Toyota Prius Prime vs. Kia Niro PHEV: Which Plug-in Gives More Per Mile?
We’re going to compare the specifications of these two PHEVs to help you choose the right one for your needs.
While the news can be dominated by the latest all-electric vehicles, there is ample room for another electrified choice. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (or PHEV) offers the perfect marriage of silent driving and extended internal combustion range for those who might not have the opportunity to plug-in in all the situations a purely electric vehicle might need to. While both the 2024 Toyota Prius Prime and the 2023 Kia Niro PHEV have a gasoline engine, they also have electric motors and enough battery capacity to allow for all-electric driving for a not-insignificant distance. We're going to compare these two PHEVs to help you choose the right one for your mileage and driving needs.
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Pure ICE Power
PHEVs are a great choice for folks who don't have a place to regularly charge an EV, or who travel long distances frequently in places where EV chargers aren't common. That said, charging a PHEV at home is a great option, as their small batteries (compared to an EV) make charging times relatively short. Most importantly, when the traction battery—the battery that powers the motors that drive the wheels—is at "zero" charge, PHEVs operate like regular (if slightly less efficient) hybrid vehicles, combining the gas engine with electric power captured through regenerative braking to propel the car along. However, the additional weight of the traction battery means these vehicles need a little extra oomph from the internal combustion engine when the battery's run down. The Toyota Prius Prime uses a 2.0-liter I-4 that produces 150 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque without the aid of its electric motor. The Kia Niro PHEV makes do with a 1.6 liter I-4 that produces only 104 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque. If you're relying on the gas engine to get around more often, the Prius Prime takes the win here.
Using the Electrons
A fully charged battery provides two important benefits: extra power for better acceleration and greater fuel savings. The Prius Prime produces 220 hp when both the electric motors and gas engine are running together. This gives the PHEV Prius a 0-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds with all of the power going to the front wheels. The Niro PHEV also uses two motors and produces 180 hp when everything is running together, with a 0-60 time of 7.3 seconds—right in the middle of the pack of Niro variants—and like the Prius, exclusively through the front wheels. The Prius Prime is better able to merge with traffic, being both quicker and having more total system power than the Niro PHEV.
Total Range
Starting with a full charge, both these PHEVs have substantial total range. The Prius Prime utilizes a 13.6-kWh battery pack, providing a maximum of 600 miles without stopping at the fuel pump on the SE trim. That range drops by 50 miles on the XSE and XSE Premium, as those trims use 19-inch wheels standard. The Niro PHEV uses an 11.1-kWh battery pack for a still substantial 510 miles of total range, even as the SX trim uses larger 18-inch wheels.
If you want to drive in electric-only mode, the Prius Prime can drive up to 44 miles at speeds of up to 84 mph on the SE trim, while the XSE and XSE Premium can drive up to 39 miles with the same upper speed limit for EV driving. The Niro PHEV is limited to 33 miles on the EX and 31 miles on the SX, with a top speed just over 83 mph. This means, in either case, the Prius Prime will take you further on both gas and all-electric power, even when using its larger 19-inch wheels.
How Efficient Are They?
Since you will need to use the internal combustion engine, you will need to know just how far a gallon will take you. The EPA only looks at a combined city and highway mileage and the "MPGe"—the amount of energy per mile it uses in electric mode, converted to the equivalent energy content in gallons of gasoline. You'd think the bigger engine on the Toyota Prius Prime would be thirstier, but turns out that's not the case.
The EPA has rated the Prius Prime SE at 53 mpg combined and 127 MPGe. Stepping up to the Prius Prime XSE and XSE Premium will drop the efficiency by 4 mpg (48 mpg) and its electric range drops by a staggering 13 miles (114 MPGe) just by using larger wheels.
The Kia Niro PHEV only has a single listing for its EPA ratings, at 48 mpg combined and 108 MPGe, which means with a smaller engine it nips at the heels of the less efficient Prius Prime XSE and XSE Premium, and is not as efficient in electric mode. Give the win to the Prius Prime here.
Battery Charging
Both the Toyota Prius Prime and the Kia Niro PHEV use up to Level 2 charging, using a 240-volt 15-amp AC outlet. When using its fastest charging rate, the Prius Prime needs four hours to charge its 13.6-kWh battery pack. If you option up to the XSE Premium trim, you also option for the solar roof that provides some additional charging without plugging in, but only provides up to 2.2 kWh on a good, sunny day. If you only rely on that roof and optimum weather, it will take a little over six days to recharge the battery fully.
The Niro PHEV doesn't have a solar roof option, but using the Level 2 charger will recharge the battery pack to 100 percent in just three hours. That's the benefit of using a much smaller battery pack (and its associated mileage penalty). There's no clear winner here; the Niro PHEV charges more quickly, but the Prius Prime's optional solar roof allows for some additional free charging on sunny days which can really add up in sunnier climates.
Price
Now we get to the part you've all been waiting for: Which PHEV offers the better value? The 2024 Niro PHEV in EX trim will cost you $35,615 while the SX trim will ring up to $41,365. The 2024 Toyota Prius Prime SE will set you back $33,445 while the XSE trim will be $36,695, the XSE Premium trim is $40,265 and the XSE Premium trim with the optional solar roof is $40,875. The Prius Prime seems to offer more for less overall, but price isn't the whole story here.
Cargo Room And Passenger Space
Even with its SUV proportions, the Niro PHEV only has a cargo capacity of 19.4 cu-ft when the second-row seats are up. The Prius Prime offers more cargo room with its 20.3 cu-ft of space. The advantage shifts when you compare volume with the rear seats down. The Niro PHEV's cargo space increases to 54.6 cu-ft, compared to the Prius Prime's 26.7.
While both vehicles will seat five people, you'll be more comfortable as a tall person in the Niro PHEV. Front headroom is 40.5 inches and rear passenger headroom is 39.5 inches. The Prius Prime manages only 38 inches of front headroom, and tall people are penalized in the rear thanks to that aerodynamic sloping roofline that allows for just 36.4 inches of headroom.
Where the Value Is
If you're looking for maximum miles out of your driving experience, you're getting more out of the Toyota Prius Prime. For its $33,445 starting price and 600 miles of total range, you're essentially paying $55.74 per mile. At its starting price of $35,615 and its total range of 510 miles, the Niro PHEV is more expensive per mile at $69.83. Factor in the additional power and zippiness of the Prius Prime when compared to the Niro PHEV, and you're getting a great-performing vehicle with some superior range capability for the price you pay.
If you need to do more per mile or a taller person, then the superior volume of the Niro PHEV can't be overlooked. You can not only fit a taller person in the rear moderately comfortably, but you can also carry more thanks to its maximum 54.6 cu-ft of cargo capacity with its rear seats down and its somewhat conventional SUV proportions. The more aerodynamic and sedan like proportions of the Prius Prime penalize it in this capacity, especially for someone who's tall or has a need to carry more cargo on a more consistent basis.
Overall, we believe the 2024 Toyota Prius Prime to be the better PHEV between the two. You're paying less, getting more miles and power. The 2024 Niro PHEV, while the better cargo and people carrier, doesn't have the power, efficiency, or value to justify it over the Prius Prime.
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he's had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He's best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
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