BMW 335d or a Prius V?

Uh...you do realize you are asking for an objective comparison between a BMW and a Prius....in PRIUS Chat?

If you just want ammo to sell your friend on The Prius then good choice. If you really want a comparison....maybe not such a good choice.

Of course I'd rather have The Prius. Without knowing your friend, or your friends priorities and desires in an automobile how can I recommend one? If they are choosing between a BMW 335d or Prius V then I'm guessing they can afford either, so if they get one and in a year or two want the other that can happen. I'd recommend the one your friend wants the most.

 

First of all, your not comparing apples to apples in this comparison.
The BMW is close to the $45K dollar mark. The Prius V loaded is closer to $32K.

The BMW is Diesel if I am correct and the Prius is Regualr Gasoline

HP of the BMW 245HP, Rear Wheel Drive
Prius V, 134HP, Front Wheel Drive

The list could go on and on. If the person wants speed and performance, Loads of features lean to the BMW.

If they want to be greener and save fuel and look at Efficiency while still having a lot of neat toys, and (save $$ due to MPG)...Buy the Prius

The list could go on and on, but you need to know what a person likes and how they drive and what THEY are looking for. I love my 2010 Prius and it's because of the great features, ride, options, and efficiency.....Would I love a BMW?? Maybe...but then I have to get Diesel..(ugh), 35 MPG compared to 50+ MPG, and spend $13K yes that's 13 Thousand dollars more...

If I wanted to spend 13 Thousand more then I guess I am not concerned with the efficiency as much since that $13K will buy a lot of gas!

 

If he is all about driving excitement, BMW 335d, no question. Twice the horsepower, better handling.

If he is all about 'green' issues, reducing oil consumption, reducing pollutants, reducing noise, the Prius. Twice the city mileage, perhaps 1/3 the pollution.

Mind you, the BMW costs twice as much, and is twice as fast. (0-60 in 5.9 vs 10.1)

 

Prius NMOG 0.028 g/mi CO2 0.04 g/mi NOx 0.003 g/mi Hwy NOx 0.002 g/mi
335d NMOG 0.037 g/mi CO2 0.20 g/mi NOx 0.040 g/mi Hwy NOx 0.00 g/mi

Trialing zeros in CO2 and NOx are to make the columns line up and are not a sign of accuracy.

The BMW does well with Non Methane Organic Gasses, trails badly on CO2 and NOx, and either wins at Hwy NOx or they did not measure as accurately.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cert/pcldtmdv/2010/toyota_pc_a0140657_1d8_pz_hevge.pdf

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/onroad/cert/pcldtmdv/2009/bmw_pc_a0080247_3d0_l2_diesel.pdf

 

How do you compare these two cars? I don’t have the interest or inclination to spend $54,500 (a pretty-well loaded 335d), tough I was willing to spend some dollars on a Prius V. I’m very interested in the tech goodies available on the Prius, and I don’t have to have the “ultimate driving machine†experience of the much more expensive BMW. Now you have my rather subjective view of things.
I’ll try for a more objective point of view and look at some basic metrics. I have no information on the 2010 BMW, so I’m using information about the 2009 BMW 335d and comparing it to the 2010 Prius V.

Fuel Economy (from www.fuelecononomy.gov)
BMW 335d: 23 City, 36 Highway, 27 Combined
Prius V: 51 City, 48 Highway, 50 Combined

Carbon Footprint (from www.fuelecononomy.gov)
BMW 335d: 7.8 tons CO2 per year
Prius V: 3.7 tons CO2 per year

General Information (from R. L. Polk & Co. via comparison at www.mbusa.com)
Cargo Room: BMW: 12.0 cu ft; Prius: 21.6 cu ft
ICE: BMW: 3.0 liter I6; Prius: 1.8 liter I4
Horsepower: BMW: 265@4200; Prius: 134@5200
Traction & Stability: Both cars have Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control and ABS
Wheels/Tires: BMW: 17x8 with 225/45 R17 tires; Prius: 17x7 with 215/45 R17 tires

Safety & Security (from R. L. Polk & Co. via comparison at www.mbusa.com)
Both cars have dual stage deployment front airbags, seat mounted airbags, front and rear side head curtain airbags, passenger airbag cutoff sensors, crumple zones and LATCH systems. Though both have front pretensioners for emergencies, only the Prius has it with force limiters. Both cars have 4-wheel disk brakes, though the regenerative braking on the Prius will give much more extended life to the brakes.
Both cars have selective power door locks, keyless entry and anti-theft systems with immobilizers. Homelink is standard on the Prius, while a universal garage door opener is an option on the BMW.

Both cars have power, heated exterior mirrors, intermittent wipers and rear window defoggers. The BMW has memory adjustable exterior mirrors and rain sensor wipers, while the Prius has an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Both cars have high pressure retractable headlight washers, but while the BMW has HID headlamps, the Prius has LED lights; both have halogen fog lamps.

Comfort & Convenience (from R. L. Polk & Co. via comparison at www.mbusa.com)
Different worlds in some respects, but an amazingly similar number of like features. The BMW has dark burl walnut wood trim, fancier leather seats and a moonroof. Although the Prius has several adjustments available on the driver’s seat, including a power lumbar support, the BMW also has multi-adjustable power driver and passenger seats (with memory). The Prius has 60/40 split folding rear seat with access to the hatch storage area, while the BMW’s trunk is separated from the passenger area.

Though not everyone loves the JBL premium system in the Prius V, it does come with a multi-CD changer and XM satellite radio, while the multi-CD player is an option on the BMW. Both have DVD Nav systems available as options, along with the option to have vehicle location systems.

Both cars have electronic parking assist systems and intelligent cruise control systems available. The Prius has a Lane Keep Assist option, but I do not know whether this is available on the BMW. Both cars have one-touch up and down windows, though the Prius adds pinch protection.

I could not find information about the suspension systems, though I suspect the BMW has independent suspension, front and back, while the Prius has a rear torsion bar.

Dimensions (from R. L. Polk & Co. via comparison at www.mbusa.com)
Very much the same worlds on the interior, though the Prius is smaller in exterior measurements (except that is sits higher by more than 2.5 inches).

The Prius has more headroom front and rear (though only by 0.1 inch in each case), and it has more leg room front (42.5 inches to 41.5) and rear (36.0 to 34.6). The BMW has more shoulder room front (55.4 to 54.9) and rear (55.1 to 53.1).

I really have no idea whether this type of objective information would help anyone make a decision between these two cars. It shows me the cars have VERY similar dimensions and luxury features, except that the suspension and internal appointments of the BMW will far exceed those of the Prius. The reliability of the Prius is going to far exceed that of the BMW, and the maintenance costs of the Prius will be much lower than those of the BMW.

 

Without knowing your friends requirements, what they do today with their existing ride or plan to do the in the future, it is impossible to really tell. So in one respect, you're asking what we think is important.

In terms of operating costs, it depends upon how they typically drive. Let's assume your friend drives a lot less than 15,000 miles per year and most of the trips are under 5 miles. In this case, it almost doesn't matter and which ever car 'feels best' works. If your friend travels more than 10 miles on a typical drive and over 15,000 miles per year, the Prius makes sense because of the low operating costs.

For utility, the Prius has a lot of interior space and rear seats that fold down for stuff. The BMW 335d, a sedan, is pretty much specific for people. If your friend is in sales or frequently entertains or has kids or others to tote about, the BMW 335d makes a lot of sense. But if your friend seldom carries more than one other person or has a home and does light duty loads, the Prius is a more flexible solution.

To piss off the neighbors depends upon the type of neighbors. If most folks have down-scale and used vehicles, either one, new will be enough. Now if they tend to be fans of George Will and Rush Limbaugh, get the Prius. If they tend to ride bicycles, walk and otherwise treat the world a precious resource, go for the BMW.

Bob Wilson

 

Now if they tend to be fans of George Will and Rush Limbaugh, get the Prius. If they tend to ride bicycles, walk and otherwise treat the world a precious resource, go for the BMW.

ound:

 

I'm guessing if they are interested in both that both would satisfy them equally. The Prius has not disappointed me. They need to get a loaded one though or they would indeed soon be wishing for the BMW. I still look at the 335d as a possible addition to my fleet as my "trip" car.

 

I am replacing a BMW with a Prius. Why? The BMW was a great, comfortable and good looking vehicle, but maintenance and repairs were very expensive, kept coming on a regular basis and service diminished as the car got older. Replacing my 528 with another BMW was never a consideration, but neither is keeping a vehicle, any new vehicle, beyond its (extended) warranty period.

 

Exactly!

I'm not going to echo all of the points which have already been stated. FWIW, Report Shows Diesel Drivetrains Have Quicker Payback Time Than Hybrids claims the "payback" period of a 335d (over an unspecified BMW, presumably another 3 series) is 5.6 years. From 2009 BMW 335d - Road Test - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver, there a link to http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezf...lication/0dda04134deeae34dad94dcfb884a66d.pdf ("The Diesel (Dis)advantage") which states you'd need to drive 193,333 miles to break even vs. a 335i and 960,000 miles vs. a 328i.

Try looking at the equipment levels of the base 335d which is ~$45K to start vs. Prius V. Then try equipping the 335d to have comparable equipment levels.

Maintenance and repair costs on BMWs will be killer once the "free" maintenance and warranty run out.

Keep in mind that per Side-by-Side Comparison, the 335d's combined EPA mileage is only 27 mpg vs. 50 on the Prius. In CR's testing, they got on the:
2009 335d:19/40, 28 mpg overall and 34 mpg on a 150 mile trip.
2010 Prius: 32/55, 44 mpg overall and 53 mpg on a 150 mile trip

Also, diesel has been generally more expensive than regular gasoline since Sept 2004 although there are periods of inversion. See http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/diesel/ and http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/ask/diesel_faqs.asp. Right now per http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/, diesel's more expensive.

If you want to look a "break even" point for the 335dvs. over a Prius.... errr... never.

 

For driving fun, the BMW. For fuel economy, interior volume, and long-term reliability, it's the Prius. He might also want to consider one of the Lexus hybrids.

For the price of a well equipped 335d, he could get a Prius and a nice used 330Cic (rag top). We have both. The Prius is the wife's commuter car, the BMW is my daily driver except when the weather gets sloppy. We also have a Lexus RX400h AWD.

 

I hope we sounded like adults and not fanboys, we really like the Prius, but realize it is not for everyone.

 

Get both!

 

There we go...


They are different cars made for different driving tastes. If your friend is looking for a more confortable, solid and powerful ride with better handling and better interior quality, the BMW 335d is a better choice but it gets fierce competition. It is also good idea to check out similarly priced Lexus, Acura, Audi, Infinity, etc... in that case.

If your friend don't mind the luxury but is looking for a decent ride and is more concerned about fuel efficiency, then the Prius is a no brainer.

 

For me it has everything to do with my carbon footprint and wanting to do something for today and the future...