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Choose 2012 Prius Five or 2012 Elantra Limited?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by WE0H, Jun 20, 2011.

  1. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    Now you see my dilemma. I would love to own both a Prius Five & an Elantra Limited. Both cars are freakin cool :thumb:

    A new twist to the dilemma,,,did you read today about the Prius PHV gas mileage? I read from 80 something mpg to 107 mpg depending on what the EPA is gonna calculate. More decisions now :confused:

    Mike
     
  2. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Wow!
    You're not exactly an impulse buyer are you?
    Almost two months.....

    I have a coin you can use....or....at the rate you're going maybe the PHV will be available in your area! ;)

    Good luck with the decision!!!
     
  3. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    I've been trying to decide on a car for almost a year! Ha. But now its time. I need one by end of the month before my great loan deal is up!

    And I won't do limited because it comes only in leather. As an animal rights guy- I simply odn't do that.

    Hyundai is exact opposite of Ford. Focus has so many options and trim levels- I couldn't take it anymore. Elantra has 2 and that's about it. You can't even get Nav without leather. Which honestly is sort of dumb.
     
  4. duffasaurus

    duffasaurus Senior Member

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    Thank you! Finally the truth comes out!!
     
  5. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    Drove the Elantra all weekend about 350 miles- 90% freeway- and have to say not a fan now.
    Here are some of the things I noticed.
    - Seats- now, this was a rental with 12,000 miles on it and it was pretty beaten up but the fabric on drivers and passengers is already bucking/ bunching up in the middle. The fabric has already pulled away form the seat cushion. That REALLY has me worried about how high quality these seats really are.

    - MPG- It's impossible to get 40 on this car. I got it on the Focus no problem. But with this car- going for 50 miles on a free way at around 65 I managed to get around 34. As soon as I get off the free way within 10 minutes it was down to 25. I got it at 41 once- I reset it- drive 55 and for about 30 seconds it said 41- then it dipped down to 36.

    - Comfort- it's ok. But again, the seats aren't great- a little slippery but my back feels fine- so that's something.

    - Radio- I HATE the blue background with the dark blue letters- it's really annoying and tough to read at night. It needs more contrast. The radio sounds great though.

    - Driving. Like I said before- sometimes it really feels like you need to push down on the gas hard to get it going. Road noise seemed ok. No rattles. steering worked- but not impressive. Hit some wind and you could feel the car getting blown around.

    I'll think of some more things- but color me not impressed. It is a cheap car dressed up- which I guess is a good value. But in the end- if you take a deep look, it's pretty much a cheap car dressed up.
     
  6. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    MPG tank average since it was full :)

    [​IMG]

    And a bit later still driving down the Interstate

    [​IMG]

    Filled up the tank and getting going again

    [​IMG]

    Cool pic I took in Covington Kentucky :p

    http://we0h.us/Elantra/Elantra-Weiner-Mobile.JPG

    No hyper miling going on, I just drive 'em. On a Gen III Prii, I get 43-51 MPG typically. In town I can get 'em near 60 MPG driving nice :) Sorry to hear your seats were trashed :( The Elantra I drove had brand new looking & feeling seats.

    Mike :tea:
     
  7. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    No idea how you got those miles- and I am far from a lead foot. How fast were you driving on the freeways?
    Not even so much that the seats were trashed- but obviously this is how they will break in. Same on both sides. Granted 12,000 on a rental is probably like 60,000 on a normal car- but wear and tear is wear and tear.
     
  8. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    MPH: In Iowa I ran 63 in the 55 zones, 70 on I-80, Illinois I ran 69 on I-74, Indiana I ran 73 on I-74, 55 on I-465, and 73-76 on I-65 from Indy to Louisville. Once I got into Kentucky, I was running 76 mph on all the Interstates. Ohio, I ran 70 across the whole state except slower when rolling thru the towns along the Interstate. When I came back across I-80/I-90 tollway, I had her running 76 mph. I had a few moments of running 80-90 passing slow-pokes in some places. The guys on an Elantra forum told me beforehand that I would easily average around 40 mpg running around 65 mph and higher averages around 55-60 mph. It was very very easy to get that even though the car was loaded with 3 people and luggage for a couple weeks. I had the tires aired up to 45 psi I believe. Might have been at 44 psi but definitely up there a bit :)

    I think what kills seats is people with big butts plopping down in the seat and/or sliding their heavy hinder across them :eek: IDK, I've seen Prii fabric seats with bundled fabric and others with perfect seats. It's all in how a person takes care of their car or not.

    Mike :)
     
  9. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    Wow- well guess I drive perfectly for the Ford but not so much on the Elantra. MPG aside- it's simply not the car for me. Looking forward to testing out the Prius and then buying one already! I hate that the cabin is the lamest of all the cars I've looked at- cheaper plastic- no bluetooth, display on the base- but seems to be the best car I've test driven so far. Again, loved the Focus- but it simply seated too low with very hard bucket seats. more for sports racing than for long drives.
     
  10. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    The Prii is a nice car. Hope it suits you well enough to own one ;)

    Take care,
    Mike :tea:
     
  11. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    We'll see. Trying to come up with other cars with decent mileage- but it seems like I've exhausted them all. Ha
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Wow, I'm definitely not used to seeing 1/4 of a tank used after 100 miles on the freeway! Spoiled by the Prius!
     
  13. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    I would fill the tank to the threads and it went forever before it started to drop off full :p That car was like many others with the first half of the tank lasting most of the miles and the last half going down like a rock. I wish automakers would make gas gauges linear from full to empty :mad:

    My SUV is terrible. It has a 15 gallon tank yet the half full mark is only 4 gallons in the freakin tank.

    Mike :)
     
  14. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    So excited to be saying this soon! The more I second guess myself- the more excited I am to think I can get 500+ miles to the tankful.
     
  15. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    It takes some work to drive a cordless Prii and get 500+ miles on a tank without driving it past empty on the gas gauge. It's a very small tank on the car :( When filling it with gas, it will take 2.5 gallons more than the first click off on the gas pump. That 2.5 gallons is a bit of distance so make sure it is FULL if you want to try for a 500 mile tank.

    Mike
     
  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I've done pretty close to 500 miles in the summer but yet getting up and over 500 miles definitely require a lighter foot and/or driving past the blinking light (at least my 500+ tanks were)

    Well you are in CA so traffic aside that may be possible year around unlike the rest of us who have to deal with 400 mile tanks in the winter.

    The Prius is no different. It does drop faster below the half tank mark.
     
  17. revhigh

    revhigh MPG Enthusiast

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    rev
     
  18. MikeR5

    MikeR5 New Member

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    Any updates? I ended up getting the Prius. My initial review will be up soon. I'm a little worried about the seat comfort after driving 100 miles the past 2 days.
     
  19. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

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    The rental Prii I am driving right now takes 2 gallons to fill past the first click on the gas pump. I am noticing these seats are not as comfortable as the Elantra GLS seats were. Still not bad but not as comfortable for my behinder :) I have averaged 49-51 mpg so far with 823 miles since leaving home :) My wife wants to get a PHV next year ;)

    Mike
     
  20. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Be careful with overfilling. If the Geniii is like the Genii then you can harm the evaporated system.