I picked up a new Prius Five with the advanced technology package on it yesterday. I am please with the car. It won out over the Ford Fusion hybrid in my looking around because it had more useful/useable storage, better side visibility and a spare tire. The Fusion, while a fine driving machine and comfortable car, in my book didn't measure up. This car replaces a recently inherited 2003 Camry I ditched because the seats were dreadfully uncomfortable in heavy traffic. Although I am reasonably tall, I found I was able to position the Prius seats in a comfortable position. It's way too early to think about how much mileage it is getting (only 20 miles of mine on it now at 115 miles until my commute starts tomorrow.) But it should be double what the Camry was getting in town, and triple what my Jag ('97 XJ-6L) gets in town. But the Jag is still going to be my road car. I should add that my commute is 42 miles round trip on the dreaded Washington Beltway. I have enjoyed the ability on this forum to do research, which enabled me to be a better informed buyer. I look forward to occasional forays into the forum for the Gen-3 vehicles to learn more as I go. EliotB Annandale, VA
Welcome Eliot...I might be too late but you can register for 3-yrs in advance to get out of the higher fees starting July 1 ($64/yr). Hopefully they repeal the new hybrid fees but the politicians tell me they probably cannot change it for 2 yrs. Are you able to benefit from the new I495 HOT lanes in your commute? Seems like the morning northbound commute on the inner loop is the main benefit. The new lanes are empty when I go on the Beltway.
RE Fusion and spare tire question. No. They provide you with a "tire mobility kit" which consists of a plug-in compressor and a can of sealant -- fine for a nail puncture but absolutely useless if you have a carcas separation or a sidewall issue with a tire. the Mini likewise has no spare as they use very expensive run-flat tires. That was one of the cars on my list when i started out looking.
I am not sure what service you are referring to with an advance purchase of $64 a year. Can you eliaborate? As for the HOT lanes, newer Prius models are not eligible for the special license tags that exempt you from HOV regulations, although they can use HOV lanes everywhere in the state except on 496. 95-395 and on I-66. That leaves Richmond and Norfolk as areas where I could drive in the HOV lanes, and those are not areas in which I drive with any regularity. I do have n EZ-Pass transponder and do use the HOT lanes on occassion, typically on my commute home from Rockville, Md.,, to Annandale, Va.
In Virginia, we have a controversial new Hybrid Fee of $64/yr due at registration. It starts on July 1, so you escaped for the first year . Good timing! When you register a Prius, you have the opportunity to register three years in advance, so that idea could save you a few bucks. But if you have already registered for one year, I don't think you can change to 3 years. Not sure. Yes re: HOV I have only seen one Prius with the new Clean Fuels plates (CF logo in middle), and I saw it on the Beltway taking Dulles Toll Road exit, which Dulles greenway is also apparently HOV-eligible. We never needed HOV so we do not have the tags.
At leas at least I managed to avoid the increase in the auto sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent. that saved me about $330 on the cost of the car The dealership made no mention of a hybrid fee. Probably a good idea, although it would not have dissuaded me from buying the vehicle.
Good timing...you saved $330 + $64 by purchasing in June...you might have saved another $150 or so if the dealer had you register out for 3-yrs, except we are going to try to repeal the hybrid fee, so we may get you off the hook for that!
wow, that's surprising. my pip has no spare due to the large battery, but our hycam does. i wonder if the fusion trunk is larger?
The fusion hybrid trunk has 12 CF. there is an area closest to you as you stand at the trunk that will take a set of golf clubs, with some room left on top. Then, going forward, there is about an 8-10" high rectangular bar across the width of the trunk for the battery. Above that is about enough clearance between the bottom of the rear package shelf and the top of the battery to slip an airline carryon bag into. it would take perhaps 2 or 3 depending on whether you were loading them sideways or lengthwise. The amount of vertical space available for "pass through" with the 60-40 seats pushed forward and flat is really limiting if it comes to loading something odd-sized/long into the car. Frankly, I really like the Fusion -- it is a great car to drive -- but the cargo issue and lack of a spare tire were negatives for me.
ya, the hycam pass through is miniscule. used to be able to get a rug through the gen I, now, skis are about the only thing that will fit. the trunk got bigger though, and it's boxy with no steps like the gen I.
VA is going up to 4% sales tax on cars. In addition to the 4% sales tax, a new VA Prius owner will owe property tax for every year, about 3% in NoVA the first year, it will taper off each year with car depreciation. Every VA town has a slightly different annual car tax formula. In the end, our total VA sales + annual car tax is similar to CA. But then VA kicks in the new $64/yr hybrid fee on top of that. CA has about 50+ cent/gal gaso tax vs. 11 cents for VA which makes it harder to make a hybrid profitable in VA. I claim VA is the most tax-unfriendly state for hybrids, but I not yet checked every state.
