The 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid comes in four trims as the last year, and they don’t offer much stuff to play with or many customization options. The base trim comes at $23,400 and goes up all the way to $31,400 for the top Limited trim. The Limited trim is loaded with gizmos and the best infotainment system available in the line-up and a host of creature comforts. The complete distribution of trims across the lineup is given in the table below.

We Recommend 

The best trim out of all would be the SEL trim as it comes with more advanced safety features and slightly more creature comforts in the car than the base two trims. The Blue trim, while cutting off on some necessary features, comes with distinct badging and a more efficient engine than the other trims, so if you want the best fuel efficiency, Hyundai has a choice for you.

Every trim of the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid comes with the same powertrain, which is a combined gas and electric engine. The gas engine is a 1.6L four-cylinder engine producing 104-horsepower and 109-pound feet of torque by itself, and supporting this is a small electric motor that makes 43-horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels as standard, and there is no option of AWD like the Prius. The engine comes paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, which is the main reason for such an uninteresting drive that the Ioniq has on offer.

The dual-clutch automatic gearbox changes gear by itself at the most inconvenient time for better fuel efficiency and takes away all the fun from the Ioniq. Hybrid cars are not the ones you see out on the track as they lack the performance factor, so it is no surprise to see these cars take a while to reach 60 MPH. The Ioniq takes about 10 seconds to reach 60 mph, which is slower than a few pickup trucks of the day and has a top speed, which is barely over the 100 MPH mark.

Honda with the best power and torque output takes less time to reach 60 MPH than the rest, but Kia takes the win in terms of top speed with a figure of 125 mph. The Ioniq and Prius sacrifice performance to provide exceptional fuel efficiency. When comparing the price tag of the Hybrids in the competition, the Kia Niro Hybrid comes out to be the most expensive option at $24,690.

How well does the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid handle?

While most town cars have light steering and are not as exciting to drive, the 2021 Ioniq Hybrid with its light steering and soft suspension provides a very busy ride. The steering needs to be corrected continuously due to its lightness and while going over slightly rough surfaces and uneven roads. Everything can be felt inside the car, and sometimes the bumps can jar the occupants quite roughly.

If the cabin quality of the Ioniq was to be improved, then it would have performed slightly better, but that is not going to happen as the Inoiq is more of a budget-friendly economic car. Another factor that comprises the ride quality of the car is regenerative braking as it gives the brakes an unnatural feel, and alongside that, the brakes do not perform as well as the brakes on a regular car, which means taking the car up to speed at times would seem like a risk.

Braking Performance

Most of the Hybrid vehicles of the day come with regenerative braking, and so does the 2021 Ioniq. This regenerative braking helps in increasing the range and economy of the car, however, it hampers the drive of the car. The brakes offer unimpressive power and also fail to get the most out of them even with the regenerative braking. There are paddles available that help control the regenerative braking, but these are absent on the Blue trim, and the low gripping tires further make the brakes feel unresponsive and slippery. 

The Hyundai Ioniq fails to impress in this department as it takes 124 feet to reach a halt from 60 mph. The 2021 Prius is the lightest and comes with decently sized brakes, which help it in coming to halt at 121 feet. All the cars in the class have regenerative braking. Honda with more weight and smaller brakes takes the least distance to stop, implying that it offers the best in class braking performance. 

One of the places where there is no disappointment to point about in the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is its mileage. EPA estimates that the Ioniq would return up to 58 MPG in the city, 60 MPG on the highway, and would return a combined rating of 59 MPG, these figures are more impressive than the iconic Toyota Prius, which kick-started the hybrid car class. 

The base Blue trim is more focused on fuel economy and sips on fuel, giving the best MPG in the class. While the Blue trim is a fuel-efficient model, this does not mean that the rest of the trims compromise with it. You will not see a dip in the fuel economy figures no matter which trim you opt for. The hatchback comes with an 11.9-gallon fuel tank, which with the exceptional MPG figure, will provide a range of up to 700 miles with such a small fuel tank. 

The 2021 Ioniq takes a clean sweep at the rest of the cars as it has a bigger fuel tank than the rest and also offers the highest MPG figures. Kia, which is a sub-brand of Hyundai, does not shine as well and offers the least fuel economy figures among the competitors. When comparing the overall range, again the 2021 Kia Niro Hybrid stands last with a combined range of 524 miles.

There is not much to speak about the interior as it comes with a basic design that is not overly impressive or spacious. Upfront, the occupants will be quite comfortable and will not be tired or uncomfortable on longer trips, but at the rear, a higher seat height and a sloping roofline would make anyone feel claustrophobic. The cargo area does not get affected much, but this uneven spacing will be something that a customer will not be happy to see. 

If you plan on traveling around town with a few of your adult friends, then be prepared for a bit of criticism by the people sitting in the rear. The seats come covered with cloth upholstery and offer a manual adjustment on the lower trim, but as you move up, a slightly premium leather upholstery replaces the cloth one and power-adjustability for the front driver seats becomes available. 

The front seats offer adequate support and cushioning, and when covered in leather, they also provide an overall better feel. While the rear seats are cramped due to the sloping roof and increased height, they provide good support too, but the inability to accommodate adults at the back with comfort means these seats are better enjoyed by children. Honda offers the best in class space but sacrifices a significant cargo space. Other rivals have slightly different dimensions, with Ioniq having the most rear legroom, yet it still feels cramped. Major interior features include:

• Leather steering wheel
• Manual adjustment
• Heated front seats (Upper trims)
• Premium leather upholstery (Upper trims)
• Power-adjustable driver's seat (Upper trims)
• Power tilt and sliding sunroof (Limited trim)

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The base trim comes with a big 8.0-inch screen, which gets even bigger in size on the upper trims. The system comes with touchscreen controls and is pretty easy to get used to. The bigger screen is 10.25-inch in size and uses the same interface as the smaller one. Both screens offer a good response to touch and come with a host of features for smartphone integration. The standard audio system comprises a four-speaker sound system with a premium 8-speaker Harman Kardon system made available in the Limited trim. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are as follows:

• 8.0-inch touchscreen
• 10.25-inch touchscreen 
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• Bluelink technology
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Multiple Bluetooth connectivities. 

The front and rear bumpers for the Ioniq have been changed for the 2021 model, with the inclusion of a new mesh-type front grille. The base trim comes with 15-inch alloy wheels with standard halogen headlights. Moving up to the SE trim, you get the daytime running LED lights. With the starting of SEL trim, there are LED headlights and taillights too. The Limited trim comes with bigger 17-inch alloy wheels and grille shutters and integrated spoiler standard fitting across the range. The Blue trim comes with distinctive badging to highlight the high fuel-efficient model. 

Honda is the lightest of them all, whereas the Kia comes with higher ground clearance, allowing it to be more capable while going on the country roads and to glide over speed bumps and uneven surfaces with ease. When comparing the wheelbase of the Hybrids in the competition, luckily all the cars offer this same figure of 106.3 inches, making them equally cramped at the back. Major exterior highlights of the 2021 Ioniq include: 

• 15-inch alloy wheels
• LED daytime running lights
• LED headlights and taillights
• Illuminated door handles
• 17-inch alloy wheels (Upper trims)

The NHTSA has not yet tested the Ioniq for their crash tests, but the IIHS did get their hands on the Ioniq, and it passed with flying colors. In every test conducted on the car, it scored the highest rating of ‘Good’ and also managed to grab the title of their ‘Top Safety Pick’ for the 2021 model. Standard safety features in the Ioniq include seven airbags and ABS, traction control, and stability control. The list of advanced safety features is also not short, and there is a number of these features that become available right from the base trim, and as you go up, the list keeps on increasing, these features include:

• Lane-keeping assist
• Driver attention system
• Rearview camera
• High beam assist
• Forward collision avoidance
• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Rear-cross traffic alert
• Pedestrian detection
• Lane follow assist

2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid vs 2021 Toyota Prius Hybrid

The 2021 Hyundai Ioniq comes at a less expensive price with a better powertrain that might not be a more powerful engine but sure is more efficient. The list of features and comforts in the Ioniq is also bigger than what can be found in the Pirus, and while the Toyota offers better cargo space, the Inoiq would prove to be a better choice if you are on a budget. 

2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid vs 2021 Honda Insight Hybrid

The 2021 Honda Insight is a slightly better-looking car than the Ioniq, and not only that, it also comes with a better powertrain that is powerful and faster than the Ioniq, and all of this can be had at a less price than the Ioniq. Honda also has a better ride than the Ioniq, so while the Ioniq beats the Prius, it fails in front of the Insight. 

2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid vs 2021 Kia Niro Hybrid

Kia offers better space inside along with more cargo space than the Ioniq, and it also has slightly better infotainment features, but the 2021 Ioniq comes at a lower cost and offers better fuel economy. While the two cars are siblings, there are ample reasons to go for the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq instead of the Kia Niro Hybrid between the two.

If you are concerned about the environment and the increasing gas prices, then within a reasonable price, you can have the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid which offers a decent list of features, exceptional safety, and an unmatched fuel economy. However, it is not the perfect car, so it has its fair share of cons as well which cannot go unnoticed. All in all, if performance is your concern on any level while buying a hybrid, consider some of the rivals in the competition.