq HEV, and personally I don't care for the body style. But that's a personal opinion which means nothing for your decision.

The Prius comes from Toyota of course, with a reputation of quality. But again, my personal opinion is I don't care at all for the looks of the Prius until their most recent refresh. I did have a Prius rental a couple of years ago in Vegas, and just didn't care for it.

I can say both my '19 and '24 Niro PHEV have had zero issues. When you read about car problems online, remember that people that don't have any problems aren't as likely to post anything online, so you're mostly only going to hear the bad.

 

I am unaware of a hybrid Kona. I was under the impression that the Kona is either a full electric or a standard gas engine. If you're looking at the EV version, that would explain the higher prices. The Ioniq does come in a HEV, PHEV and EV version, so make certain which one you're looking at. The Ioniq HEV is identical to the Niro HEV under the skin, same powerplant and electrification. The Ioniq is more of a sedan while the Niro is a CUV/small wagon. My granddaughter drives an Ioniq HEV, and personally I don't care for the body style. But that's a personal opinion which means nothing for your decision.

The Prius comes from Toyota of course, with a reputation of quality. But again, my personal opinion is I don't care at all for the looks of the Prius until their most recent refresh. I did have a Prius rental a couple of years ago in Vegas, and just didn't care for it.

I can say both my '19 and '24 Niro PHEV have had zero issues. When you read about car problems online, remember that people that don't have any problems aren't as likely to post anything online, so you're mostly only going to hear the bad.

You're right. I was looking at the Wikipedia page, but I don't see evidence the hybrid was ever sold in the U.S. Now I'm wondering what it was that I rented a few years ago.

 

I drove a Kona as a rental car on a trip a few years ago. I liked the car and got good gas mileage, but I don't have a lot of experience with it other than that.

 

I just checked on the government site that lists all vehicle's fuel economy, and I cannot find any Kona HEV ever sold in the US. So any used Kona you've seen is either a regular gas powered car or an EV.

 

We've driven our Niro quite a few times down to the coast. It's been a comfortable tourer for that three hour trip. It will hold a surprising amount of stuff, and has enough power for those Interstate on-ramps.

Just filled up from one of those trips and the calculated mpg was 55.3. The car computer said 59.5, but that's pretty normal. This included at least 350 highway miles.

Geoff

 

There's a 2017 plug-in hybrid LX for sale near me, with 49k miles for $12,500. Have there been many changes or updates since then?

 

The only "significant" change was the refresh in 2023 to the second generation, when the body grew a bit in size. I can't say if there were any changes in the HEV powertrain, but there was for the PHEV (bigger battery, more EV power). The only other change I'm aware of during the 1st gen models was the pedestrian alert (the sound that plays in reverse and when moving forward below about 15 MPH) became much louder in 2020, which caused many complaints. From 2017-19 the alert was just a low hum, kind of a Sci-Fi type sound. The second gen reverted to that quieter sound.

 

There were many changes in 2023, mostly in the body style. Mechanically they stayed very similar. I think the LX has been the base version, so not many bells and whistles. I don't know if that price is fair, but the mileage in good for an 8 yr. old car. It seems like the plug-in hybrids have some troubles with their 12v batteries needing replacement after a few years. Good luck in your quest.

Geoff

 

It seems like the plug-in hybrids have some troubles with their 12v batteries needing replacement after a few years.

True, but it's not a significant expense. Maybe $200.

 

This may be old news, but the Edmunds web site is a great place to go for information about specific cars. They cover the different models of the same car. Great place to get specifications. I used them when researching the Niro to find which car had a height adjustable passenger seat for my wife.

Geoff

 

I am presently on my 8th Kia. Only issue I ever had was on a Picanto, where the electric motor for the wing mirror packed up. That was fixed under warranty.

I recently replaced my MK1 Niro with the new version, and whilst the MK1 was excellent, my MK 2, 4 spec is fantastic. It's like dri6a magic carpet with loads of toys

 

Addressing the OPs question regarding Niro vs Prius Vs 1st gen Hyundai Ioniq--the Niro has more cargo room since it is more SUV like. The Prius and the Ioniq are more sedan/hatchback styled--the sloping rear hatch cuts down on cargo volume.

As far as tax credits go, the IRS website says to contact the dealer to get the actual tax credit value. Not sure which used car dealers are qualified.

When I purchased my '22 Niro PHEV the tax credit was $3750--3 months after I bought it, the previous administration made the tax credits more restrictive and essentially took all foreign made EVs and PHEVs off of the qualifying list.

I think of the PHEV as being a novelty, without the tax credit I think I would go with a straight HEV if there was a significant difference in cost. Not sure what that difference is for the used vehicle market, but for the new vehicles, the price difference is quite substantial and the break even point by going PHEV would be many, many years.

 

That was my thinking, too. The only reason I'd consider a plug-in would be for the tax benefit, but not if the price difference cancels that out. I guess it would be a nice feature to have, but doesn't seem like a major one.

 

I've had a 2018 Niro EX since new. I've had almost no issues other than the several recalls. The mirror flipping motor went bad and was replaced under warranty. I do mostly around town driving and get just over 50mpg. The few longer trips I've taken get about the same. So MPG is good. The biggest good point for me is driver comfort. I'm 6'3" and just over 200 lbs and I find the seat really comfortable and easy to find a very nice seating position. So can my 5"8" wife. The leather (or whatever) seats are holding up very well. The carrying space is small, but ok for most of our needs.

 

I had the 2022 Ioniq and averaged 57mpg Highway round trip to Tucson and back being all uphill. Tire weight plays a big roll in wether or not you'll get maximum mpg. The Ioniq SE has a larger trunk capacity than my Niro EV. The Ioniq SE got about 600miles on its 12.5 gallon tank. I wish I'd kept it.

 

The 2019 Niro Hybrid my Ex has was showing an average of 55mpg on OEM 16in wheels but is dependent on the drivers driving style.

 

The tax credit is a tricky business. It doesn't apply to new Kia Niros, since they aren't built in the U.S. but I think if it's more than 2 years old it gets a partial credit. But that was last year when I was looking at that, not sure if that still applies. And it's a tax credit as well, so if it doesn't push you over the minimum standard deduction, it might not even affect your deductions (from what I understand ... I'm not an accountant).

 

The tax credit is a tricky business. It doesn't apply to new Kia Niros, since they aren't built in the U.S. but I think if it's more than 2 years old it gets a partial credit.

It does apply to new if you lease. But that is going away on Sept 30 as well.

It's not that a used car gets a partial credit. There's a completely different credit for used cars. Two model years old is only one of the requirements. There's also a much lower selling price limit, the income limit is half for the limit for the new credit. For used cars that meet the requirements, the credit is $4000.

Here is a direct quote from the IRS for the used credit. Note that these are the requirements for the car itself, not the buyer.

To qualify, a vehicle must meet all of these requirements:

• Have a sale price of $25,000 or less. Sale price includes all dealer-imposed costs or fees not required by law. It doesn't include costs or fees required by law, such as taxes or title and registration fees.
• Have a model year at least 2 years earlier than the calendar year when you buy it. For example, a vehicle purchased in 2023 would need a model year of 2021 or older.
• Not have already been transferred after August 16, 2022 to a qualified buyer.
• Have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds
• Be an eligible FCV or plug-in EV with a battery capacity of least 7 kilowatt hours
• Be for use primarily in the United States

The sale qualifies only if:

• You buy the vehicle from a dealer.
• For qualified used EVs, the dealer reports required information to you at the time of sale and to the IRS.

See this page for complete info from the IRS:

Used Clean Vehicle Credit | Internal Revenue Service

If you buy a qualified used electric vehicle from a dealer for $25,000 or less, you may be eligible for a clean vehicle tax credit of up to $4,000.

www.irs.gov