Hi C crowd! I've had a Gen 2 since new, and although I plan on keeping it a lot longer, it's kind of fun to brainstorm what I might (hesitantly) replace it with someday. I love the HSD powertrain, but the Gen III and the V just haven't grown on me, and the Gen IV exterior styling causes me conflict. I'm certainly drawn toward the more spartan, more rough-and-tumble tendencies of the C, though. I love the small exterior dimensions, skinny tires, and its use of the 1.5L (but with an electric coolant pump). The EV button and sunroof availability look like nice perks. I live in a rural setting and deal with quite a bit of gravel and snow, which the Gen 2 takes with aplomb. My impression is that the C may be the best-suited of the more recent Prius family for this type of use. The C also doesn't seem to maintain resale like the other Prius models (different customer base, perhaps), and some of the examples with 30-50k miles on them seem like good buys (close to half of new, out-the-door prices). I don't think I'll buy new again---too much capital to be driving around, and too high of registration taxes. I was wondering if anyone has gone from a Gen 2 to a C (or owned both at the same time) and what type of comparisons can be drawn. Thanks!
I just traded in my 2013 Prius C 2 for a 2015 Prius 2. Let me start by saying your mileage will vary. I drove the C for 66,000 miles on my daily 100 round trip commute (mostly freeway, hilly and sometimes windy) and had a lifetime average of 54 mpg. The reliability of the car was perfect. Not one thing wrong with it. It was hard not to like the C with its great gas mileage however, the ride was just too harsh and the cabin too loud at freeway speeds where I spend most of my time. I was just tired of getting beat up by the bumpy ride and I just couldn't pass up the fantastic deal I got for the 2015 Prius. ($17991) It has a much quieter and smoother ride on the freeway and so far the gas mileage has been similar over the same commute that I drove with the C. The HSI display looks a little dated on the 2015 compared to the C but it does get the job done. Other than that, I like everything about 2015 better than the C. Now that I have driven both cars I wish that I had bought the Prius instead. There is a few more things that I have noticed... The throttle response in the C is stiffer, it is easier to find and stay in the "sweet spot". The Prius seems to be a little more reluctant to go into EV mode when letting off the gas at slow speeds, could be the colder weather now though... The C has stronger regenerative braking than the Prius and the Prius will coast a lot farther. (Heavier car?) In my opinion, the C is a great city car and short freeway commuter, the Prius is better for longer freeway commutes.
Thanks for the Gen III comparisons, Hab'. I've never driven a Gen III. Interesting to hear about the glide and feel differences.
You're welcome! I know your post was about Gen ll comparisons but, I thought you might want a comparison to the Gen lll. By the way, the C would give a bumpy ride on gravel roads, at least the one I had would. It had factory Goodyear Assurance fuelmax tires on it. They were still good after 66K on them but, perhaps they don't provide a very smooth ride?
$17991 was the advertised sale price that included the $3000 cash back that Toyota was offering last month. (Dec) I don't know what the prices are in other states but this surely was a deal I couldn't pass up. Maybe, once the 2016's go on sale they will have a sale on 2015's, or maybe they sold them all!
i did get a prius c a couple of years ago after having a few regular prii before. i hope i dont offend but i did not like the c at all.... what i really hated was the choppy stiff, bumpy ride. it is built on a modified yaris chassis and you can really tell it. also, i was disappointed by my highway mileage compared to my series II . i got rid of it a few months later and got a "regular"' prius. the difference in ride was amazing. it was so much quieter and got better gas mileage at the same time. so, although, many love the c, i am not among them.
The regular Prius definitely gets better highway....I'm not going to lie it takes ALOT of work to hit 50 MPG on the highway with the C ..now this may because I bought it brand new and its still getting worn in. Now, city, which is 90 percent of where my wife drives is excellent... She is stuck to bumper to bumper all morning and it was killing us on gas in her jetta.So she now takes the C and I drive her jetta since I drive all highway. LGMS631 ?
Highway fuel economy is mostly dependent on the speed that you drive, no matter what kind of vehicle you drive. I regularly get 4.2 l/100km (56 miles/US Gallon) on the highway, but I rarely drive faster than 90km/h (55 mph).
Ah I see..here in Texas ALOT of the highways have a 70 mph speed limits and of you don't hit at least 65 u will get run over....no joke LGMS631 ?
I find it interesting that I don't find my wife's 2015 C's ride stiff or bumpy at all and I'm used to driving a 2013 Camry... Not saying you're wrong and I'm right just that the difference in perception of the same car can be very different between different drivers. Now my 1992 (modified) Miata, that's got a sporty stiff ride!
It may also be because of different tires,different pressures and different roads. My C was fine on smooth asphalt, quiet even, but concrete was another thing altogether!
Had a 2004 gen2 with every option. Fantastic car! I was recently rear ended on the freeway by someone I suspect was texting and it totalled my baby. I replaced it with a used C1. I miss the bells and whistles, but mostly the interior space. The newer one drives nicer, but has more road noise. It's all about trade offs. The 54 mpg (C) instead of 39 (Gen2), yup, I miss a few things, but I'd do it over. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Yep. We bought out new Gen III for $19K. We weren't even out to buy a car, just looking. But we just couldn't ignore that low price so we bought it on the spot. It was the best deal ever. We are now a 2 Prius family.
The Prius C is a more fun to drive car then the Prius (Gen III), its lighter and faster, it handles better and can obtain higher MPG. I average 55 MPG. Not sure how anyone can say the ride is choppy. Its got a more firm ride which may translate into a choppy ride. You really can't compare the Gen III to the C, they are similar but so different. But you really can't go wrong with either one. Its more of what will fit your style and size needs
I drove a new C today. I can confirm it rides harder than a standard Prius, and the road noise is higher. It didn't take long to notice those factors, less than 2 miles on the freeway. I could live with that. The attraction is a Prius C Four for $23K or less. I really like the gauges and console of the C. I wish the regular Prius would come with that same layout. I've always disliked the Prius gauges up near the windshield and pushed over to the center of the dash. I found the driver seat to be comfortable. Back seat room would work for our family. Fold down seats are great. The cargo space is smaller and I'm not sure it would be deep enough for our folding beach chairs. The volume isn't bad but the shape of the cargo space is different. The Prius C comes with a spare tire. I won't buy a car without one so this is a big plus. It's getting harder and harder to find decent cars (especially hybrids or EVs) with a spare. I was very disappointed that the Prius C four only comes with the Toyota Safety Sense TSS-P which includes Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. That is a feature I really want. Our 2008 has 163K miles on it. I know it will last much longer but I'm looking for a replacement. I'm finding out that it is pretty difficult to find a match to the Prius. My top parameters are price, cargo space, spare tire, high mileage. The Prius has these characteristics. From my search I can't find anything that is a match for a Prius. So the C is a candidate, but another regular Prius might have to be the future replacement. However I don't like what Toyota did to the Gen IV. The Gen IV external looks are fine because that isn't a big deal for me. It's the bone white accents, reduced cubby space and loss of the second glove box, some models without a spare tire, lower to the ground design, and a few more little things. We recently opted for a 2015 instead of a 2016. The 2016 Malibu Hybrid has a spare tire space under the cargo space, but it is an expensive car. Sadly Chevy doesn't even offer a spare tire as a line item option for the car. Other than that it is pretty exciting. I have reservations about buying a Chevy after so many years of super reliability Toyotas. Over 8 years and a combined 220K miles we've spent less than $100 for repairs (not counting consumables like batteries, tires, gas, oil, etc.)
My 2012 C1 works for everything I need it to do. I have a short commute to work, and weekends we like to go exploring. I'm not sure what sort of quiet ride folks are expecting, but I haven't had any complaints about road noise myself. Great mileage, nice and small (easy to park), easy to load a week of groceries and non-perishables into, and we took it camping on the first weekend after I bought her. It was a bit of a tight fit, but we even managed to pack an evening's worth of firewood into her, along with all our gear and food for a 3-day trip. I have zero complaints with this car. Yes, the regular Prius is quieter, but the tradeoff is that you're getting a larger car. If that's what you want, cool...but for squeezing into tight parking spots, the C is where it's at.
I own both a 2006 gen 2 prius and 2012 prius c. I had used both to drive uber and have since rented it out to other drivers. I'll choose the 06 prius any time. More spacious, better comfort, less road noise. Only thing is it doesn't have curtain airbags.
