Recommended Compact Hybrid Cars Per New Consumer Reports Survey

Compact Hybrid Car Shoppers Looking for Satisfaction

According to a recent Consumer Reports analysis of compact Hybrid cars, there’s good news for compact car shoppers who are discovering happiness by going Hybrid that is due to more than just the fuel economy Hybrids deliver.

In fact, they report that according to their latest survey of Hybrid owners, satisfaction with their ride is rated according to five important factors: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, and audio controls.

Related article: Recommended Compact Cars with the Roomiest, Most Comfortable Interiors Per Consumer Reports Testing

To back up their claim, CR analysts recently datamined their collection of compact hybrid owner surveys and came up with this list of “Green Choice” CR designated vehicles with the cleanest emissions that they believe will put “…a smile on your face on the road as well as at the gas pump.”

All the selected vehicles are noted as to whether currently popular safety features come standard or are optional.

And because not all of the vehicles are CR-Recommended choices, included with the summarized list is their predicted reliability rating and any recalls noted thus far.

That said, here is a summary of the list that includes price range, fuel economy, safety features, reliability and recalls if any.

Please note the following safety feature abbreviations used:

• FCW---forward collision warning
• BSW---blind spot warning
• AEB---automatic emergency braking
• LKA---lane Keeping Assistance
• LDW---lane departure warning

The Most Satisfying Compact Hybrid Cars

Here is a summary of CR’s most satisfying compact hybrid cars:

1. 2022 Toyota Prius
Price Range: $25,075 - $33,370
CR MPG: Overall 52 / City 43 / Hwy 59 mpg
Rated #2 of 8 Compact cars
Safety Features: FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection are standard, and BSW is standard on the LE trim and above.
CR Reliability Rating: 5/5 “We expect the 2022 Prius will be much more reliable than the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019, 2020 and 2021 models.” One recall: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.

2. 2022 Toyota Prius Prime
Price Range: $28,670 - $34,450
CR MPG: Overall 69 / City 56 / Hwy 81 mpg
Rated #3 of 8 Compact cars
Safety Features: Standard active safety systems include FCW, AEB in city and on highway.
CR Reliability Rating: 5/5 “We expect the 2022 Prius Prime will be much more reliable than the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019, 2020 and 2021 models”. One recall: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.

3. 2022 Honda Insight
Price Range: $25,760 - $29,790
CR MPG: Overall 54 / City 44 / Hwy 62 mpg
Rated #1 of 8 Compact cars
Safety Features: Standard active safety and driver assist features include FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection, and BSW is available on the higher trims.
CR Reliability Rating:3/5 “We expect the 2022 Ioniq will have about average reliability when compared to the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019 and 2020 models.” No reported recalls.

4. 2022 Hyundai Ioniq
Price Range: $23,600 - $33,250
CR MPG: Overall 52 / City 40 / Hwy 63 mpg
Rated #6 of 8 Compact cars
Safety Features: Standard active safety and driver assist features include FCW and AEB with pedestrian detection, and BSW is available on the higher trims.
CR Reliability Rating: 3/5 “We expect the 2022 Ioniq will have about average reliability when compared to the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019 and 2020 models.” No reported recalls.

5. 2022 Kia Niro
Price Range: $24,690 - $44,650
CR MPG: Overall 43 / City 33 / Hwy 52 mpg
Rated #7 of 8 Compact cars
Safety Features: Available active safety features include AEB and BSW.
CR Reliability Rating: 4/5 “We expect the 2022 Niro will be more reliable than the average new car. This prediction is based on data from 2019 and 2020 models.” No reported recalls.

And finally…

For additional articles about Consumer Reports recommended vehicles, here are two pieces related to compact cars and small trucks to consider:

• Consumer Reports Lists What's New in Small Pickup Trucks

• Popular Compact Cars That are Winners and Losers According to Consumer Reports Automotive Experts

COMING UP NEXT: Fuel Efficiency You Can Expect from an Old Toyota Prius

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Pixabay