Here's why the Prime has 4 seats

I think you were a bit vague. The 4 seat car market is not that small, but that market is definitely not going to want a Prius. A BMW 428i convertible and a Prius Prime/1st Gen Volt all have 4 seats, but the "market" has nothing to do with each other. Although most people won't be using the 5th seat all the time, it's a huge perception loss to not be able to take the 5th person for a Prius. I don't think the Prius Prime will sell well due to other plug-in competition at it's price point, but the lack of 5th seat definitely won't help.

 

I heard him say that you don't have to plug this in TO CHARGE. Rather than bashing plug ins, I thought he was touting plug-less charging.

 

Yeah I say they should do the 5 seats. Volt expanded the middle and did what...increased mpg by 7% in HV mode and increased battery by 30%? Yet they have a more respectable middle seat vs prime?!

 

Sorry what? Last bashing statements were coordinated in december. They need to stop. Make it 1 year, and I'll consider it stopped. Wth is this 10 year straw man.

But also having this Hydrogen non-story step on the prius primes PR is what marketing would call a flub. I mean what is Toyota trumpeting. They are going to make 5000 mirai between in 2016 and 2017. 2900 for north america. That leaves only 2100 for Japan, UK, Denmark, Germany and belgium. They have now added 2 more countries? What they don't think they can lease 1050 a year between those 5? How many really will go to norway and sweeden? You can't say demand is higher than expected in Japan, then need 2 more coutries to lease that few cars.

on the other hand the prius prime should do 20,000 cars/year in north america. And in california, the only state that the mirai will lease more than a handful of those 2900 in 2 years, the prius prime is likely lower in ghg. YMMV.

IMHO the prime is a more important vehicle than the mirai for toyota in north america. Why they want to step on the story with you people really should want a more expensive hydrogen car is just plain tone deaf. no the mirai silly pr stunt of driving in circles in germany or pretend good news about norway isn't plug-in bashing, but why the hype. They already said they only are going to make 5000 cars in 2 years out of the approximately 20 million that toyota/lexus will sell.

I didn't think that was any better than assface for explaining the reason for a rav4 hybrid. I didn't hear him bash plug ins, but he didn't explain why it was better than the other gas only rav4. Pretty bad advertisement.

 

Ironically, I suggest taking your own advice. It was you who dismissed the outspoken few on a forum tired to stir a particular prospective, rather than letting production & sales speak for themselves.

What point does any type of label-of-intent serve anyway?

 

The lack of a fifth seat would prevent me from buying the car, period (and I'm a HUGE Prius guy - check my sig). Most of the time it's just my wife and I with our son, so the Prime would be OK. However, several times a year my parents or the in-laws come over and my wife and her mom sit in the back with our son, while her dad rides up front with me. They all fit comfortably in the back. With the new Prius Prime we would need to rent a car for the fifth person, which is not an acceptable answer. For pure commuting it would be OK, but that 10% 5-person usage would be a no-go.

To me a Prius is a utilitarian family car. I bought it for the versatility and fuel economy (and the PiP because of the sticker). It may be a moot point if CA increases just the HOV white sticker to 2025, because I would have to buy an EV or CNG (probably not CNG). Don't get me started regarding the Mirai - I drove one and enjoyed it, but no way am I buying one. Heck if I wasn't so pragmatic I would have bought the P90D but I'd rather put that money elsewhere. As 2019 approaches (year the green HOV sticker is retired) I may just pick up the P100D because dammit, I love driving (of course I would keep my 2016 Prius for long commutes).

 

I believe Honda discontinued the Civic CNG, so the options on CNG are basically none right now (hence I reserved the Model 3 in anticipation of White HOV Stickers being extended).

 

4 people will feel more comfortable in a 5 seat car than a 4 seat car. The seating option is more on a 5 seat car than a 4 seat car. One can lay flat on their back in the back seat on a 5 seat car to take a nap. A couple can sit together on a 5 seat car. The 5 seat is not only to seat 5 people. I'll make same argument as I did with the volt 1. Sex is more comfortable in the back of a 5 seat car

 

...there you have it!
In defense of 4 seats which we have in our minivan, rear seats get seat warmers (not sure about Prime)

 

There is a Silverado and Impala, but they are bi-fuel with gasoline.

But didn't it have a third row for the rear bench seat action?

 

Have they finally released those? I remember reading about them a long time ago, but don't recall them actually selling them.
Either way, they don't appear to qualify for California HOV access: Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

 

I know the Impala was delayed, but I though the truck was already out.

 

I didn't see it on GM's website, but the ARB website shows 3rd party conversions for some trucks, but I highly doubt it would be on NeilPeart's list.

 

I didn't see it after a quick look on their fleet sale site, but it sounds like it is here for the 2500 and 3500 trucks.
2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD - NY Daily News

 

Only pure CNG qualifies for the HOV sticker. Dual fuels don't qualify.

 

If it were a 5 seater, I'd buy it. I often have to squeeze 5 in the car. Comfortable, maybe if the 3rd person is small, but don't have to leave someone behind or rent a car for the trip. If it seated 5, I'd trade my PiP in. Since it doesn't, I'm not buying.

 

i'm sure you're not the only current owner that feels that way, but toyota is looking for a new market segment.

 

Looking for new owners, in all the wrong places, lol.

 

If only we had some clue of what market segment that may be.

 

Most likely commuters using it to get back and forth at work, where most people solo commute, and want the most efficient ride as possible. Toyota is probably betting that a dual-car household would have another vehicle to handle their occasional fifth person needs...would still like that fifth seat though, it's a good place to squeeze in pets if you have several of them and carrying 3-4 passengers.