Question: WHY DID YOU BUY A HYBRID?

I first purchased a 2010 Prius basically for fuel efficient reasons. A secondary reason was environmental. In time, I came to appreciate the reliability and maintenance-free benefits.

Finally, (not an original reason, but one that I quickly learned) other aspects of the hybrid impressed me .... a biggie is the fact that the ICE stops at a stoplight. I hate to see all the cars idling at stoplights, or while mothers waiting to pick up the kids at school. I found no shortcomings in the hybrid with regard to performance, handling, hill-climbing ability. The 2010 was quiet, responsive, and I was so satisfied with it that after 130,000 miles, I traded it on a 2015 Avalon hybrid. I gave up 10 mpg in doing so, but the Avalon is more comfortable, luxurious, roomier, and .... well, I really enjoy the TAH.

Finally, I will say that regardless of the cost of fuel .... I do not see myself ever buying another non-hybrid.

 

Too late:


Bob Wilson

 

Technological fusion of gasoline and electric power sources. Reciprocating combustion was always poorly suited to widely varying power requirements (this is why we have varying gear ratios). Power-split was a new way in practice (not in theory). Make the gasoline part operate mostly in its happy place, and what could be achieved?

More than 2000 US buyers stuck their necks out before me. For a manufacturer below the level of Toyota, I suppose many of us would not have.

NHW11 entertained us endlessly with solid performance (transportation appliance) and several quirks. Hard to imagine that any other vehicle at the time would have been so entertaining. At least not in the same ways

This fuel itself from the outset was so outrageously energy-dense that any sort of muckup would make it down the road. But Prius was quite a different beast.

All those millions of buyers who came later after it was 'safe' - well I think they made pretty good decisions. But they were different decisions.

 

In my case, it was a rain-slick street accident that killed our 1991 Camry. Forced to find a replacement, our 03 Prius turned out to be entertaining and enlightening.

Bob Wilson

 

My 2007 Toyota Corolla slipped on some ice and crashed into a container truck, destroying the front and causing my insurance to declare it totaled. I needed a new vehicle and wanted something with outstanding reliability (tracked across 4 different websites, with final contenders needing recognition from all 4) in my price range. I could have gotten another Corolla, but the added miles per gallon and the technology factor led me to the Prius. Also, a few of my family members own one and highly recommended it.

 

Number 1 thing was technology. It was like 2012 when my sister got a 2005 Prius. I couldn't believe the push button start, smart key, HID headlights, LED tail lights, and don't even get me started on Hybrid Synergy Drive! All this coming from a model that came out in late 2003!

I was floored and had to have one. I sold my big comfy Volvo S80 as soon as possible

 

I wanted to replace my aged 99.5 Golf TDI with something that was still efficient, and my commute is short. This means that diesels are actually fairly poorly suited to it - their emissions control systems can be damaged and clogged by short trips, and they take forever to warm up.

Ultimately, I knew I'd want at least some electrification in my next car, although I'm not sure I could've gotten an exterior outlet for an EVSE. Full BEVs wouldn't have worked so well for me - the only one on the market at the time that would have met my requirements was the Model S, and that's way too expensive for me, a much larger car than I really want, and it'd require some flexibility in routing on road trips. PHEVs, with such an outlet, could've worked well, but the only one that was readily available in my area at the time was the Volt, and I despised the Gen 2 Volt's suspension tuning, interior ergonomics, and exterior visibility.

The Gen 4 Prius has been well matched to my requirements, has had enough performance for me, handles surprisingly nicely, and I'm happy with it.

 

We'd had two Camrys before we moved to Honduras in 2007, so we already knew about Toyota reliability. We did some research on line as we prepared to move back to FL in 2014 and found out that the Prius offered that reliability along with a ton of fuel cost savings. We bought two '05s from Todd at Tampa Hybrids the day after we got to Tampa. My wife's got demolished as we sat at a red light about 13 months ago, so we went back and got her an '07. My '05 was needing some pricey repairs, so I got my PiP at the end of last month. All of them have been fantastic. It's going to take a heck of a car in the future to lure me away from Prius. They do have some quirks, but as an engineer and efficiency nut, I love the long term frugality.

 

Why? Of course to stick it to the man.

 

I wanted the mileage and the quality of Toyota sold me. I gave up a GT 500 to get 52 mpg.

 

Sick of paying taxes to the Government. So if I could find a way to get out of paying some taxes (Fuel Tax) by owning a Prius it was well worth it. The reason I don't drink alcohol or smoke is the sin taxes that I don't have to pay. My state, Pa. has raised the fuel tax .30 a gallon over the last three years so my purchase of a Prius was a smart move in the long term. Yep guys we have the highest fuel taxes in the country.
If you really want a jaw dropper head over to the Pennsylvania Turnpikes website and look up the toll rates to cross the state.

 

While I am sure JP Lion 97meant well, despite a very poorly thought out quiz, they have not been back to PriusChat since they wrote their post. We are talking to dead air.

One hopes their instructor explained what such a poll should look like and they realized theirs was unrecoverable.

 

Why did I buy a Hybrid?....... It was 2001 ...I needed a car, my old Ford Tempo was probably going to leave me stranded somewhere...I could just feel it. I was looking at getting nice Camry for around $27k but came across the Prius on the internet.
Low emission? You mean I can choose to drive to work every day and put half as much poison in the air? I can do this for under 20k?
I knew it wouldn't "Save the world" but I wanted my kids to know I at least tried to make things a little better for their future. That little green Prius was the best car I ever owned. Twelve years before the battery finally died.... couldn't afford a new one with some cash flow issues at the time... settled for a used 2009...its okay....but just never felt like "mine"... now I've ordered a Prius Prime Advanced...... It should get me to work and home on electric only. I cannot wait.

 

Thank you for sharing. You're one of the originals!

 

That's a good point. But we still have fun anyway.

 

I really really hate spending money to go to work.