So I tried to convince my nephew to buy a prius...

Comfortable enough for multi-thousand mile drives straight and spacious enough to haul a full bathtub in the back with the seats down or 180cm skis without having to put them outside...

I bought the Prius because I thought the tech was cool and it was friendlier to the environment.

 

I've said it for years. But I think for someone to purchase a hybrid and keep a hybrid for any significant length of time, they have to WANT a hybrid. That means to me, they need to value the operational differences that having a hybrid represent. Primarily the fuel efficiency a hybrid offers.

If that isn't THE top priority, then YES...there are many regular ICE vehicles that are perfectly viable, and will offer a different package of extra's.

My brother just recently got a pretty loaded Ford Escape. He was showing off all the bells and whistles it had. When he finished, I asked him if it turned off the engine when it was stopped. ----No was his answer.

If that level of efficiency isn't important to you? You probably won't end up with a hybrid or Prius.

I like that MY car does things that 99% of the vehicles on the road don't do...or can't do...despite any package of extra's they might have.

 

I went thru the same process of deciding/calculating the cost difference between a regular ICE car and a hybrid (a civic was one of those i considered).

It really all boils down to preference because I went with it in reverse to your nephews reasoning.

When I was finally convinced the initial higher price of a Prius will be offset by the gas savings in the years to come and end up costing the same as the regular ICE car, Then i went ahead and bought the Prius. Had it cost even the slightest more, i'd have gone with the civic. Thank God it wasn't whew!...
...

 

When I was young, there was no way I would have considered a Prius, but then I never would have considered a Civic either, growing up in the muscle car era. Assuming I wouldn't be any smarter, I honestly don't now what I'd buy today if I were young and on a $20k budget, but a Civic would most likely be in the running simply because there isn't much out there in the sub-$20k range with the reputation of a Civic. Mind you, I still don't like "small" cars no matter how much they outperform the 1970 GTO I used to have. I bought the Prius simply because I am now interested in mileage, not "hot rod" performance. For me, it is comfortable, it is spacious, within its class, and it is more utilitarian than others because of the hatchback design. Yesterday I drove my Dakota for the first time in over a month and I found myself longing for the regen braking of the Prius and the slow responsiveness of the Prius accelerator. I also drove a Hyundai Sonata Sport Turbo while on vacation and didn't enjoy it either, though the darned thing is "fast". I guess I've gotten too used to the Phoenix traffic where there simply is no reason to be in a hurry to get to the next red light.

Anyway, I hope your nephew gets many years of enjoyment out of his Civic.

 

I just got rid of a 2011 MiniCooper S Convertible for a 2014 Prius Three.

The Prius is not quite as much fun to drive, but the Mini was needing expensive repairs at 80K miles. I am expecting the Prius to do better. And I like getting 45+ mpg rather than 32+.

If the Prius does not live up to its reliability billing, my next port of call may be Honda But I am hoping not to find out for a few miles

I actually like the Prius' design, comfort and styling. I would be willing to give back a few mpg for a little more power, but fuel economy and reliability matter to me more than acceleration.

After 900 miles, I'm pretty happy with Data

 

If you consider how much money in fuel the nephew is wasting over the lifetime of the car, all I can say is "that is one expensive moon roof."

EM makes a valid point though: people want to like their car, and not everyone appreciates a hybrid's differences. Then again, most people are fairly reactionary, and stay with what they know and their friends like. They need more expensive fuel to help them get out of their box.

 

I agree about the overpriced used Prius situation, but how does it relate to the said stigma?

LOL, clearly not his fault for loosing control after hitting a pothole! He needs to watch his speedometer a bit.

 

Did he actually test drive a Prius (or yours)? Did he consider a Prius C?

I personally can't stand sedans, hybrid or not. Hatchbacks/wagons generally have much more flexibility when it comes to utility.

 

My opinion: Taking out debt to buy a car and then demanding showy features like a moonroof are the actions of a fool. At least he has lots of company.

 

This may sound strange....

But when I was considering the Prius and the Civic as big a gamble as i felt about the Toyota Hybrid system, I still felt it was more proven than the Civic's new CVT.