I got into hybrids driving a 2000 Honda Insight MT, moved to a 2008 Toyota Prius II and now am driving a 2011 Toyota Prius 3. I love hybrids and can't imagine going back to a non-hybrid vehicle as my daily driver. I drive a lot. When I say, a lot, I mean a lot. I've owned my 2011 Prius since January 8th, 2012 (the King's birthday uh huh) and I've already put 38k miles on it. Prior to being bit by the hybrid bug, I drove luxury cars. My Lincoln Navigator still sits in driveway covered with pollen these days. We affectionately refer to it as the "Yard Ornament". It still gets used when I need to haul a Giggle of Ten-Year-Old Girls to cheerleading practice or whatever. While I love the Prius it really doesn't fit with my image or lifestyle. If you knew how many times people have rolled their eyes when we get ready to go somewhere and they see that I'm driving a Prius. My daughter says the Prius subtracted a hundred cool points over my 2002 Ford Thunderbird that I used to drive. Basically, I need a vehicle that has the stature associated with an executive. The Prius doesn't give me that even though it can be in the comparable price range. Can anyone relate to what I am talking about? That movie, Horrible Bosses didn't help at all. Does anyone have any feelings on either of these two vehicles or other vehicles in the $35k - $40k range that get 40+ mpg.
I'm not at that stage of life yet but I can understand. The Prius doesn't pigeonhole itself into any automotive status, just like a MINI. People from all walks of life own one, not just CEOs, or college students, or mechanics/DIYers, or car enthusiasts. The MKZ wins on style points. The Avalon is pretty cool but the MKZ is cooler esp with the exterior lights on. However, the interior doesn't do it for me. The leather feels cheap and the rear seats feel like a couch. The push button PRND is ok but the interior is where you would spend more time and I think the Avalon wins for the interior (not to mention the cool ambient lighting on Limited models).
It feels good to me not to be burdened by an image and/or lifestyle. I vote MKZ mostly from regional prejudice. Avalons around here are probably less cool than Prius cars and they're pretty low down.
The MKZ Hybrid gets better mpg too. But I think I'll keep looking at bot of them for a couple more months while I weigh the options. I didn't know about the ambient lighting. I'll have to check that out. The Avalon Touring has a smaller screen than my Prius does. The back shade is pretty neat. I thought the leather in the Lincoln felt better to me.
Yeah the lower models make do with the 6.1" Display Audio System that you see showing up everywhere in new Toyotas (Prius, Camry, RAV4 etc). This is the Harman Karden system. The 7" Denso unit that's been used in Toyota for years (including our Prii) is the "Premium HDD navigation system" in the brochure. It's been upgraded from DVD-based to hard-drive-based and of course higher resolution. (The 6.1" are flash-based IIRC). In Canada, our Avalons don't even have the 7" option. The Limited still uses the 6.1" DA unit. No hybrids available in Canada. It's listed as "White ice interior ambient lighting" on toyota.com
While I do love the Prius, I'm in my vehicle for 14 plus hours per week. Image is important but luxury is too.
sat in the avalon hybrid yesterday. no idea how it drives, but i wasn't impressed with the interior set up. typical toyota, a lot of curved spaces and no utility function what so ever.
Is the ES hybrid outside that price range? It's mostly an Avalon, but the differences can mean the difference between like and love. I was pulling for Ford, but they blundered with the posted EPA ratings for the C-max and Fusion. Being the same drivetrain, it might be prudent to see how the real world reports of the Lincoln's fuel economy shake out before committing if 40+ mpg is a criteria. That said, these are all first year redesigns. The prudent thing would be to wait with them all. What about a 2012 Lincoln, if it can be found? That generation of Ford hybrid is a proven performer. Not mentioned yet, but what about the Lexus CT? Interior space is downsize from the Prius, but might not be a point for your use.
Better than the Germans. Squared off corners and yet somehow they can't find space to put a decent size storage box anywhere inside the interior.
sat in a venza while i was there. 9 miles of console space, and they've managed to screw it all up with a bunch of sliding cup holders, sliding armrest, itty bitty storage bins, it's just wacky. and they even had a big flyer advertising how wonderfully they had designed the storage.
