Dissatisfied owner....

That's your problem there. As a consumer, did you not do your homework before purchasing the Prius? Why complain about built and economy when that's something you should have done online and at the dealership. This is the model Prius produced in the few years so I know there's plenty of info available.

 

It's no econobox. It's also not a luxury car. It's a $22K car plus options.

I had a 1981 Mazda GLC, that was a true econobox, as was the Civic at the same time. My 1987 Sentra (base model) was significantly better in size and handling (and heat to the passenger compartment), but still probably an econobox. It didn't have power windows, power brakes, power steering, automatic transmission, power mirrors, right-hand mirror, etc. The Prius has all of that, plus more comfort. The passenger room is a midsize vehicle, handling is fine, I feel comfortable taking corners at 20 mph which would be very uncomfortable in a Range Rover.
There is a squeak in the driver's door if I rest my elbow on/next to the window. No other rattles except junk I have stored in the various compartments. Nobody will mistake it for a $35K+up car, and only a few confused people ever expect it to be so. It has the highest rating for customer satisfaction of any car at Consumer Reports, so I think most people have reasonable expectations for it.

The price premium over a similiarly-equipped midsize vehicle is maybe $3K, which would be recouped in less than 40K miles at today's gas price - assuming equal depreciation with a standard car, which we know doesn't happen, probably recoup the price difference in under 10K miles in actuality.

It did get a poor rating in 5mph crash test because the bumpers don't go all the way to the sides (behind the molding), causing significant damage in corner hits.

I agree completely for saving the most money, a new Prius is not the best option. But if you want to buy a new car, this is the most eco-friendly new car available. Lifelong energy cost is way below any other car (possible exception of HCH and the old or new Insight). And eventually it will become somebody else's used car when all the 1984 Civics are rusted away or legislated off the road because of high emissions, or people don't want to drive them because of no airbags, ABS, etc.

You did: "any econo-box deniers should take a wheel off their prius and look to see what it's made from... ...A pop can is made of higher quality..."

Like qbee said, the unsprung weight is a big issue. I haven't heard of any wheel failures, so I think they did a fine job.

 

If you're not happy with the Prius, what makes you think you'd be happy with a Yaris? More test rides might be in order for your next vehicle. The good thing is, you can sell your Prius today and probably lose very little money in the transaction.

 

No.... actually it's an econobox with a 10K hybrid surcharge

I was referring to the chassis of the vehicle, and even reiterated this in a subsequent post.

 

It's good engineering, which is another way of saying that it is adequate for the job.

 

Gotcha. You are talking about the Prius itself and not the wheels. My mistake.

It's the same argument for the body, including weight savings, except it isn't quite as bad as unsprung weight. Weight savings is the main reason for all of the aluminum in the body. Aluminum isn't cheaper, but it is lighter.

Tom

 

What!! You mean to tell me that If someone was able to reverse engineer a Prius to NOT have the hybrid system, that the car would be sold for $10K. Come on and BE REALISTIC! The car is a 30K vehicle that we are getting for 22K. In other words, IF there was a Hybrid system surcharge, it would me more realistic to be only 2K.

Remember the Prius was Built around the Hybrid Synergy Drive... Instead of Everything Else currently out there which IS in reality an aftermarket Mod put in by the dealer.

 

Fish antlers, the question that I would like to ask you is what is your definition of an econobox. What characteristics would you ascribe to an econobox?

I would not call the Prius an econobox, but that is because it does not meet the characteristics that I would asign to an econobox. One of the characteristics is that an automatic transmission is an option not standard. Same with power windows, power mirrors, and power locks. Fuel economy is the biggest selling point. Cheap to repair is the second. Small engine, small fuel tank, low vehicle weight (all to aid with fuel economy) in all vehicles. Often have substandard building materials as well as a bare minimum of safety features. If involved in a wreck, the vehicle is totaled most of the time due to the low price of the vehicle and the inability of the chasis to survive any more than minor impacts.

I have owned numerous econoboxes from Ford Festivas to Geo Metros to and AMC Spirit. I'm not saying they were bad cars (though one or two were not good) but the ones that were involved in a wreck (none my fault) were destroyed. One was rear ended in a highway accident. I was traveling 45 and the vehicle that hit me from behind was doing 55. Even the hood was damaged by the impact and the chasis was bent, thus totaling the car.

Oh, one other characteristic of an econobox, for me at least, is the sticker. The Yaris would probably be an econobox, but I don't know about the features on it.

 

Good question !? Maybe the common definition of Econobox would set the debate.

Let's make a comparison:

Econobox------vs------Prius
small------------------roomy
subcompact-----------midsize
boxy------------------stylish
few luxuries-----------lots of accessories
low price--------------good price
fuel efficient----------very fuel efficient


In all test drive I saw, the Prius was always compared to the Camry (and never with the Yaris). Be it chassis, comfort, handling, interior, power or equipement. To my knowledge the Camry is no econobox.

So maybe according to your definition it is but in reality it is not.

:amen:
:tea:

 

Maybe we don't use ours enough? I've NEVER had a problem with moldy A/C in > 100K miles (both cars total) and we get pretty humid in July and August.

Compared to what? It gets better mileage than any other car sold in the U.S. today. Or do you mean compared to the EPA numbers? That would depend on where and how you drive. I bet any number of people here could increase your mileage by 10%

Wife's car has an annoying rattle somewhere near or behind the left air ducts. Thought I found something, still working on it. Mine has a bit of a rattle just above my left ear. Most things I *think* are rattles, end up being something in the glove or center dash storage compartment. Or the empty soda can in the center cup holder. Sometimes I get paranoid I guess

Please do, I've not seen any "this is a lemon" comments yet

Oh yeah, and the bumper thing. As someone else noted, blame the U.S. Govt (or probably the automakers and their lawyers) for dropping the 5 MPH bumper requirement. Look around, you'll see a LOT of cars of all makes with pushed in bumper corners. A bump at 5 MPH should be a NO DAMAGE / NO COST bump.

 

Yep, we've noticed you are in denial. SyCo's definition makes sense, yours does not.

 

I can't comment because I might "hint" at being rude, or even have someone interpret that I might "hint" at being rude :mod::mod::mod: the "hint" police are watching :mod:

 

the Prius is the best car i have ever owned BY FAR...

but that is because i have owned a lot of TRUE econo boxes, and the Prius is not one by a long shot.

i had a chevy sprint that was slow, small and CHEAP... very cheap, got great gas mileage . but i always felt hesitant driving that thing on the freeway because it felt flimsy, cheap and too light to handle speeds over 50 mph. it was great in town, but that is as far as i would drive it.

also had a chevy vega (i didnt buy it but did drive it a bit...BUMMER!~!) had an AMC gremlin...another regrettable chapter in my life...

so trust me, the Prius is not an econobox... take from a former econobox expert.,

 

I have driven many, many cars. Civics...luxury cars. The Prius is way more car than a Civic or Yaris or Corolla. It rides better, the materials are better, its bigger, its quieter. It has more features.

Read my posts, I hardly love the Prius and if my wife would let me I would trade it in on something like a Highlander...or any SUVish vehicle in a heartbeat but what you are saying is simply untrue. I am not duped...I'm a car enthusiast who test drives cars as a hobby...I read car model specs on a Friday night and thats what I LIKE to do. There aren't a whole lot of car models I haven't driven at one point or another. The Prius is more car than a Yaris. If you don't see that, they you haven't had a whole lot of automotive experience or you're just trying to get a rise out of everyone here.

 

you might want to take a CLOSE look at the chassis of the prius before making statements like this.

grab a floor jack, try to jack it up, and then post your experience (seriously.. try jacking it up)

 

hungry troll-like including avatar in need of feeding

 

I've seen a few posts here saying the Prius is a car that gets decent gas mileage - are they nuts? This car is still the #1 most fuel efficient car in the US among mainstream cars sold today.

I may be driving mine pretty casually and not on short trips, but a solid 55 mpg average (my last tankful), only decent? That's freakin' off the hook.

My 2003 Yamaha YZF600R, 600cc 450lb. motorcycle could not at any time squeeze out more than about 52 mpg highway. This Prius is an almost 3,000 lb car that whups that little motorcycle in fuel economy.

Prius interior? Very good. The way the center console is laid out to rest 2 whole forearms on, the armrest on the doors, very nice. I think the upholstery is very nice.

Squeaks and rattles? Say what? Granted I've only got 1,000 miles, so hope not to hear them. Hopefully the complaints don't mount up over time, but I don't have any yet.

Not everyone seems to get the beauty of a hybrid electric drivetrain. A car whose engine automatically shuts off when not needed - at stop lights, stopped in traffic, creeping along in traffic, in a drive thru, waiting at railroad crossings, shuffling thru a parking lot, pulling into the garage, sometimes cruising 40 mph, dropping someone off, picking someone up, etc, etc....

 

A big part of this debate centers around weight. The Prius is not a light car. For its size its weight is close to average. The hybrid drive system, however, is heavy. To keep the overall weight of the Prius at a reasonable value, Toyota has stripped weight any place they can. This includes aluminum body panels, plastic, and very little sound insulation.

The light weight construction and lack of sound insulation amplifies rattles and road noise. My Prius is very quiet on smooth roads, but noisy on a grooved or textured surface. Not obnoxiously so, but noisier than a big luxury car stuffed with heavy sound absorbing mats.

The light weight construction does not make the Prius an econobox. Look at aircraft, where weight is even more important. The scantlings on aircraft are very light by necessity, but that doesn't make them cheap. It is simply a matter of form following function, as it is in the Prius.

Tom