A Prius-beater in almost every respect.
I have owned and driven 3 different Prius models, the last of which was a 2014 Liftback 3. With each I have had to drive carefully, using the onboard aids, to achieve good fuel economy - typically around 54-58mpg.
When it came time to trade in the 2014 for a new one, I was fully expecting to get another Prius, and even though the current 4th generation models are stylistically a cross between industrial origami on the outside, and cartoonish on the inside, I was more interested in driving quality and economy, along with suitable levels of equipment and trim. Unfortunately, Toyota have moved many of the features I like, such as GPS and keyless entry to models outside my price range, so I thought I'd see what else was on the market that might satisfy my fuel-efficient needs.
This took me to my local Hyundai dealer to have a look at a 2019 Ioniq SEL in Black Pearl. I was not expecting to be impressed, and when I got in it for the test drive, I wasn't. It looked and felt like a normal car. No extensive dashboard tools for eking out mileage, no mode buttons, not much of a geek-factor either. Yet lots of safety features such as lane keeping assist, cross-traffic sensors, automatic emergency braking, radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring - none available on my Prius, and only on a new Prius at much higher price. And CarPlay, which was not available on a Prius at all, where Entune is still the totally useless, pointless, and entirely disappointing option.
The test drive was a revelation. It became immediately clear that the 6-speed/dual clutch transmission was a great deal more responsive than the Prius CVT, and moved the Ioniq along briskly and quietly, in ways the CVT never did. On the highway, acceleration into traffic was excellent, and overall, the car was comfortable, quiet, and well planted. I was impressed in ways the Prius had not managed in the test drives I'd had. Potentially good fuel efficiency, in a car that drove very normally - suddenly, that seemed like a very good thing.
Costed fully, the SEL worked out to be equivalent to a Prius costing almost $6000 more, and as long as I was able to return similar fuel-efficient results, I knew I'd be happy.
The first tank of fuel returned 61.3mpg, mixed city and highway, and in the warm temperatures this spring, the car is averaging 65mpg on my daily city commute. And it does this without me having to try, as I did before in the Prius. The result is a comfortable, pleasing, driving experience which is relaxing and satisfying.
When I stopped by the dealer, I told the salesperson that if any Prius owner came in to look at an Ioniq, to tell them that a satisfied customer with 12 years of Prius ownership said the only complaint is that it had taken so long to realize there was a better option to drive.
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