Hi , First up, I know this has been discussed before and I have read lots of threads here but as the selection criteria for different people will be different , I am posting this thread. I am planning to buy a Prius in June and be an active participant here!! About 6 months back - the choice was very easy and clear. They were no alternatives to Prius and it was a slam dunk choice for me but now the Prius V and Camry hybrid are available. So, I am unable to make a choice now and really am clueless as to what to buy. My main issues :: 1. Mileage - this is obvious. But ,do I go with 40mpg or 50mpg ?? Also, how do the real world #'s stack up ? In the worst scenarios - what are the worst fuel economies of these three? Main issue is the consistency in the ratings - How do these 3 compare ? 2. Getting in/out & Seating position : How do these compare ? The V is 3 inches higher than Prius - so is it's seating position also a bit higher - like an SUV or is the difference insignificant ? How do these two compare with the Camry ? I have an 07 Camry - so I can compare to it. I like a higher seating position - like in an SUV. 3. Road noise : I see a lot of this in these forums. Also CR and other reviews regularly mention it - this is for the Prius. The V is supposedly much quieter as is the Cam hybrid. I am assuming Cam Hyb is the quietest of all. But ,practically - is the road noise that bad to be a deal breaker ? I have my stereo almost all the time - so that may help. 4. Price - I would like to be around the $24k price. I prefer the Prius III as it has back up cam. The V also is similar in price - the base model ,not sure if it has backup cam standard. Cam Hyb seems to be the most expensive of all starting at $ 27k MSRP for the LE model . Prefer new as used Prii are insanely expensive with lots of miles. 5. Trunk space - non issue for me. Thanks . I am really at my wit's end as to what to select !!
Seems like an easy decision to me. If you don't need lots of room then forget about the v. If you value comfort and speed more than mpg then get the Camry. If you value mpg over comfort and speed get the Prius. IMO the Prius looks the best.
U have to make some compromise in almost anything u choose so to best do that make a honest list of what is most important to you(between mileage, comfort, road noise & overall space) as the 3 cars u listed have similarities in some categories but still a world apart. Make sure u test drive each car & more than once if you're not sure because one short drive will not tell you much or all u need to know. And keep researching & do your homework as the more time u put into, u will start to gauge which one(car) might be the right one for u. Good luck.
Thanks F8L. How is the seating position and the entry/exit ? I am assuming Prius and Camry Hyb are comparable whereas the V is much easier. Also the mpg numbers - The V appears to have a lot of discrepancies based on how you drive whereas the changes in the Prius are not that much . And the road noise - I know it is tough to compare. But just to get an idea - is it as bad as the Yaris or is the Prius much quieter? Boy , the Yaris may be reliable but I had it as a car rental once - and it sucked. Very poor acceleration and horrendous road/wind noise. My ears were literally getting painful with all that noise. it was like driving a Camry with the windows open . It was that bad . But I am thinking the Prius is much better though !
Thanks. Yes , I think I need to do some prolonged test drives. I am trying to get a rental for 1 day. The problem is - in my area , rental agencies have almost zero Prius and Camry hyb's or V's are non-existent . Plenty of Tundra/Sequoia rentals available though !! And the 2 Toyota dealers in my area do not offer the Toyota rent a car option.
I had a Yaris once as a service loaner car for a few days. I thought the power/acceleration was pretty good for what it had under the hood, same as with the Prius. If you think the Yaris is underpowered, then the Prius/Prius v will disappoint you. Get the HyCam.
My wife drives a 2009 Camry Hybrid, and I recently rode in a 2012 Camry Hybrid. They have made a lot of improvements to the Camry Hybrid especially in the areas of fuel mileage and interior quality. The Camry rides and handles better, but I still wanted a Prius due the increase in fuel mileage, size of the car, cargo storage and the statement that one makes by owning this car. A lot of SUV and luxury car owners trade up to a Prius, but I don't know of many that would do the same for a Camry.
It seems to me that the Prius is the only one in that price range ($24K). I have driven all three, and the Camry is the quietest and smoothest. Its MPG is comparable to the v. The Prius is louder than the Camry and v, and there are plenty of posts about how to ameliorate this. I eventually got a set of Michelin Primacy MXV4's for the quiet ride, but gave up a couple miles per gallon. Still, I am in the high 40's most of the time (48 or so.) The Camry and v handle much better than the Prius since they have rear sway bars at least. I added that, and a front strut tower brace to correct the handling. Smooth quiet ride is important to me, too, so I am biding my time to get either an Avalon Hybrid if and when they come out, or an ES 300h next year. Those have the same drive train as the Camry Hybrid, but are more of a land yacht. (I took my drivers test in a 1970 Plymouth Sport Suburban station wagon [in 1976], so I am used to and prefer larger cars. Definitely old school in that regard, but unwilling to guzzle the gas anymore.) Did you make your choice yet?
go with the Prius hatchback, it is far more useful than the Camry, and a lot better gas mileage, if the space is acceptable to you vs the v.....Ted
I would take a Prius Four over a Three. I think it's worth the extra coin to get the better, more comfortable seats and the heads-up display.
