New Prius Owners !!

Yes....I have used the voice to Bing app for navigation and it works really well too. Its a nice work around!

SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 ? 2

 

1-My last car was totalled and I had to get a different car. Was initially going to get a Prius v but got a great deal on the regular Prius.

2-Car is comfortable and gets wonderful MPG. Even being the base model it has the bells and whistles I wanted since I use my phone for navigation. Only major complaint is no button that activated Siri on my iPhone.

3-Only questions would regarding hauling 4 bikes. Seems to be conflicting info on the acceptability of using a hitch due to tongue weight for 4 bikes.

4-46.7 MPG so far. Not bad especial since I even attempt to hyper mile and have the AC running full blast.

 

Picked up my 2013 C-3 after the Ford dealer ruined the deal on a C-Max Energi Plug-In.
I use to own an 08 Prius. It was my work car for driving 300 miles a day. I liked the MPG's of the Prius,
just not the handling and numbness of it overall. I was looking for a hatchback to reduce my fuel expenses with
my 2001 Chevy Silverado.
The C-Max Energi Plug-In was my car of choice. It had the huge lithium battery and returned 54 + MPG's.
The Prius C was my second choice and after 3 days of crap from my local Ford dealer, I bought the C-3
It's a much better handling car than my 08 Prius. I like the looks better too. My MPG's are currently around 53.

 

Hmm....I guess I fit this profile now that I own a Prius, even if I have hung around Prius Chat for 4 years without owning a Prius. So....

1-What made you buy the Prius?

Well, like I said, I always wanted a Prius and hybrid, and basically as much as I liked my Honda Fit, and I did like it, eventually I reached a "put up or shut up" stage, where I figured that it was time to buy my Prius, or forever give up the idea of really owning one. Also the voices in my head....always the voices in my head.....


2-Pros and Cons so far?

Numerous Pro's....really all the pro's of owning a Hybrid. Quiet operation, fantastic efficiency, getting better gas mileage in a full sized really useable vehicle, than my neighbors "Smart" car.
I've found the longer you own a Prius and Hybrid, the more you start wondering why all vehicles are not like yours. (Trying to avoid smugness) I ride in my Dads Rav4 and wonder why it ISN'T shutting off at a stop light. I love it, for all the reasons I knew from years of hanging around Prius Chat, that I knew I would.
And I'm speaking only for myself and my personal ergonomic relationship to The Prius, but for me? The Prius is a very comfortable automobile. At least in comparison to subcompacts and "trucks" I have owned. I love road trips in my Prius, and I can't say that about every vehicle I have owned. Also the voices in my head....always the voices in my head...

Cons:
Specifically in comparison to my previous vehicle The Honda Fit,- Prius's interior layout is not as wonderfully designed. A real strength of the Honda Fit. Believe it or not, I miss the almost uncountable cup holders in The Fit. Honda even put one right beneath one of the side air vents...which sounds bad..but was great. On hot days, the air conditioning kept cold drinks cold....and on cold days, the heat kept hot drinks hot....I loved it.
And honestly Prius's cup holder layout...uh is poor...very poor.....putting two cup holders, badly designed IMO right together, right infront of the control panel with a lot of buttons? ....it could be better.
But hey, it's cup holders, and I can live with it. It's a con...but a minor con. Also the voices in my head...always the voices in my head...

3-Questions yet?

I hung around here so long before purchasing AND I'm one of those freaks that actually enjoy reading owners manuals...so I think I was way ahead of the normal newbie learning curve. No real questions. Also the voices in my head...always the voices in my head...


4-tell us about your MPG.

I purchased in Spring, and the weather has been ideal. The Prius is brand new, brand new battery and of course I keep the tires inflated and everything is tuned and running like what it is, a brand new vehicle. So the mileage has been phenomenal. 50+ and near 500 miles per 10 gallon tank refills. How can anyone complain? I know as it ages, and as winter approaches those numbers are likely to decline somewhat...but still? Also the voices in my head...always the voices in my head...

​

 

I cannot get over that, I have never been to a dealership where the Windows sticker didn't include a full tank of gas in the items.
I would go back and complain, $40 is $40.

 

I'm so over them and I'm sure they are over me. I closed down the lot negotiating price and I was so tired that I couldn't have cared less when I left. However I did call back and asked them to change my plate from plain state issue to vanity and they did without charging me the extra fee - that was an extra $25 so I'll call it a wash.

I see you have a Venza per your signature. It was between the Venza and the Prius for me. I came from 2 Avalons in a roll and the Venza is super nice. Went with Prius for something different but boy o boy the Venza was sweet!

 

Yeah it's nice, my wife in on her second one.
I got her a 2009 first and then they gave her a great deal to trade it in and get the 2011.
I tried to get her to switch to a Prius V a few months ago just for the gas mileage but she didn't want to give up all the comforts of her Venza.
If they would have had better rates on the Venza back when I had my Highlander I would have had 2 Venzas, the size and weight and AWD is nice in the northwest.
But now I am stuck on my Prius....
Sorry about your horrible dealer experience.
I am spoiled by a great dealer, when I decided to get my Prius I ordered it and had it picked up (only 2 Blizzard 4's in a 300 mile range at the time.) and negotiated a price without even going to the dealership which is 40 miles away.
I had a similar experience as you with my local dealer, so my last 4 cars I went out of town to get.
All I did was walk in, write a check and drove away...

 

2013 Prius 4, Classic Silver

1-What made you buy the Prius
Hybrid Technology, Reliability, 0% Financing, and Fuel Economy.

2-Pros and Cons so far
Pros:

• Outstanding FE!
• Stream Pandora from my iPhone
• Integrated GPS
• Runs on regular gas! I traded in an '06 Subaru WRX Wagon that got about 22 MPG on premium.

Cons:

• Map display sometimes goes dark (as in "night mode") under a bridge near dusk and then it's too dark to read and I can't seem to find where to adjust the nighttime brightness
• Nighttime map display is pretty hard to read under any circumstances

3-Questions yet
None, really, except the one about the display...


4-tell us about your MPG
MPG has improved with every tank so far: 44.6, 51.1, 52.0, and (currently) 54.3, based on display.

 

1. I love the low emissions and overall high mpg but price was important to me. The two things I wanted in a new car were: a hybrid and a backup camera. My used 2010 Prius (in blue ribbon) that I purchased in May was aggressively priced and had everything I wanted. This forum really helped me become familiar with what the Prius had to offer and real world opinions and experience. Toyota has been doing hybrids a long time and I liked that long (highly rated) history for the Prius model. I've been waiting for Acura to come out with a hybrid and I like their new model but... the Prius was just a better match for me. I feel very "wary" of the Toyota brand, don't laugh, which in part is why I got a used car, I'm not sure i want it for a solid 10 years, but so far I'm really enjoying it.

2. Con-- my fabric seats. I wish I'd gotten the faux leather seats! A pro-- I'm enjoying driving around quietly on electric power waaaaaay more than I thought I would. I never thought I would bother playing "the mpg game" but its absolutely addictive. As a techie, I'm thrilled to finally have bluetooth stream music, etc., since my previous car was from 96. (Con-- the tires seems so tiny for this car! Sometimes I worry when making a sharper turn at higher speeds....)

3. I'm sure I will have more questions! Luckily this great forum and such nice people are right here! I have to get some great seat covers for the two front tan fabrics seats I have now. I would love a faux leather. ... Any suggestions? Also I want some carpeted floor mats, which color of gray/black would be best?

4. Anywhere from 43 to 54 so far. I really don't drive too much or too far. I'm slowly learning the various tips to increase my mpg.

Thank you for this thread!

iPad ? HD

 

I forgot my absolutely favorite feature I didn't know about before driving...

It's when I have the keys in my purse and walk up to my locked car, grab the handle and it magically lets me in, then I push a button and drive off. Whoa. I love it. (Ditto for exiting! Makes me feel very safe to be able to move so quickly in and out. If I'd known about these features and how much I like them, I probably would have paid too much!)


iPad ? HD

 

Hello everyone....first post but I have been lurking for the past week. I purchased my 2013 Prius 3 last Saturday. been lurking here getting information...this is a great resource!

This is my first Toyota..or hybrid for that matter....I LOVE THIS CAR.... Sorry for shouting...but this car is like driving a video game.

My grown son moaned when I told him what I bought..he said I would be sick of it and just going 20 miles an hour...silly boy...it has all the speed I need and 53 miles a gallon!

I have to agree with spry fly...it feels good to walk up and the car unlock with just your hand...I know it is simple...but still cool...(son said how'd you do that). I am taking my car in Monday to have leather seats (cloth covers off...leather on) which will be better when the dog rides.

The only con is that good ole boys in the NC state capital wants to pass a Prius tax because hybrid owners aren't paying enough taxes for road up keep...this burns my butt...we have other vehicles that aren't hybrid...they should have taxed me when I was stupid enough to buy a Nissan Rogue.

Thanks for this thread...finally got me to post. ;-)

 

Oh just thought of a con i should added before, the car and our driveway do not get along at all. Very short driveway, maybe enough room to fit a car with the front right against the garage door and then it also has 3 angles to get up to the garage. With just 1 person it's fine but add about 200 lbs of either another person in front or cargo in back and it scrapes :-( we had 6 folding tables in there and bought a patio table while we were out... Worst scrape I've heard so far :-( we usually remember to unload or get someone out first.

SCH-I535 ? 4 Beta

 

LOL, its been a week... I still have over half a tank of gas.

I feel confused and lonely.

 

1-What made you buy the Prius?

I purchased my 2013 Prius Four (with Solar Roof Package) in mid-May of this year. I previously owned a 2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ. I loved my Malibu (it looked really sharp and had beautiful 2-tone leather interior), but I really didn't care for the MPG (was averaging about 25 on my normal weekly driving) or a lot of the outdated technology in the vehicle. A good friend of mine had purchased a Prius in 2010 and we had taken it on a couple of road trips and I had a lot of my preconceived notions shattered regarding a hybrid at that time. I had done a lot of research on the various hybrids out there and found the Prius to be the one that best suited me.

2-Pros and Cons so far?

Pros: Definitely the gas mileage. I enjoy the technology of the car, from the solar powered vents to cool the car to the remote AC that doesn't use gas, to the bluetooth integration (in my Malibu, I had to use the AUX port), to the integrated GPS.

Cons: The overall ride definitely isn't as smooth as my old Malibu. I don't know if that would improve if I had put the sport package on it with the sway bar and the springs and upgraded the wheels from 15" to 17" (my Malibu was 19"). For the most part, it doesn't bother me, but when I get on certain stretches of highway, it's noticeable. The same goes with the road noise. Other than that, I haven't had any other "buyer's remorse" moments.

3-Questions yet

None. PriusChat does a great job of answering just about anything that you have. What a tremendous resource!

4-tell us about your MPG

Over the 2 months that I've owned the vehicle, I have put on a little over 4,000 miles. According to the computer, I'm averaging a little over 49 MPG over that time. According to Fuelly, I am averaging 47.1. That includes 2 interstate trips, totalling 16 hours of driving at higher speeds. For my regular weekly driving, I'm averaging about 54 MPG according to the computer and 52.5 MPG according to Fuelly.

 

The choice for me was between the Prius and the Ford Fusion Hybrid. I opted for the Prius (P-5 with the advanced technology package) not for the mileage but for the space utilization. The Prius back seat goes flat, giving you an unobstructed cargo area. It has less power and weight than the Fusion, but better versitility. The Fusion battery box chews up trunk space and leaves only a narrowcargo pass-through area into the back seats.​

​

Pros and Cons -- I like the mileage and having a car that looks a little different, despite the fact there have been about 2 million of these things sold in the U.S. I like the phone integration. I wear hearing aids with their own bluetooth system so a call to my phone is relayed right into my hearing aids. I can hear my calls much better through the car speakers than I can through the relay of audio directly through my hearing aids. I have used the radar cruise control and like that, and I have had the system start braking and tightening the seat belts when someone cut in front of me or I was approaching another car too quickly. I like that feature as well.​

Dislikes: neither the upper edge of the door interior nor the front portion of the sloping console lid are comfortable for supporting your arm while holding your hand on the wheel -- I am 5-9 with long legs and have to sit some distance from the wheel If offered the choice of 15-inchor 17-inch wheels, I would have opted for the 15-inch for ride comfort. The road noise is higher than I expected (I liked the noise cancelling function in the Fusion). I thought I was getting a parking assist system with the car but alas it does not seem to have one (not that I need it, but I thought it was part of the package). The nav/audio system is cumbersome, i.e. it takes a little too much draw on your attention to flip around radio/satellite stations. Garmin's Nuvi will offer me alternate routes if traffic stinks. I don't think this does the same. It would be nice if the passenger seat occupant could override the function that blocks you from your contacts while driving, or be able to program in a new address while moving. I'll be having the dealer disable the multi-beep backup warning at the first service.​

Questions yet: not many. reading Priuschat has helped me acclimate to the car and its quirks.​

MPG: pretty early in the experience. i've only burned 2.5 tanks of gas to cover 1200 miles. the in-car calculater has me at around 47 or 48 mpg. my current tank is a bit over that, about 52 after dropping from about 54 while engaging in some idling to set up more phone contacts as i could not transfer them from a government Blackberry.​

Read more: http://priuschat.com/threads/new-prius-owners.129404/#ixzz2ZzuuGqSn ​

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1-What made you buy the Prius
2-Pros and Cons so far
3-Questions yet
4-tell us about your MPG

1. New job 75 mile round trip each day.​

2. Pros- MPG, reliabilaty of Toyota, stereo system is good. (51 Years old)
2. Cons- interior is cloth, gets dirty easily
3. 50mpg city , 47 Highway, 48 combined.

Don't see how people are getting 60 mpg or 500 miles a tank. I drive 65 on highway. 100 % gas

 

I haven't gotten 60 on a tank yet, but I am at about 56.4 with over 440 miles on the tank and 2 blips left.
I will make 500 easy, but no 600 for me yet.
Thought I might go for 55o but that's about it.

 

1- My 9yo Subaru Baja was facing some good sized repairs. Also gas prices were rising and the 19mpg that I was getting in my weekly commute was a mental pain. I considered the Impreza, Elantra, and the Corolla. And according to the latest Fuelly data, all of these would average 30mpg's.

The Impreza at the time equipped close to the Prius would have been about $21k. I paid about $23k for my 2012 Prius. The Elantra and Corolla weren't hatchbacks, which I preferred. Hyundai resale value and dated looks 7 to 8 years out bothered me. And the dated look of the Corolla left me cold.

2 - Pros - The tech look and feel for its price point IMO. The rear leg room. The trunk space. The engine off at stop lights - but still having AC or heat! Roughly the same mpg's for city or highway driving for style of driving. Willing to take more trips now.

2 - Cons - Willing to drive more. LOL With the Baja I averaged about 8k a year. As of now I am averaging about 11k a year. But now enjoying getting around more and enjoying life.

On more serious cons. The front seats could be better - though not as bad as some report here. I have found the sweet spot on mpg's being doing under 40mph in commuting. In the DC area having a under 45mph sweet spot would be nice. I hear rumors that the 2015 Prius will have that.

The other cons are maybe more nitpicking. The mpg's should be closer to real world. At least give us the option to program the computer for our driving style. And a better quality touch screen for the audio system. Hard to see in some lighting situations.

3 - I gave the Prius a try after talking with a customer of mine that works at a local dealer. I was one of those that wanted a Prius but read all the negatives. Before and after Priuschat has been there for me.

4 - You only have to take a look at my Fuelly signature and go and look deeper on Fuelly to see what I have been able to get. Only wish that my Baja gave me the feedback on my driving habits like my Prius does.

I am one of those drivers that always tried to stay just around 5mph over the limit when possible. Until those that want me to go faster are willing to pay possible speeding tickets and increased insurance costs because of your need for speed - just chill....

 

I bought a used 2011 Prius from Carmax. I bought it to save on gas and to put less pollution in the air. I'm a huge fan of hypermiling. I read the posts on this forum and articles to learn everything I can to optimize my Prius driving. I practice hpyermiling techniques such as Pulse & Glide, Warp Stealth, etc. I have a ScanGauge II and I'm experimenting with the best RPM and kW range to stay with the the car's power "sweet spot" that I've read in Hobbit's articles. I get 60 - 65 MPG city (depends on traffic conditions), and 61 MPG expressway.