ASK any motorist to name a hybrid model and he or she is likely to mention the Toyota Prius, which is the world’s most well known petrol-electric hybrid.

Introduced in 1997, the Prius is now into its fourth generation and has been consistently successful. No other mass-market hybrid model has been able to usurp its “green” throne.

Toyota, however, has been looking over its shoulder since Korean car maker Hyundai unveiled its lineup of Ioniq models, which it hopes will supercharge the hybrid segment.

Said lineup actually refers to the three power train options available to buyers, because the only Ioniq body style is a five-door lift back. The Ioniq is available as a full electric car (see sidebar, Entirely Electric Ioniq, on pg 79), plug-in petrol-electric hybrid or petrol-electric hybrid, which we tested.

If this hybrid jargon seems bewildering to you, well, you’re not alone. Many people are unaware of what exactly a hybrid automobile is, and they mistakenly assume that hybrid cars are electric cars, and vice-versa.

Before proceeding further, let’s define the three power trains mentioned. An electric car is solely powered by batteries and must be recharged via a charging station/special adapter.

A hybrid car has two power trains – usually a petrol engine and an electric motor powered by a battery pack. The battery is constantly recharged by the petrol engine and energy is recovered from braking.

A plug-in hybrid is similar to a conventional hybrid, except that the former’s batteries can be “topped up” by plugging the car into a compatible charging point. A hybrid’s secondary power train