How is the C at accelerating onto freeway?

The C will surprise you with acceleration when you floorboard it. Eco mode or not, you get full power at WOT.
I don't think you will have a problem merging into traffic.
X

 

Not a problem !

 

~.5 seconds difference to 60.

 

The C doesn't like to go fast as some other cars do....my old Celica felt like it was always raring to go!

But if you punch it it goes.....I merge onto highways a couple of times each weekday for my commute and I am very pleased with the C....it kills your mpg but I am too impatient to care!

 

Absolutely no problem, in all merging situations with any car, just pay attention to traffic and plan ahead. My other car is a Citroen 2CV with a whopping 602 cc; 29.5 HP engine. The Prius C is way faster than the Citroen 2CV, yet both cars merge onto highways easily. Citroen used to advertise that their 2CV's 0-60 time was "the same day". The Prius C can handle any modern traffic condition, it's a great car.

 

your mpg with drop like .1-.5 if you have to go into the red PWR zone..which you will.

 

Depending, of course, on how long you are in the pwr zone and how long your trip is.

 

I believe you got the answer you needed. What really surprised me is the passing power the C has when "floor boarded". I can pass, from 60-80, very easily when I stomp the pedal. I like it. Have not driven it over 85 yet.
Dan

 

this car starts wobbling at 85. I pushed it to 100 in a 70 for 3 miles straight...but it was kinda windy outside...

 

There's no doubting that once you've jumped off the line from a standing start, the c is not the world's fastest accelerator by any means, but it has plenty to get you ready to merge at freeway speed without any concern. This said, I have certainly noticed that if you are cruising along at steady speed and then want to accelerate and put your foot down, the electric motor does give you that little instant kick that allows you to make a clear and emphatic move, which to me is the critical factor in traffic. It was something I really noticed when I was driving my mother's Corolla for a day - although it clearly has more grunt, when I went to make an overtaking manoeuvre it was noticably slower to respond, not helped by having to take a split second to change down a gear.

 

I did not believe I could live with this car so the first thing I did on a test drive was floor it. Told the salesman to hang on, ha. It did impress this old hot rodder from way back. Not like flooring my 65 Mustang but sufficient to do anything I want. This car is a MPG getter. I have other vehicles to hot rod.
Dan

 

I put a chassis stiffener brace on mine and it made a big difference.

 

Yeah that's one of the things that initially worried me too when I took it out on a test drive. I noticed it didn't seem to have the power that a normal car does. But I was mistaken! Really, I think it's because the throttle peddle has a lot more give to it compared to a regular car. You can push this thing a lot further down without getting the power you'd normally expect from a car. But if you push it all the way down, then you get quite the surge. So keep that in mind if you decide to test drive one of 'em.

 

Agreed... I've only pushed the pedal all the way down a couple of times and I never quite expect to get what it gives.

 

Don't forget you have the electric motor going with the ICE. The electric motor has instant torque no matter what speed. It's a blend and the power and acceleration is different from a non hybrid. It's pretty awesome. Take it up a hill, not gutless at all!

 

Yep - the electric motor doesn't have sustained torque but it's near instant. A former coworker's husband is an electrical engineer and that's the first thing he asked me about - said electric motors respond incredibly fast. My wife's Honda Fit "feels" quicker but the C is "smoother" - her words - while still being quick.

YMMV

 

again, take it up hills and it will surprise you! A typical small 4 cylinder engine takes time for power to generate as the RPM climb. By that time you are feeling like, "Am I going to make it up this hill?" Not with the C, I went up a few hills the other day and was pleasantly surprised how it climbed!

 

I can't say that the c's hill climbing is much of a selling point IMO. It will do it, sure, but compared to my previous car you do need a little patience on a decent mountain pass. Even just coming out of our Cross-City Tunnel in my old car I would do the whole thing at the speed limit of 80 km/h and the car wouldn't blink. The c could do that, but it sure doesn't want to and I don't force it to. These days I hold it to the top of the ECO area on the HSI and allow the speed to bleed off and by the time I near the top I'll be nearing the 60 km/h limit that applies after exiting the tunnel.

Out of the city on some real passes I have to forget about the ECO area and I find the car will find a lower speed it's happy to maintain for the climb, which I tend to go with for a happier c.

This is quite different from accelerating onto a freeway though.