The super fuel-efficient Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, the spacious Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, and the high-quality yet inexpensive Toyota Corolla Hybrid all have one thing in common: they’re Toyota Prius competitors worth considering when you’re looking for a reliable and affordable hybrid vehicle.
The 2022 Toyota Prius is one of the most fuel-efficient, affordable, and safest vehicles available on the market—but it’s not in a class of its own. Despite driving the early American hybrid market, it’s gained several worthy challengers over the years. So, the question is: should you buy a 2022 Prius or switch to a competitor?
Today, the hybrid compact car class is crowded, which can make finding your ideal match feel next to impossible. That’s why Jerry
, the car insurance
app that helps you save money on your Toyota Prius insurance cost
, has made this quick guide to the eight top hybrids to consider instead of a Prius. 1. Honda Insight
Starting price: $25,760 to $29,790
Selling points: Strong fuel economy and a fun drive
Weak spot: Slightly clumsy and less athletic than some rivals
The Honda Insight
is genuinely stylish and has a more potent hybrid powertrain. The Prius has much more cargo space, but the Insight fires back with a better infotainment system. And while the Insight’s 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine front-wheel drive achieves up to 151 horsepower, the Prius only gets up to 121 horsepower with its 1.8-liter 4-cylinder/FWD configuration. The Prius is available with AWD, but your fuel efficiency will drop—the FWD gets 54 mpg in the city and 53 on the highway, while the AWD gets 51 mpg in the city to 47 mpg on the highway. Meanwhile, the Insight’s FWD-only configuration, you’ll achieve up to 55 miles per gallon in the city and 49 mpg on the highway, no questions asked.
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2. Toyota Camry Hybrid
Starting price: $27,980 to $33,420
Selling points: Ample standard safety tech and comfortable daily driver (that will also save you money at the pump)
Weak spot: Higher trims feel less grounded at higher speeds and brakes feel somewhat sticky
Out of the two Toyota hybrids, the Toyota Camry Hybrid
is the larger, quieter, and more comfortable ride. Camry Hybrid drivers enjoy more standard features, including power driver seats with lumbar support and optional heated front seats. The Camry Hybrid also has much more passenger space—making it the clear winner for long, family-friendly rides. In addition to spacious seating and a relaxed ride, the hybrid Camry is much more powerful, offering 208 horsepower compared to the Prius’s meek 121. The Camry offers a few more optional safety features than the Prius, including integrated turn signal mirrors, blind spot monitoring, and cross-traffic alert. It even received a perfect five-star overall safety rating from the IIHS!
MORE: How to park a Toyota Prius
3. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
Starting price: $27,200 to $35,550
Selling points: Spacious interiors with a wealth of standard convenience features
Weak spot: Not the most powerful option out there
You’ll find everything you love about the Prius magnified in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
—but you won’t have to pay all that much more for sleek exterior looks and an upscale interior. The Sonata is rated as a larger car and focuses more on standard convenience features like remote trunk release, automatic headlights, a locking glove box, and a hands-free liftgate. Dual-zone air conditioning, integrated turn signal mirrors, blind spot monitoring, and HD radio come standard on the Sonata but are not offered on the Prius. In its most basic form, the 2022 Sonata Hybrid gets 50 mpg in the city and 54 mpg on the highway. Look no further than the Hyundai Sonata for great fuel efficiency, reliability, comfort, and all-around value wrapped up in a larger sedan.
MORE: Are Hyundais expensive to maintain?
4. Honda Accord Hybrid
Starting price: $26,670 to $36,540
Selling points: Powerful and zippy, ample space for even the tallest passengers, a strikingly modern and clean appearance
Weak spot: A little sluggish on the highway
True to its name, the Honda Accord Hybrid
offers a resplendent experience for drivers and passengers alike. The midsize family sedan doles out spacious seating, agile and cushy handling, and 212 horsepower under the hood with a zippy 6.7-second 0-to-60 time. While the Accord is already packed with standard features including remote engine start, upper trims like the Touring take its standard refinement to the next level, highlights including a head-up display, automated emergency-braking system, and rain-detecting intermittent wipers.
For families seeking more thrilling yet sophisticated daily commutes without paying luxury sports car prices, the Honda Accord Hybrid is an option you can stand by.
MORE: How to get a hybrid or electric car tax credit
5. Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
Starting price: $24,100 to $28,600
Selling points: Best highway fuel economy in its class and capable powertrain
Weak spot: A lot of plastic and engine noise
Owning one of the boldest-looking hybrid sedans on the market doesn’t have to come with a bold price tag. The Hyundai Elantra
Hybrid was named the 2021 North American Car of the Year, partially thanks to a fantastic 56-mpg highway fuel economy complete with poised handling and a pleasant ride. When it comes to the cabin, however, there’s dissonance: while there's a generous palette of standard infotainment, tech, and safety features, plastic dominates the interiors and isn’t the most comfortable option on long rides. And despite producing a relatively modest 139 horsepower, the gas engine component is pretty noisy.
6. Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Selling points: Sporty design and high-quality materials at an affordable price tag
Weak spot: Only offered in one basic trim and tight on space
The Prius and Camry aren’t the only Toyota hybrids worthy of consideration. The Toyota Corolla
Hybrid is built well, offering one of the best-selling cars of all time in a hybrid format. Elevated materials and sporty styling make the Corolla Hybrid seem much less awkward than its Prius and Bolt counterparts. But the truth of the matter is the Corolla Hybrid is an excellent budget option. So despite scoring well on safety and a solid fuel economy of 52 mpg combined city/highway, it could stand to offer passengers more support and customization options.
MORE: How to turn your Toyota Prius into a temporary generator
7. Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
Starting price: $23,600 to $31,600
Selling points: Sips gas while looking like a normal car
Weak spot: A little too unassuming
The Hyundai Ioniq
Hybrid isn’t trying to fool anyone; it’s simply trying to beat out the Toyota Prius before retirement…and we have to say the hatchback is putting on quite the finale. The 2022 Ioniq is going out with a bang, knocking the standard 2022 Toyota Prius out of the fuel efficiency spotlight with its 60 mpg on the highway rating. Much like the Prius, The Ioniq Hybrid offers a smattering of standard safety features like forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. Standard dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, and push-button start are nice touches, too.
Hyundai also offers a much more attractive 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and hard-to-beat MSRPs through the entire lineup. But buyer beware—2022 is the last year for this subdued sleeper hybrid.
MORE: Does Hyundai have a self-driving car?
8. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Starting price: $29,575 to $38,075
Selling points: Powerful, quick, and roomy
Weak spot: Lowest fuel economy of the bunch
Sometimes a compact vehicle won’t just cut it, which is why many potential owners may look to Toyota’s larger cars. With 98.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and six trim levels to choose from, the Toyota RAV4
Hybrid offers more flexibility and space than its smaller sibling. Even at the hybrid’s base LE trim, the standard AWD and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors crank out 219 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid’s drive modes make it easier to save on fuel, which is important considering it earns a combined city/highway fuel economy of only 40 mpg.
That said, maybe that’s too big of a jump—in which case the 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid is a fantastic compromise between Toyota’s smaller and larger hybrid offerings, starting at just $25,985.
Toyota Prius vs. the competition
Want to see how the 2022 Toyota Prius measures up to its competition? Check out our nifty Prius/competitor comparison table below.
| | | | | | Fuel economy (city/highway/combined) |
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| | 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine | | | | |
| | 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine | | | | |
| | | | | | |
2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid | | | | | | |
2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid | | | | | | |
2022 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
How to compare car insurance quotes in under a minute
Choosing your next compact hybrid can be quite the challenge with so many options out there, but rest assured! Finding the right car insurance
for your new vehicle will be much easier thanks to the Jerry
app. It’s this simple: download the Jerry app or go to getjerry.com. In less than 45 seconds, Jerry collects all of your information from your existing insurer. Choose from competitive quotes from top insurance companies and Jerry takes care of the rest—securing your new policy and helping you cancel your old one upon request.
No long forms. No calling around. No hard work. Just savings. The average Jerry user saves almost $900 a year on car insurance.
“A super easy app for great savings. I gave them my information and got quotes from Jerry
very quickly! Now I’m saving $108/month.” —Kiyoshi A.
RECOMMENDEDThis app is great, but the customer service is even better! Not to mention convenient! My husband and I got the lowest rate (much lower than the rates I was finding online through my own searches), quickly, and pretty much all through text message! Thank you so much for a hassle free experience👍