2023 Prius Prime VS. Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Comparison
Highlighted Features
2023 Prius Prime
2023Niro
Base MSRP
$32,350
$33,840
Engine
2.0L inline 4-cylinder
1.6L Kappa inline 4-cylinder
Horsepower
220
180
Adaptive cruise control
Yes
Yes
Speakers
6
6
Hybrid type
Active Hybrid
Active Hybrid
Whole vehicle warranty months / (miles)
36 / 36000
60 / 60000
Roadside assistance months / (mi)
36 / 9999999
60 / 60000
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Toyota Prius Prime vs. Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Safety & Convenience
- The Toyota Prius Prime has eight airbags that include driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, seat-mounted side airbags, rear seat-mounted side airbags, and front and rear side curtain airbags. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid comes equipped with dual front advanced airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags, and full-length side curtain airbags.
- The Prius Prime has standard heated power outside mirrors with folding capabilities. The Niro Plug-In Hybrid features standard heated side view mirrors across its lineup, with the EX featuring power-adjustable mirrors and the SX Touring equipped with power-folding mirrors.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with the Toyota Safety Sense™ 3.0 (TSS 3.0) active safety suite encompassing features like Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD), Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Road Sign Assist (RSA), Automatic High Beams (AHB), and Proactive Driving Assist (PDA). The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid comes standard with Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection, Highway Driving Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, High Beam Assist, and more.
- The Prius Prime comes with Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking (PA w/ AB) as an option for the SE trim and as standard on the XSE and XSE Premium trims. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn't include automatic braking features.
- Neither the Toyota Prius Prime nor the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid have received 2023 safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) yet. However, the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime attained a notable 5-star safety rating from the NHTSA in the previous year, setting a benchmark.
Toyota Prius Prime vs. Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Performance
- The Toyota Prius Prime features a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine combined with electric motors, resulting in a hybrid system net power of 220 hp. Its engine is a DOHC 16-valve with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) that generates 150 hp and 139 lb.-ft. of torque. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid has a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine and full parallel hybrid system, producing a combined drivetrain power of 180 hp and combined drivetrain torque of 195 lb.-ft.
- The Prius Prime comes standard with an Electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT), ensuring smooth and efficient power delivery. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid is equipped with a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.
- The Toyota Prius Prime has three standard drive modes: EV (Electric Vehicle) Mode, EV Auto Mode, and HV (Hybrid Vehicle) Mode. EV Auto Mode dynamically selects between electric and hybrid driving as per driving conditions. HV Mode combines gas engine and electrical power. In comparison, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid provides standard paddle shifters for two Drive Modes: Sport and Eco.
- The Toyota Prius Prime SE trim has an EPA-estimated all-electric driving range rating of up to 44 miles on a full charge, while the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid has an estimated all-electric driving range of up to 33 miles. Both vehicles are chargeable through a standard outlet or Level 2 charger and can switch to their hybrid engines when the battery charge is depleted.
Design
- Toyota emphasizes luxury in the Prius Prime lineup, equipping all models with SofTex® synthetic leather-trimmed steering wheels, enhancing the driving experience with a touch of sophistication. The Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid opts for SynTex-wrapped vegan leather steering wheels.
- The Toyota Prius Prime XSE and XSE Premium have a standard auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink®. The XSE Premium also offers a digital rearview mirror. In contrast, only the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid SX Touring comes with a standard auto-dimming rearview mirror as standard.
- The Toyota Prius Prime has a Smart Key System on the driver's door with Push Button Start, and all models feature remote keyless entry with lock, unlock, and panic functions. The XSE and XSE Premium models incorporate the Smart Key System for both the front doors and rear liftback. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid comes standard with a Smart Key that includes push-button start and Remote Start through the key fob.
- The Toyota Prius Prime includes a Level 1 charging cable for a 120V outlet as standard. It also offers the innovative Digital Key (Remote Connect trial or subscription) capability as an option for the XSE, included in the XSE Premium, allowing a smartphone to act as a virtual key. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid utilizes Kia Connect for remote and digital capabilities, although it doesn't specify the availability of a charging cable.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes in three trim levels: the SE ($32,350 base MSRP), XSE ($35,600 base MSRP), and the range-topping XSE Premium ($39,170 base MSRP). In contrast, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers two trims: the EX ($33,840 base MSRP) and the EX Touring ($39,590 base MSRP).
Available Models (3)
Toyota Prius Prime vs. Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Warranty
- The Toyota Prius Prime has a Basic warranty of three years or 36,000 miles, coupled with a Hybrid Systems warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles and a Hybrid Battery warranty of ten years or 150,000 miles. Conversely, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s warranty program includes a limited basic warranty of five years or 60,000 miles and an Electric Vehicle (EV) System warranty of ten years or 100,000 miles.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with a Corrosion Perforation warranty of five years or unlimited miles for all models. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers a limited Anti-Perforation warranty of five years or 100,000 miles.
- All Toyota Prius Prime models come with a Restraint Systems Warranty of five years or 60,000 miles. Kia does not explicitly list a restraint systems warranty on their official site.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with ToyotaCare, a maintenance plan that covers normal factory-scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. On the flip side, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers the Kia Maintenance Plan™ as an additional purchase.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with 24-hour Roadside Assistance for up to three years and unlimited miles, as well as up to a 10-year Safety Connect® trial with Emergency Assistance button, and Stolen Vehicle Locator. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid’s warranty program includes roadside assistance for up to five years or 60,000 miles and some enhanced emergency assistance features are available via Kia Connect.
Technology
- The Toyota Prius Prime has an 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen with one USB-C media port, five USB-C charge ports, Bluetooth® wireless technology for hands-free phone and music streaming. All Prius Prime grades include Wireless Android Auto™️ and Wireless Apple Carplay®️ compatibility. A 12-inch multimedia screen is available for the XSE and standard on the XSE Premium. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with support for Android Auto™, Apple CarPlay®, and Bluetooth wireless technology.
- The Prius Prime comes with a six-speaker audio system as standard, and the XSE Premium trim offers an upgraded eight-speaker JBL® Premium Audio system with an amplifier as its standard audio setup. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid provides a six-speaker audio system for the EX trim.
- The Toyota Prius Prime's XSE and XSE Premium trims are equipped with Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging, featuring a convenient charge indicator light. In comparison, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid comes standard with a wireless phone charger.
- The Prius Prime comes with a trial of up to 30 days or 3GB of data usage for Wi-Fi Connect (4G network dependent), featuring AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot and Integrated Streaming compatibility with separate customer subscriptions to Apple Music® and Amazon Music™. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid doesn't have a comparable feature for Wi-Fi connectivity or music streaming.
- The Toyota Prius Prime XSE Premium comes with a one-year Drive Connect trial, featuring Cloud Navigation with Google Points of Interest (POI) data, Intelligent Assistant (4G network dependent) with Hey, Toyota, and Destination Assist. A subscription is required after the trail ends. The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers navigation and Kia Connect features.
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Toyota Prius Prime vs. Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
Conclusion
- The Toyota Prius Prime stands out with its standard hybrid system that delivers an impressive 220 net hp. This outperforms the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid's combined drivetrain horsepower of 180 hp.
- With its superior mpg/electric hybrid combination, the Toyota Prius Prime takes the lead. The SE model has an EPA-estimated MPGe rating of 127, while the XSE and XSE Premium models have a commendable 114 MPGe rating. In comparison, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid trails behind with a manufacturer-estimated MPGe of 108 for both its models.
- Toyota Prius Prime continues to make strides in the all-electric driving domain. The SE trim has an EPA-estimated all-electric driving range rating of 44 miles, while the XSE and XSE Premium trims have a respectable 39-mile range rating. In contrast, the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid has an all-electric range of up to 33 miles.
- The Toyota Prius Prime has Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking (PA w/ AB) available for the SE and standard on the XSE and XSE Premium models. The XSE Premium also offers an option for Advanced Park. In contrast, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid lacks automatic parking functionalities.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with a Restraint Systems Warranty lasting five years or 60,000 miles, covering all models. On the other hand, Kia does not explicitly list a restraint systems warranty on its official site.
- The Toyota Prius Prime comes with ToyotaCare, a maintenance plan that covers normal factory-scheduled maintenance service for up to two years or 25,000 miles. The Kia Maintenance Plan requires a separate purchase.