The Prius III base model I built on toyota.com this morning, with no option packages, was 26,325....not sure where your getting 22,760? -M
If you could really get a liftback for $2k more than I would strongly consider it, but at the time I purchased my C the liftbacks were $4-5k more expensive. Still, I much prefer the handling of a smaller car.
I think you should definitely do that test drive. I had a 1999 RAV4 and loved it for how much you could fit, yet it was a fairly small car compared to most SUVs. So I like your plan to keep the RAV for those benefits. The Prius C can be your car for all times you don't need the space, and you will save so much in gas costs. I was driving a 2000 Camry before my Prius C and I just analyzed my gas spending with both cars and I spend a bit less than half now on gas compared to with the Camry, which is great. I can only assume the savings would be even greater with a RAV. Also, I have been pleasantly surprised at how much I actually can fit in the Prius C.
Assuming he saves $80 a month in gas per month with a Prius C over the Rav4, if he kept both cars it would take him 20 years to pay off the car in gas savings, let alone save any money.
No one buys a Prius to save money on gas. Keeping the RAV for towing, hauling, camping makes sense. Only real extra cost is the insurance and maintenance but only driving the RAV occasionally would make maintenance costs minimal.
You really really can since the cars.com local dealer prices are real prices. The $2k has been the actual price difference between C and III since day one. The C's are popular and not discounted, the III's are overstocked and discounted.
Alright so I did some cost analysis myself. I drive about 1500 miles a month. Rav4 Gas cost (22mpg) = 255$ assuming 3.75 regular Prius C Gas cost (50mpg assuming) = 113$ 3.75 regular Thats about 142$ saved in gas each month. I'm sure this number can change easily depending on how I drive both cars (hypermiling). Also there is a ezpass toll discount for green cars that get 45mpg+ here in NY which reduces my daily tolls from 7.50off peak to 4.00$. And I work 5 days a week and use the offpeak tolls 95% of the time going to work. So Rav4 Tolls 7.50 * 20 = 150$ Prius C (green pass discount) = 80$ That saves me 70$ on tolls per month. Roughly about 210$ saved in driving costs if I choose to drive the Prius C instead of the Rav4. *Of course I have to factor in the new insurance cost and monthly payment on the car. It'll always be more expensive to own two cars instead of one. Still I'd like to go in for a test drive and see how I like it before deciding anything. Thanks for all the responses everyone.
It's weird how defensive some of you Liftback owners are about your cars verus the c... Neither one is "better" than other because tastes and needs vary from person to person. Wth is the big deal?
You do have a point there. I feel like I've now joined the group of Prius drivers but there does seem to be an air on these boards of "us and them" with liftback owners--created by them. Can't we all just get along?
It's the nature of a forum. The 99.99% of liftback owners who like the 'c' just fine (for someone else) do not post. As for ProxSuns -- I don't really know if he realizes that he comes off as argumentative and trollish, but please do not judge the liftback owning universe by that member.
Wow! no idea that there was a toll discount for green cars. Good to know, and that reminds me that I need to update my EZpass with my new car. Of course I get this car when I am no longer working where I need to pay tolls...haha. If you have use for the Clean Pass, it does come in handy. My future mother in law has a GenII Prius and swears by the HOV lane and says it saves a lot on her commute time. I'm still waiting for my Clean Pass in the mail. Definitely test drive, they're both very different cars. I do like both: my mother has a 2012 Rav4 (a lease which she got after finishing her 09 Rav4 lease) and I've got the c. I love how both drive and I even considered buying the 09 when the lease was up on it, but I've always wanted a little blue car and my parents wound up getting a great deal on the '12 if they gave back the '09 early. What do you like about the Rav that you would miss if you got the c or any other small car?
OP: Going for a test drive is excellent advice. Even better if possible, I'd try to rent the car for a couple of days. I could tell you why my wife passed on the 'c', but I doubt that would be very useful to you. More productive I think would be for you to list your priorities in a car, then people can give their opinions how well the 'c' or liftback might meet them. I read your post where you said you would keep the Rav. I'm curious how often you anticipate using that car and for what purpose. In my home for instance, the few occasions a year I want to haul something our hatchbacks cannot handle I either pay for delivery or rent a truck for the day.
You mean like this Prius C owner who would have gotten a Prius III over the Prius C had he known the street prices were just $2K difference or a much better car that gets the same mileage? I think it's the reverse actually, the Prius C owners get a bit defensive when people point out the small price difference to upgrade to a Prius III.
Listen to sage he knows what he talking about test drive it or rent it. Try it before you buy it lol works for lot of things not just cars lol
I agree with Sage. Everyone has different needs and taste. The c is great for some people and for others there is the v or the Liftback. I do, however, think the c can be hypermiled to a higher mpg number than the Liftback.
