Prius C - polyvalent? Can survive on hard times?

I think a regular Prius or a Prius v would be more your style not a C and they don't cost $40,000 low to mid 20s. I dont think they recommend them for towing/hauling.

 

You do not list a location, so I can't be sure where you are, but a C can be had new for under $20,000 in the US.

No Prius is rated to tow a trailer, the Hybrid Highlander is.

There is a lot of plumbing pretty low in a Prius, not sure I would buy one for serious gravel road use. (Perhaps a Highlander Hybrid?)

Toyota thinks the C stands for city. I am not hearing 'City' in your intended uses.

Here is my 'stock' who should not buy a Prius post: considering a Prius | PriusChat

 

i would buy a regular car.

 

A good used low mileage Corolla would be great. Good fuel efficiency and parts are cheap and easy to find. A Toyota Matrix would be even better from a cargo standpoint.

 

I assumed you needed a new car. If you dont then keep your Sentra and find other ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Solar/Wind/Geothermal is nice as is planting trees and perennial grasses. Start using electric landscaping equipment when possible and reduce the use of 2-stroke equipment/vehicles. If none of that works for you then try donating your time to volunteer with groups that perform environmental restoration.

 

I'm unclear what advice you might really be looking for? You already have multiple vehicles (or experience with them) and you've qualified your needs by talking about your Dad being able to work on the cars and that you like driving on gravel roads and pulling a trailer, etc. I have the sense that you've already done your research on the C and are pretty aware of what it can and can't do. ULtimately, you just have to make the decision for yourself about whether it's the right car or not.

Since you used "polyvalent" in your thread title, it just seemed that you wanted a car that would meet all your needs and based on what you've shared, the C doesn't sound like the right vehicle (if you want to tow with it and spend a lot of time on gravel roads). Perhaps you mean "polyvalent" in some other sense???

 

If you're refering to F8L, I think he means that there are many things you can spend your money and time on to reduce your environmental impact even if your personal situation doesn't allow you to make effective use of a Prius c. Besides, you haven't said how many miles you drive each year: if you don't drive many miles a hybrid isn't really the best choice anyway.

Were you to get a Prius c and drive it on gravel and dirt roads a lot I think you'd want to mod it to get a full belly pan to protect it from damage.

But, towing would be an issue. It's not rated for towing and although in North America the manufacturers go very easy with tow ratings (smaller-engined equivalents have ratings or higher ratings in Europe) I'm sure that Toyota would get difficult about the warranty if you tow and cause damage. I'd bet that very small loads would be OK but not the heavier ones you're talking about.

 

That is exactly what I meant.

Trying to reduce your pollution output is a good cause but you have to choose a vehicle that fits your needs as much as possible. Choosing the wrong vehicle will leave you frustrated and/or could damage the car.

 

I drive a 2010 G3 on unimproved roads often enough when I visit remote POP sites, and you have to be VERY careful with ground clearances and potholes with this car! Don't ask me how I know....
There are plastic panels beneath the Full-Sized Prius that do not like it when you explore the diminutive ground cleanances with this car. I presume that the smaller Prius may have similar issues.
Also...the G3 (third Gen) Prius is only rated for 850# of cargo....pax included, and it has a ZERO pound tow rating. Personally? I wouldn't have any problem towing a small garden trailer down to the Home Depot to get some bulky item or two.....but tow an ATV? Buy 500# of lumber?
Probably not suited for that!!!!

If it were me, I'd explore the idea of keeping a second car as a tow beast, and I'd carefully consider the terrain that I routinely traveled before I bought a Prius for regular use. In fact......"my" Prius isn't "MY" Prius at all...but rather it's a company provided vehicle. On more than one occasion, I've had to press my personal vehicle into service as a work truck when weather and terrain have conspired to make "my" Prius non-useable for transportation.
Example: Street Flooding.
Example: Towing
Example: Unimproved roads with large holes.

The Prius is probably one of the BEST commuting cars on the planet...but there are several big IF's that you should fully consider before putting one in your driveway-----especially if the road that leads TO your driveway is gravel!

Good Luck!

 

Hmmmm....there's "difficult conditions" and there's "trying to do things with it that aren't recommended." Really snowy weather or really hot, desert weather would fall under difficult conditions for me - towing falls under not recommended (and warranty violating). I guess I personally DO plan to be a bit more cautious with this car than others. For me, it requires a change in my hiking habits since I used to head out some rather gnarly forest service roads to get to a trailhead. I'm pretty sure those roads would bottom out the C not to mention all the dust, kicked up rocks and MOST OF ALL whomever is at the trailhead preying on cars (gotta say, that's one advantage of an OLD car - not a high profile target for car prowlers at trailheads!). So, for you, it kind of depends on whether you really want to continue doing all the things you've done up to now.....versus maybe considering a few changes to accommodate what might be some different capabilities for the C.

ETA - I got pulled into a meeting mid-post and what F8L and ETC said - much better than me!

 

My gen 2 was a robust pavement car that held quite a lot inside, but suffered in deep mud and never towed.



(The side view is my avatar)

 

Having done all the things you have listed, I would not buy a C to do them. It is not a car for all reasons. It is a specialist at one, with some utility thrown in. Not very much.

It still has no mud guards, though you could modify a set for the regular Prius to work. I would discourage gravel road use.

Towing a trailer of any serious weight for that engine would strain the rest of the drivetrain, IMO.

There extra space with the seats down is not very much if you are the kind of person that would use it. YMMV.

While it's awesome to stop at the gas station to fill up the C for $30 or less for 400 miles of use, that's about all it's good for for an active person or homeowner type if it's an only car.