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Hyundai Motor Company’s Ioniq hybrid

Hyundai Motor Company’s Ioniq hybrid vehicles took first place in an American study of the fuel economy of hybrid automobiles.

In a fuel efficiency trial recently conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, Hyundai’s Ioniq Hybrid Blue received a combined fuel rating of 58 miles per gallon (mpg), a highway rating of 59 mpg and a city rating of 57 mpg (assuming 15-inch tires), Hyundai Motor announced on Dec. 6.

The Ioniq scored 2 mpg higher than the Toyota Prius Eco hybrid, which was certified at 56 mpg in combined fuel efficiency. A leader in the eco-friendly market since its first generation was released in the late 1990s, the Toyota Prius has scored the highest in fuel efficiency tests in the US market.

In January, the Ioniq also beat the fourth-generation Prius in a South Korean test, scoring 22.4 kilometers per liter (kpl) in combined fuel economy compared to 21.9 kpl (on 15-inch tires) for the Prius. A comparative assessment of the Ioniq and the Prius carried out by European trade journal Auto Bild in October found that it took a Prius just 10.4 seconds to reach 100km/h, which was faster than a Prius (10.8 seconds).

By Hong Dae-seon, staff reporter

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