Is The Prius Losing Its Purpose?

Just in case the poll, the unfounded conclusions, and their aggressive defence weren't enough...

 

Thanks for your input 32KC ... ... but I really don't need advice on when or why to use a standard function on the forum ... Thank You anyway.

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Yeah ... LOL.

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What would you get in a normal internal combustion car though? What would you get or were you getting, if your route hasn't changed since you had another car? Your mileage can be affected greatly by your route, not just driving style. For instance, when I got my car the commute I had meant I got about 50-55 in the summer and 45-50 in the winter. Knock off 5MPH if I over slept a few times during the week. This was no hyper miling, just driving the car like a car. A few years later, when my commute drastically changed, I was getting mid 30's. Was there something wrong with the car? NO. I went from going 25 miles of almost all highway miles in heavy traffic, to 7 or 8 miles of backroads and some highway. Same exact car. But with the shorter commute, the car never really got warmed up till the end, and all cars get worse mileage when cold. I was also doing a lot of starting on stoping, not good for mileage, while on the highway, not much stopping.

So you can't compare it to someone in another car doing a different route. Every part of that changes things, the driver has an effect, the car of course and the route. You can't ascribe the whole thing to the car. But yes, for people with a short commute, the Prius may not make strict economic sense. Where something like a Volt would shine, or even a cheap compact, or Leaf. So you paid more for your car than she did, but do you have any other, besides the hybrid drivetrain, features she doesn't? And what is the trade in value of both cars? Just because you pay $x for a car, that doesn't mean that is what it costs you.

So for instance, you say you paid 25k for your car and she paid 19k, taking out all adjustments for features and such, to make just this part of the argument easier. Let's say you both sell your cars in 6 years with 100,000 miles on them. Just for the sake of argument. So, and I am making the numbers up, and exagerating them from what I think is actually reasonable to make the point easier. You sell yours for $20k, and she sells hers for $10k. Her car, taking out registration, insurance, mait, and repairs, cost her $9k whiles yours cost you $5k. In that, admitedly over done example, even with no gas savings, you spent less on your car.

If they both depreciated the same amount, which is unlikely, but lets say after 6 years both have dropped in value by 50% even. So you sell yours for $12.5 and she for $9.5. Well the difference in "cost" of the the cars wasn't $6k, but $3k. Does that make sense? Based on the numbers you put out, it would have taken 75,000 miles to make that up in gas, and for the last 25,000 you were actually saving money. Besides likely having more creature comforts and putting out way less tailpipe emissions.

I know it is different now, but when I bought my Prius, you couldn't get a Civic (or a Corolla) with Nav, the only way to get ABS was a SI sedan, no stability control, no smart key, no HID headlights, no Bluetooth, no 6 CD changer in the dash, no climate control, etc. So yes I was paying more, but I was also getting more. Plus the better mileage.

 

My purpose in buying a 2nd and now 3rd generation was to save money on gasoline. I'm getting 54.3 mpg. No complaints here.

 

Excellent MPG's CP. I've averaged 48.2 over the first 11K miles with mine, but summer weather with constant AC is killing me for at least 3-4 MPG now. I got mine in the middle of the winter in January and a brand new engine, so I'm pleased with 48.2 overall (calculated). Computer is about 2 MPG high. Best was 55.7 on highway trips.

Mine seems to get it's best MPG on the highway, but then I live in very rural very hilly terrain. Some people just seem to have optimum Prius terrain and that can get you a few more MPG's. I really don't do all that much hypermiling stuff either ... pretty much just drive it conservatively and live with just under 50.

Congrats on your excellent mileage.

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I commute through Manhattan every day. My round trip is 16 miles and I average 13 mph. It's mostly bumper to bumper... or light to light. I consider NYC to be an example of the least efficient driving location for a Prius and I am getting 43 mpg.

 

If you read the thread that went with the poll, there was a good discussion by those answering the poll about the purpose of it, and what that specific purpose was. Referencing that poll in this thread was to simply show that the Prius is still relevant for people looking for good fuel economy. Are you disagreeing with that point?

Otherwise I would say this discussion should move over to the thread that goes with the poll, not here.

 

I had no problem with the poll until it was referenced here. Yes, the question was phrased such that it didn't show a decent dichotomy, but meh. Once it was brought over here, and the question it asked did not match the what it was being purported as showing, that is where I felt I needed to point out the discrepancy.

 

Don't feed the trolls nerfer .... you're absolutely right.

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My mileage is actually up in the summer compared to winter. I just don't notice the drag on mileage from A/C, and I live where it is hot and I hate heat. The AC runs off the hybrid battery, so it doesn't have the same effect that it has in most cars where it runs off the accessory belt, thus dragging the engine.

Where as in the winter, with the heat on, the heat comes from the ICE, so I notice I don't shut down at the lights between my house and the freeway. Once I am at work it is like normal, since the engine if fully warmed up by then. There is also in some places "winter" gas that can affect mileage.

 

Using a/c in Monterey? 68-72 to me that's freezing inside the car. The air is almost always cool in Monterey/PG/PB.

As to losing purpose, it is so hard to get a car the weight and size of a Prius to get above certain numbers like 35-40, it takes a lot of technology and sensitive settings to do it. It is very easy to negate those sensitive gains.

I always average 50+ in my 07, but the winds on highway 1 I notice make it tough, or just the terrain and road friction. I drive a bit slower like 62 which puts me in the slow lane.

If those other cars you mention are driven harder and a/c set low they too will suffer mpg, maybe even more, but so often owners aren't going to admit it, seeing you have a prius to compete with.

 

Once again why is the Prius always looked at by VALUE and how long to get your money back?? How many vehicles out there cost more than a prius with lower mpg and higher insurance costs or higher maintance costs? I bought mine for looks, feel , technology, green etc. I never even considered will i break even or other idiot $$ concerns. Let it go once and for all. So tell me how long does it take for the Value of a $100 thousand dollar sports car to break even that has 2 seats, no storage ,premium fuel ,outrageous insurance and can't be driven in rain or snow hhhuuummm.

 

I went from a civic to a Prius. I didn't realize it was bigger, oddly, but it does take up slightly more space in my parking spot, I noticed tonight.

Like the OP, I have short drives, and as for A/C, well, I live in Houston. I knew going in I wouldn't get really impressive mpg with that. But then it should still be higher than an ICE-only car, i think? A lot of times, it's not using gas at all, of course, where other cars would always do so.

I never calculated my Civic's mpg. I just had a rough idea of how often I had to buy gas. With luck, it'll be even less often now.

Either way, it's a sweet car with nice technology, and after two Civics, I needed a change. I'm contributing just a bit less to the smog, which is a nice thing to do right now, in the summer and a drought. It's also got a 5-star rating, where Civics seem to have 4, i think.

 

Technically speaking, you shouldn't drive near past the midline when you are driving at low speeds (< 45 mph).

At higher speeds (> 55 mph), driving near past the midline is OK.

Sounds like your experimentation is working quite well.

You can drive with a leadfoot. The most important thing is to coast to a stop if no one is behind you. If you have a redlight ahead, just keep your momentum and keep rolling to the light.

If you see a red light or a stop ahead, at the very least take your foot off the gas pedal for 1 to 2 seconds to assess the situation. This gives you time to make a decision. Then get into a glide, brake further, or speed up as necessary.

 

I'm not sure if this car is more sensitive to driving than others or we're just more aware of it because it gives so much information back...

 

More sensitive both ways. It can easily swing below or above the EPA figure.

 

I think it's because we know we get the best mpg out there, that we have a proclivity to be aware. The mpg information/feedback is nothing new. My 1989 Acura Legend has a real-time MPG display.

I think if all cars got 50+ mpg, we'd be much less enthusiastic and less "sensitive to driving" or "aware of it," as you say.

 

One must also keep in mind that because the Prius MPG numbers are so high, you can drop down quite a bit and you are still comparable to a 2mpg drop in a car that gets high teens to 20-something MPG. I.E. a drop of 7mpg in the Prius (50mpg) is comparable to a 2.5mpg drop in a Tundra (18mpg).

Also something I found out last week is that upon initial startup, the AC can drop mpg by 10mpg until the cabin cools a bit and the compressor slows down at which point the loss is only about 1mpg. So on a short commute in hot weather you are taking a massive hit in fuel economy.