Well, I've had the car for a couple of days now and it's what I thought it would be. Anytime you buy something and actually get what you thought you paid for, that's a win. Compared to my 08' BMW, it's loud, rides like crap (Omaha roads are awful), and there are even some rattles (how could there not be with the copious use of plastics). You know what, I love it. Sure I take crap from the bros, but who cares...that makes me laugh. If you live in an urban environment...and yes, I know Omaha isn't NYC, but if you live downtown somewhere with tight parking spaces and lots of traffic lights, this car is perfect. I have severl friends consulting in the DC area and I told them this car is the car I would drive there. My mother, who lives in Vegas, drives to consulting appointments everyday. Vegas sucks...I told her to get a Prius because it's just so damn cheap to operate. I usually drive in PWR mode and am still turning better than 47mpg. My BMW gets a combined 20...my wife's MDX gets a, gasp, combined 16-17. Since the windows are already sort of tinted on my V, all I have left to purchase are some all wx mats. I'll probably go with the Weathertech digital laser cut ones front and aft, and will probably go with the Toyota all wx cargo mat because it looks like it folds to accommodate access to the storage compartment. The Weathertech cargo mat looks like it doesn't fold. Many of you have purchased the Canadian Toyota all wx mats, as well as the Husky brands. One thing is clear, no one seems to have found the perfect all wx combo just yet. That being said, I'll probably go with Weathertech because of their quality.
Well for sure its a big step down from a BMW I made a big step down myself.......sold my Lancer Evolution X for a Prius Touring here in Canada! I will miss driving it, but i was getting upset every 2 days when i had to waste money on gas!
It is interesting to see the comments from previous "performance" car owners. I have not seen complaints about steering feel being numb. Only the magazine reviews mention about it. I guess average (most) drivers don't care. Prius steering works great for me. It runs where I point it to. I do not want to feel the road imperfections in my hands.
Thanks for the honest review. In my case, the car actually exceeded my expectations (came from a Camry).
I came from a Phaeton. Rarely look back. And, whenever I do, I just try to remember when the last time was I filled up...
I came from an Acura RDX and love my Prius V. It reminds me of my old Integra GSR. Not too big or too small, sporty enough while still being practical, and can swallow a lot of cargo when the back seats are down. Only spending $25 at the gas station also helps a lot, too.
We came from a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. While there are some elements we miss about the Veracruz, the Prius is a great car in its own right. Craig
Funny how a haircut changes the whole look to a V. See in Canada, it's the G3 Prius, not some roman numeral...
My Prius is quiter than my Chevy HHR was so for me it was a step up. It also rides better because the HHR was an SS and had a sport suspension. The ride is also easier on my back.
We traded in a Chevy Tahoe Z71 to the Prius V and we are saving a ton on gas. I also have a Highlander Hybrid so if we need more room we take that. I really do like the V because it is a ton of fun to drive.....
Best money I ever spent!! Yeah, 50 miles a gallon is nice. Gas is 2.95 GAL here. Really like the leather!! Many happy V owners here: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/77753-you-happy-your-pkg-v.html
For my everyday car, my Prius II is a step up from a gas-guzzling Subaru Forester with a sloppy automatic transmission. In terms of functionality, my husband and I often use the Prius on weekends instead of our nicer BMWs (for trips to the hardware and grocery stores). Yes, our BMWs are quieter, smoother, (have a standard transmission which I LOVE), but the Prius is still not a lousy Chevy or a Ford and I love the $ and time I save by not visiting the gas stations as often.
I sold my 2004 350Z for my V...The Z only had 17K miles on it! Love the new car, drive it a lot more that the Z.
It's bigger, it's faster, it's more comfortable. And it get's even better mileage than the last one. How do they do that? That's what I tell my friends when they ask how I like my new Gen 3 vs. my 07 Gen 2.
Like to hear your comments coming from a BMW to the V. I have a BMW 535xi and lease is up this month. Keep trying to talk myself into the V, but really don't know if I can get used to the transition. It is a difference in power, handling, comfort and weight of the car. Of course, it is a big difference in gas mileage too. Although I freeway trips, the BMW is not too bad. Last week on a 400 mile freeway trip, I actually got 30.1 mpg, which was the best ever. Usually it is around 27. I have also tried the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid and like those a little better. Still would like to somehow talk myself into getting a V though. 48 to 50 mpg would be nice! Glad to hear that you love your V!
The GEN III is more refined almost a premium vehicle!! You get so much with the V 17s and better suspension, leather, LED headlights and so on! There's a PWR mode button when you miss the beemer Have you driven a V??
Here's my take...the Prius V is awesome. It is exactly what you think it would be and performs as advertised. That being said, there is absolutely nothing, ZERO, in common between the Prius and a BMW, period. I think these days I'm a two car guy...one for daily commuting around town and one for blasting on the weekend. You will severely miss your BMW when you return it at lease end...as will I when I return mine in January. My V has a ton of road noise, handles okay (read, not German-like), has rattles and isn't fast. However, it delivers on fuel economy and is easy to maneuver around in tight city streets/parking spots. I've found when I'm in my Prius I drive completely different compared to when I drive my BMW. If you truly want a commuter car with great efficiency and, frankly, a lot of room/utility for it's size, the Prius V will NOT disappoint. I'm not going to pick up a new BMW or Audi coupe. I think once I get past the winter I'll look into a used Cayman S for pure driving pleasure.
Yea as you point out the Prius doesn't pretend to be a BMW. That may be the point. It doesn't pretend to be anything. I think it stands alone as a great design. It does what it was designed to do best. My other cars are 07 Vette convertible and 2011 Camry XLE
