What percentage of Prius drivers actually think about the driving experience?

I have never bought a car that I have not test drove the way I wanted to and I always tell the sales person to stop talking, I turn off the radio, etc. I have had sales people holding on in terror during test drives. When I test drove my Prius, I did full throttle runs to around 80 mph and then hard brakes back down to 20-30mph. You should never let a sales person cheat you out of a test drive. They need you more than you need them.

 

I guess it's really important to test drive a lot of cars when choosing a new car. Without it, hard to really know how Prius compares. How to judge road noise on a test drive? No guarantees. Might end up on a newly paved stretch of highway near dealership. Take it home through rough freeway and noise fills the cabin.

Seat may be supportive and not hurt the back on a test drive. Then over time realize it's a little too supportive, steering is a little far away, not quite enough lumbar support. .....

Sitting in Prius is not painful, never said that, but over time it has shown itself a little awkward and unusual to be in.

Pretty darn sure Prius favors shorter drivers (under 6 ft) as it seems to done since inception. Last 'compact' type car I'll buy. *Compact - 170 something inch or less car. Good luck finding a 'midsize' car that's 176" long like Prius. There'll all near 190" long, and 3 or 4" wider.

 

Then you have technically broken Toyota's break in rules which clearly state:

"Avoid hard braking and acceleration during the first 600 (or so) miles"

You made up your own break in rules and shame on the salespeople for letting you drive a new car that way.

 

Although I personally don't flog a car on a test drive (I usually want longer-term familiarization before I can do anything I consider meaningful)... That's a pretty weak response to the idea that you should find out firsthand what you're getting into before you make a purchase commitment.

Oh no, he broke the rules. Now that car is going disintegrate. *roll eyes*

When I took my test drive, I noticed that the salesman turned on the "Power" mode, ostensibly to make the car more "normal" to what I drove to the dealership in. I looked at him and turned it right off. Because it is *my* test drive to enable *my* decision whether this car they are trying to sell me is all that it's cracked up to be... I needed to understand it in a way that I would drive it, deficiencies and all. If it is within reason, esp. if the salesperson understands you to be a serious buyer, the salesperson will/should allow it, even if isn't in accordance worth a vehicle's early mileage GUIDELINES.

Oh no, I had to crest a steep hill to get my new car home after I just bought it. I guess it's ruined now. I should have gotten it trailered.

 

No, I switched cars afterwards, so that was the one YOU bought! LOL. I bought mine with 32k on it so its fine. Either way, I am going to make damn sure what the car is going to feel like in adverse situations, I already know I can putt around with no issue. I also rarely buy a car the first time I look at it. There is really no reason to if you are buying new.

As for your other concerns, seems like you should just test out the resell value of your car and get something better suited to your desires.

 

Without a folding rear seat, no way will I go back to a sedan.

 

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I disagree that the Prius is slanted towards shorter drivers. I'm 6'4" and find I have good legroom and the driving position is fine. My wife is a foot shorter and is fine too. That's one of the things that amazes me about the car is the room and versatility. Our prior 2 vehicles were a full size car (Intrepid) and a mini van. We haven't missed those larger vehicles at all. Even on longer roadtrips.

 

What percentage of Prius drivers actually think about the driving experience?

To come late to the party, on an older thread.

I'd say, speaking only for myself, I've changed. It all kind of depends on what you want to define as "Driving Experience".

To me, due to the HSD, The Prius is a quiet vehicle. In a noisy hectic world, I appreciate that "driving experience".
To me, The Prius is a comfortable vehicle...offering mid-size room at above Smart Car MPG's. I appreciate that "driving experience".
Which leads to the obvious, The Prius is one of the most fuel efficient vehicles one can buy. I appreciate that "driving experience".

Now I realize when most people say "Driving Experience" those are not the factors they are evaluating. Usually it means factors such as acceleration, cornering...the "Sports Car" attributes, with perhaps nods to overall horsepower.

As I get older, I'll admit I've changed. I value those things less and less. Really? I want to be able to accelerate safely, and easily onto highways and maintain legal speed limits without feeling the vehicle is laboring, with the power to pass other vehicles if necessary. I think The Prius easily offers that capability.

My vehicle is now my vehicle, not my "Roller Coaster". I don't need to be able to pull "G's" in corners, or press people back in their seats with sudden acceleration. Trust me, I can appreciate the fact, that driving experience can be fun. But to me? In an increasingly growing suburban world, even if the vehicle I am driving has those capabilities, the chances to safely appreciate those capabilities are rare and fleeting.

Do I think about "The Prius" driving experience? Certainly. But what "experience" I want, or appreciate from my vehicle has significantly changed.

 

Wait until you start getting all the cautions and refusals to do what you are commanding from the the car. It DOES have a soul, apparently the mind of a fractious 2-year old who must have everything "just so" before they will eat their vegetables. Today it refused to go into EV mode and didn't even condescend to tell me why it was saying "No, No, No!" And the time I was screaming down the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in bloody snow flurries and the blasted car completely blanked the driving display with the "IMMEDIATE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED" warning message. As it turned out, it just wanted its 10000 mile inspection, but it was a nerve-wracking way to force that information on me. It's like having a freaking nanny as your co-pilot!

 

I have a 1 year old so I guess I'll hear complaining from both of them haha.

 

Before I ordered my Prius I rented several over a 2.5 year period and seriously drove at least 20k miles all over the country. After that test drive I was sold on the car. It was just deciding what model I wanted which took a few months to figure out. This forum helped a lot answering my questions.

Mike ;-)

Mobile on my SGH-i717

 

Try tearing down the highway in a VW when the "outside temps dropping" or "the washer fluid is low" flasing lights and warning bells come on. Damn near had a heart attack.

 

Ok Mr. internet tough guy...

So the owner's manual does call them 'break-in' tips. But, because the owner's manual states 'in first 200 miles, avoid sudden acceleration, and first 600 miles, avoid hard braking', and

buy above stated he does 'full throttle acceleration to 80 mph, then hard braking down to 30 mph',

.... I won't ever consider a new car that isn't fresh out of PDI, cuase it may have been flogged by those of your mindset. So, I'd let others be subject to cars from your 'see what she'll do test drive'.

Btw, you and other poster could also test a USED car or rental to hammer it and 'see what it'll do'. Or perhaps you're an automotive drivetrain engineer and know better than Toyota.

 

eh, those tips are an ideal. virtually any new car you take delivery of will have a few miles on them. even if it's only been driven by the shipping and delivery guys who have been known to drive the same way. the abuse would have to be extreme in order to have it make any real difference in the lifetime of the engine. Today, everything is so computer controlled that you would have a heck of a time doing damage if you wanted to. Cars are capable of taking WAY more abuse than most people imagine.

 

You've got to be kidding. How long do you think you'll be entertained 'focusing' on the displays and maximizing MPGs? Do you also focus on SAFE driving while focusing on those displays?

I couldn't care less about focusing on the stupid Hybrid System Indicator bar gage or what not, I got over that in a month or so. I'm just trying to be safe, not hit anyone or get hit.

Wanna drive in SF Bay Area rush hour traffic and 'focus on the gages'???

 

Do you look at the speedometer or mirrors when you drive? I don't literally stare at the display while I drive. I just focus on trying different things to raise my mpg and glance at the displays to see what's going on. I read on this very site about hypermiling and using the displays to figure out how to glide. Are you telling everyone on here not to look at displays? Please don't take everything literally. I was pointing out that this car does not handle or accelerate like any other car I have driven but I am ok with that because I wanted to try something optimized for gas mileage.

 

I find Prius liftback offers driver's seating room nothing like any car commonly known as a 'midsize sedan' namely Camry, Accord, Fusion, Altima, Sonata, Optima, Malibu, etc.... backseat legroom / headroom definitely less than most of those.

Prius is 175"long by 69 wide

all the rest more like 190" long by 73 wide

There are no miracles happening with Prius interior seating / room, it still has exterior dimensions of Civic, Elantra.

Basically, the Prius seats driver and occupants more like a Corolla.

I've lost a ton of respect for a company who can't match driver's seating in their own Corolla, and for me doesn't hold a candle to Civic, including my niece's 2002. Is it painful? No, Awkward dr. seating? YES. Weird and awkward.

And the 2013 Corolla S I drove last oferred 'more normal' driver's seating and sure as heck went around corners better than Prius. But, engine was more noisy and it got 30 something MPG.

 

After a while you might not have to look at those displays much as you'll get used to what the car is doing.

 

I did drive a used car, as I said, and one thing is clear to me, I know how to buy a car I want. I did nothing extreme or hurtful to the car new or not. Anyone with real experience in cars and such knows if its gonna blow its gonna blow, babying it for a few hundred miles isnt going to make a difference.

You know one thing that I find really, really weird is you seem so unhappy with your Prius, yet you had two? Odd. Maybe you just like being unhappy, which of course is your choice too.

 

Well, I can't speak for others, but so far we have been entertaining ourselves for 9 months and 13,000 miles with the gauges and maximizing MPGs. I think of it as kind of like a "Candy Crush" game for guys, and equally addictive . And teasing my adult son if he drives the car and gets under 50 mpg is just priceless! My DW could not stand the competitive mpg razzing and finally learned how to maximize the regenerative breaking. Such fun. Given the messages the car's computer has already sent me, I would not be surprised if it came up with "Press the 'pay' button to go to the next Super MPG level for only $1.99 more!"
Your point about safety is,however, well taken, and we cannot and do not do this game in rush hour traffic. However, the EV mode is good for creeping slowly yet efficiently along in a really bad backup IMO.