Why would anyone Own a Prius

Wives or women in general aren't the greatest judge of character when it comes to buying cars. Search 'coach81' or 'cup holder phenomenon.'

Boy I'm gonna catch flack for that generalization. *hides*

 

Why? Is it the look of the car she doesn't like?

 

Yep, not the slowest but consistently in the "Top 10 Slowest" category.

The Accent and Rio are due for replacement soon, both getting 138hp GDI engines so they will be off that list by the end of the year.

2102 Hyundai Accent


2012 Kia Rio


The not-Smart is just a mistake

 

She does not like the shape of a wagon.

 

The good news is that the current Corolla can be made to handle very well. I own an 09 Corolla S with TRD springs, TRD FSB & RSB & it handles great now. It's a night & day difference from stock with just a few easy upgrades.

 

I just bought a new2010 Prius III & here are the reasons we bought it....

1. It's a Toyota
2. It gets 50+ mpg! :rockon:
3. We liked the style of the 3rd Gen Prius much more than the 2nd Gen.
4. Got a good deal on the 2010 with the 2011 models arriving. :cheer2:
5. My wife wanted an automatic, even though I told her it's a CVT.
6. My wife's hip has been bothering her when pushing in the clutch of her 07 Matrix 5-speed.
7. The Blizzard Pearl is stunning.
8. Gas prices are going up again.
9. Did I mention that it gets 50+ mpg! :cheer2:

 

In the UK test cycle, the difference isn't much. Prius is rated 72.4 MPG and CT200h is rated 68.9 MPG (empirical gallons).

CT200h does not seem to perform well in the aggressive EPA cycle. Either that or Lexus intentionally lowered the number to avoid taking too much thunder away from the Prius.

When driven non-aggressively, CT200h should be able to get close to 50 MPG (US gallons). If you can beat EPA number for the Prius, you'll likely get 50 MPG with CT200h. I can't wait to see the real world numbers from the owners.

 

Unfortunately, EPA is much more accurate than the European cycle in real world.

 

Yes, just pointing out the potential it has. I can beat EPA number easily. UK test cycle suggests the "ceiling" for both cars are about 5% apart.

 

Lexusownersclub.com...I've seen the CT200h.com forum but haven't really spent much time there...

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Right now, the CT is painful for me to look at. Maybe it will grow on me. If it gets over 50 mpg it might start looking better...

 

theres this one too:

CT 200h Model - Club Lexus Forums

 

Have you seen one in person? Like most Lexus vehicles it looks better in person.

 

Steve, I know lol but no amount of convincing can make people change their taste. Let's just be glad we all like the Prius.

 

:doh: :tsk: :frown: :boxing::boxing::boxing: :moony: :frusty: :fencing: :glare: :suspicious: :shocked: :tape: :fish: :yell: :rant: :mad2::jaw: :mmph:

Quite the number of pissed off smilies to choose from....just sayin'

 

Maybe true, but i compare EPA numbers. Two reasons:

1. EPA rating is very close to what an average driver gets. This is very important to me because i don't go out of my way to get good mileage on my Prius...i drive like a normal person in a normal car. European cycle is junk IMO because it does not reflect real world driving...just ask VW TDI owners who believed the European cycle and only to find out what POS rating it is!

2. EPA provides a standard way to compare vehicles...it takes the driver out of the equation and allows us to compare vehicle's fuel economy directly against each other.

So, i don't care how many %, it comes down to the CT200h losing 8 mpgs vs. the Prius. But, this is not really important either, unless you're a hybrid consumer. The problem is that Lexus calls this their most sporty car since IS-F. If it is sporty, then it has to do more than just beat a Smart car off the line! Don't kid ourselves in saying that acceleration is not important...yes, handling is cool, but acceleration is what makes things fun! When you are 10 second car, there isn't much fun, esp. after a young professional just dropped $35,000+ into Lexus bank account! A VW GTi goes from 0-60 in under 6.5 seconds! This is what CT200h faces, along with all the German TDIs and Acuras. 0-60 in 10 seconds...and you call that a sports car?!! Not in my book.

The good news is that there will be plenty of CT200h available for 2nd hand owners after the 1st year of being on sale. Just see how many HS250h are on sale nowadays!

 

Thai,

I agree with most of what you are saying. I also think CT200h will be a great handling car with great passing power. HSD or LHD does not really shine for 0-60 acceleration. The magic comes on when both powertrains reach peak power (30-70).

For someone looking for a more upscale car that gets great MPG and also want a dynamic personality, CT200h has no competition. Responsible fun comes to mind instead of Reckless fun. CT200h should be able to get 50 MPG in Eco mode with smart driving. It can also turn into a completely car in the Sport mode. You'll probably get less than 42 MPG in Sports mode but the point is getting 3 different driving experience for the price of one.

A3 will seem boring with one mode of operation and it's MPG can't touch CT200h.

 

Remember, A3 TDI also has tremendous torque and passing power. That is what makes a diesel a diesel. It is also to be proven if it is any sportier than the A3 TDIs or VW GTI.

Sport mode really does nothing to acceleration off the line. Passing power is good, but is it any better than a TDI? I don't know.

As for mpgs, highway mileage of A3 matches the CT's.

 

A FWD hatchback will never be a great handling car. Great handling comes from 4WD or RWD not from FWD. Great handling comes from double wishbone suspension, not Macpherson struts. Great handling comes from a low CG body style, not a tall hatchback.

 

Exactly, there is only so much you can do with an econobox platform.