Not so long ago, the hybrid was the future of automotive technology. The Toyota Prius ushered in a new era of fuel-sipping cars (although the often-forgotten Honda Insight technically hit the market first) that would save the planet and save you money at the pump. Today, the hybrid is almost passé, and electric cars are the next big thing. However, that doesn’t mean an affordable hybrid sedan isn’t still a great option – especially with choices like the 2022 Honda Insight, 2022 Toyota Prius, 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, and 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. These cars are more affordable, more capable, and more comfortable than ever, offering an easy way to burn less gas on your daily commute.
For drivers who need a vehicle with a bit more space, there are plenty of hybrid midsize sedans and hybrid SUVs to choose from, but the compact sedan remains the best expression of a hybrid vehicle. The four options we are looking at today all offer a comfortable and extremely efficient ride for a remarkably affordable price, which is exactly what most people shopping for a hybrid are looking for. They all pair small four-cylinder gasoline engines with electric motors for a traditional parallel hybrid drivetrain producing a combined fuel economy of over 50 MPG.
What Is a Hybrid?
Today, there are few drivers who do not understand the basics of a traditional hybrid vehicle. A gasoline engine does most of the work, but a small battery pack and electric motor improve efficiency by recapturing otherwise wasted energy from deceleration and putting it back to work during acceleration. However, there are now a few different hybrid and electric options out there that have muddied the waters.
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) – This is your traditional Prius-style hybrid. You fill it up at the gas station like a normal car, but the electric part of the drivetrain kicks in occasionally to improve efficiency. All four of the models we are comparing today are this style of vehicle.
- Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – These models have a larger battery pack paired with more powerful electric motors and can travel for a dozen miles or more on electricity alone. While you can use them as a traditional hybrid, for maximum fuel-savings, you can also plug them in to recharge. As long as you don’t exceed the electric range, a PHEV will never need gas.
- Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) – These are not hybrids and do not have any sort of gasoline engine. Instead, they have a much higher battery capacity and need to be plugged in to recharge.
Today’s Best Compact Hybrid Options
While there are plenty of hybrid and electric options on the market today, there are only four HEV compact cars available today: the 2022 Honda Insight, 2022 Toyota Prius, 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, and the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. As you might be able to tell from the names, two of these are clean sheet hybrid designs, while two of them are hybrid versions of popular compact sedans. All four of them are great options with their own pros and cons, but overall, we believe that the 2022 Honda Insight is the best of the bunch.
#4 – 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
$23,650 MSRP
52 MPG combined
121 horsepower combined output
The Toyota Corolla is the third best-selling sedan in America (after the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla), offering a solid combination of price, performance, and reliability. The Corolla Hybrid is not a bad option by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t quite live up to its traditional gasoline-only counterpart. Although the 2022 Corolla Hybrid lives around the same price point as its three competitors, it has the lowest fuel economy and power output.
Further dragging down the Corolla Hybrid, it offers the smallest trunk space (13.1 cubic feet) and comes in second from last for second-row legroom as well (35 inches). While these details will not matter much if you are shopping for a commuter, they do limit the Corolla Hybrid if you need a more general-purpose vehicle. While we would not discourage anyone from buying the Corolla Hybrida, we feel that the other three models offer a better deal.
#3 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
$23,750 MSRP
54 MPG combined
139 horsepower combined output
The 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is the closest competitor to the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and it outperforms the Japanese car in most metrics. The price points for the two models are nearly identical, but the Hyundai offers slightly better fuel economy and a higher power output. It also provides the most rear legroom of any of these four models (38 inches) and a sizable trunk for stashing anything you need to bring with you (14.2 cubic feet). It is also unique for offering a dual-clutch transmission rather than the continuously variable transmissions found in the other three models, although which feels better is largely a matter of personal preference.
Fans of technology will also be happy to learn that the 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid offers a massive 10.25-inch central touchscreen. However, unlike the other three hybrid models, the Elantra Hybrid does not come standard with adaptive cruise control. You might also be disappointed to learn that the 54 MPG combined fuel economy is something of a mirage as it only applies to the base “Blue” trim – the Limited trim gets a lower 50 MPG combined.
#2 – 2022 Toyota Prius
$24,525 MSRP
56 MPG combined
121 horsepower combined output
The Toyota Prius is what most people immediately imagine when they think “hybrid,” and it remains an incredible option. With a stellar 56 MPG combined, the Prius is the most efficient model in the segment (although like the Elantra Hybrid, that rating only applies to the base “Eco” trim – higher trims get 50 MPG combined). Its streamlined Kammback design with a rear hatch also makes the Prius incredibly practical, offering incredible cargo space when the rear seats are folded down (50.7 cubic feet). Finally, the Prius is even available with all-wheel drive, giving it surprisingly good handling in winter conditions at the cost of 1 MPG of fuel economy.
So why isn’t the Prius our #1 compact hybrid choice? Styling and power. While iconic and efficient, the Prius is a polarizing design that dates back to the days when hybrids were something different. While some people enjoy telling the world that they are driving a hybrid, many modern drivers prefer something that looks just like every other sedan. More importantly than looking like a hybrid, the Prius still drives like a hybrid. Toyota continues to prioritize efficiency over all else with the Prius, and that produces an underpowered and lackluster experience behind the wheel. The 2022 Prius is an amazing choice for hypermilers, but the everyday driver might find it lacking.
#1 – 2022 Honda Insight
$25,210 MSRP
52 MPG combined
151 horsepower combined output
This brings us to the 2022 Honda Insight, our top pick in the compact hybrid market. While the first two generations of the Insight looked even more like a hybrid than the Prius, Honda went back to the drawing board for the third generation, and the new car looks amazing. In many ways, the new Insight is the “anti-Prius,” offering classic sedan styling and a classic Honda driving experience. With 151 horsepower and 197 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Insight is not only the most engaging of these four hybrids to drive; it actually compares favorably with a base model Honda Civic. This is quite simply a car that throws everything you thought you knew about hybrids out the window.
Inside the Insight, you will also be happy to find a generous amount of rear legroom (37 inches) and the largest trunk in this comparison (15.1 cubic feet). This goes even further to making this model more of a “do it all car” that can even handle the needs of small families than a dedicated commuter vehicle. Even more impressively, the Insight manages to look and feel like a normal car while still offering the advertised 52 MPG combined on nearly every trim (the fully-loaded Touring trim is rated for 48 MPG combined). While the other three compact hybrid options all have their own strengths, and we don’t think any car in this segment is a bad choice, we believe that the 2022 Honda Insight has more than earned its place as our #1 choice.
