Chicago Sun Times: Prius gets rivals

This fellow does a lot of the msn.com auto reviews. I haven't read this article, but it looks like there is a lot of anti-Prius bias floating around in the mainstream car media. After all, everybody wants a Prius, and there are a lot of other cars that need to be sold out there. It's a bad market because gas prices have climbed too far, too fast recently, and the dealers are stuck with a lot of cars they can't sell.

The Prius is not a dull car to drive. It is very quiet and silky smooth--a joy compared to some other cars. And it's peppy like a V6 from the getgo--thanks to the big electric low end torque.

Gas mileage-wise, there is no regular size ICE car that can match it's city mileage. Forget about the highway numbers that dealers are quoting these days.

 

Prius not very much fun to drive?!?! I'm hurt! :hurt:

 

are you serious?? i love my prius but its one of the slowest car i've ever driven.. its power is far from a V6 IMO... my 16-year-old accord takes off much faster than the prius...

 

How can that title be correct?

I didn't find anything close to the Prius mentioned. The smart car is great but its not in the same class. The Altima hybrid is also nice but its in the class with the Camry and other larger hybrids.

When is the next 4/5 seat hatchback hybrid coming?

A Civic hybrid hatchback would be an alternative but it does not exist.

 

I want a Prius (not bad enough obliviously) but to remain # 1 (?) Toyota needs to pull a rabbit out of a hat again.

 

It depend on what he considers boring about the Prius. Is it the silent smooth electrical engine take off? Does he miss the noise of the gas engine roaring off the line? After all it is not a $100,000 sports car or a open door golf cart. Just what was he expecting for it to do? Maybe Al Gore's son could take him for a ride doing 107 MPH in a Prius.

On my first ride in a Prius, the salesman got down on it and caused my head to hit the headrest. I was very surprised, I had expected a boring ride. I had worried the car might not be able to get out of the way of slow merging traffic. That is differently not true. My wife has to remind me to slow down quite often, since it does not feel like I am going as fast as a none hybrid car.

In my opinion, the man writing the article just thought the comment would get more readers.

 

He does supply his email address: :typing:
[email protected]
Why not let HIM know? :argue:

 

if you own/owned a RWD or AWD sports car that handles well, you'll understand "fun to drive"

Although his article is somewhat anti-hybrid, his comment "acceleration is so-so" is on the mark but "it has a complicated design that requires Toyota mechanics" is BS for the most part.

As for boring... well, I'll say that the Prius is fun to drive in a different way than a sports car due to its MFD and the tendency to try to want to find ways to improve you mileage (MFD helps due to instant feedback).

But, it's NOT fun in the way a sports car is. It isn't particularly engaging/involving to drive. Its handling, while adequate, is very poor by sports car standards as is its road/steering feel. Its acceleration is adequate around town and on the highway, but it's TERRIBLE on the highway compared to my (287 hp) Z and my former (255 hp) 02 Maxima.

I think current Prius owners who do/used to own a sports car/sports sedan w/good handling can relate to what I'm talking about. Before I owned a Z (or anything that handled well), I poo-pooed people telling me about the great handling of their BMW 3-series, etc. I just really didn't get it until I owned a car w/good handling myself. When you finally have one, you discover that you love taking turns faster and intentionally finding roads w/lots of twisties.

 

Orracle,
The dirty little secret in my life is that between all of the really great Toyotas I bought, I once purchased a Renault Fuego. I am sure this car has been discontinued soon after I bought it new in 1983. I bought it because of that P _ _ C K, Dan Jedlicka. He rated it, and wrote his article on it like he read the company's public relations releases on the ca. I bought it based on his positive write-up. I had the car for just less than 1 year. In that year of complete frustration, time consumed bringing it to the dealer, I had almost every part of the engine and transmission replaced...also the power steering pump, air conditioning unit, etc, etc..
For that whole year I drove $500.00 beaters the dealer was good enough to give me while my brand new Renault was constantly in shop. In essence, I was paying new car payments and driving 8-10 year old cars.
I finally took it in for trade-in at a significant loss financially to a reputable dealer. He apologized to me for his low offer. His offer was the best of 3 other dealers.
Dan Jedlicka is a stiff, a reporter that has no ethical responsibility to his paper, the Chicago Sun Times. He should have been fired years ago. He is not a critic, he's a joke. Use his column for the waste paper for your bird cage, if you have birds. I get heated just knowing he is still working as a auto critic.

 

To me, "boring" is sitting around the house because you don't have the gas money to drive someplace interesting ...

 

Anti-Prius articles are actually a good thing, IMO. They keep stupid people out of the market and make room for those who really need/want one.

 

I love your account of your first drive in the Prius! When I took my first drive, the salesman first told me to floor it to 60 in a 35 mph zone. Then he told me to run into the truck in front of me to test the air bags - "just kidding" he says. Then he tells me to take the car 60 over a large speed bump with no hands on the steering wheel. I thought the guy was going to kill me! That was the hardest I ever drove a car in my life, and minus the laws he requested me to break, it was great fun! I felt sorry for my car when I bought it and it's average mpgs were under 20 - all those wild test drives it took!

Later, I thought of contacting those crazy dudes from the show Jackass. It would be funny if they went down to the the dealership and actually took the guy up on the air bag test!

We love our cars and we know their value. There is a shortage and that says everything. Some people like to crap all over successful things. :lalala:

 

Re: if you own/owned a RWD or AWD sports car that handles well, you'll understand "fun to drive"

I can't speak to the Spitfire, but it's not just about speed, but it's the driving experience and handling. I'm sure owners of cars like Miatas, 350Zs, Boxsters, 911s, Lancer Evos and WRX STIs can attest to that.