Hyundai Elantra vs Toyota Prius Prime: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Elantra burns about $1,150 of fuel annually against $1,150 for the Toyota Prius Prime. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Toyota Prius Prime is the stronger commuter at 55 mpg city, while the Hyundai Elantra pulls ahead on the interstate at 58 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Hyundai Elantra is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (2.0, SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid), the Toyota Prius Prime with 2 (SIDI & PFI; PHEV, PHEV). Across 93 recorded Hyundai Elantra configurations and 10 for the Toyota Prius Prime, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Hyundai Elantra is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Toyota Prius Prime with Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Midsize Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Toyota Prius Prime emits 50 g/mile of CO2 versus 165 g/mile for the Hyundai Elantra. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.