Acceleration Concern

'11 Mustang 3.7L V6 manual: 0-60 mph: 6.2 seconds; 1/4 mile 14.8 sec @ 98.1 mph; 19/29 EPA; 22 mpg overall

'14 Chevy Spark EV, 0-60: 7.5 seconds; 1/4 mile 16.0 sec @ 87.6 mph; 400 lb-ft torque; 82 mile range; 109/128 MPGe EPA, 119 MPGe combined

'12 Prius c: 0-60 mph: 11.3 seconds; 1/4 mile 18.4 sec @ 76. mph; 46/53 EPA , 50 mpg overall

If you are considering a Prius C and the EV range of the LEAF would work for you then consider a Chevy Spark EV if you live in or near California or Oregon. The OP is in NC so it won't work for her.


2014 Chevrolet Spark EV 2LT First Test - Motor Trend

 

I agree wholeheartedly with the saying, "It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow." The C, to me, is a great car with a lot of heart that managed to teach me a lot about patience when driving.

 

If I could go back in time I would not buy the prius c again. I'm in Canada so I got the version known as the prius c 3. This was a big waste of money because us Canadians don't get a good working gps system. I should have just gone with the prius c 2.

Anyways in regards to your acceleration question, this is one of the main reasons I would not get the prius c again. Yes the car is able to go 60-70mph at highway speeds but the problem is actually getting to speed with other vehicles in a safe way.

There have been multiple instances where I merge onto the highway and almost half the speed of traffic flow. This is extremely dangerous and I end up cutting off traffic because the prius c cannot get up to speed fast enough. This has to be the worst accelerating car on the market today. I have issues going up hills, and getting onto highways. This car is borderline unsafe. I have cut people off going 60km/h when they are doing 100km/h, simply because the prius cannot accelerate!

People will reply to you in regards to 'passing' and they are correct, if you are strategic about it then it shouldn't be an issue however thats once you have already been going at a good constant speed.

Also the gas savings isn't all that great, I get 4.7L/100km my fiance gets about 7L/100km on her car which has 0 saftey issues on the highway. In the end I'm only saving maybe $60 a month more MAX on gas vs a regular car. However I am paying more of a hybrid yaris aka prius c.

Here is my review on the prius c:

Pros: Good on gas because its slow and doesn't accelerate.

Cons: Cheap quality, horrible gps system, no added bonus for the tech package at all. Hybrid costs extra, its slow at accelerating, Lacks in space, doesn't really save you money, you end up being that ahole in traffic slowing everyone down or cutting people off because your car can't keep with the flow of traffic. Your car is so tiny you can't see over suvs/minivans (Where I am from that is a large group of people on the group).

I personally would not recommend this car unless you are for sure going to be sitting in traffic majority of your time. Its horrible and unsafe on the highway. People will say its a 'city car' but there are many competitive 'city cars' out there much better. When I do city driving I get around 5-5.3L/100km. The reason being is because I don't like being that ahole holding up traffic because it takes me 45 seconds to get from 0-60.

Oh and PS: This car has horrible handling, I kept taking it into the dealer thinking something was wrong, turns out its just really horrible at handling! At 130km/h I feel like death is following me in this car.

 

Just wait 10 years to be able to plug in the Frankenplug.

 

I hardly think so. Next month when the Spark EV becomes available with the DC fast charge option I would immediately be able to charge in San Diego.

With BMW bringing out cars with SAE DC charging and VW and MB likely to do so within the next 3 years I don't think it will take 10 years to get decent coverage for occasional regional metropolitan driving, which is what DC charging is good for in a car with 70-90 miles of range.

 

As hard as GM has fought with Nissan about the "standardization" of the Port, nobody is going to win... GM took too long and their nozzles are bulky.

 

Check and see if the dealer you're working with does 24 hour test drives. I'm currently planning to do that. No one but you can decide if it's dangerously slow or adequate for your needs. I will be deciding by the end of the week if it will work for me - fingers crossed.

 

We're getting off-topic, but the SAE DC plug is not really bulkier than a CHAdeMo plug, is likely more robust mechanically, and eliminates the need for the physical space and the expense for both a CHAdeMo and a J1772 AC socket on the car. The SAE DC plug is also capable of supporting higher charging rates that will be highly desirable for vehicles with permanent or temporarily rented 200+ miles EV range battery packs so they can charge in an hour or less during road trips.

In an ideal world, I would prefer everyone to use a Tesla connector.....

 

SUPER CONNECTOR TO THE RESCUE!!!!

 

Just go test drive it a 2nd time. This time, take it on a FWY and make it a "REAL" test drive. Put yourself in a situation you think you absolutely think the car needs to do for you at a bare minimum. FWY test drives are perfect because you'll need to get onto the FWY, get up to speed, merge, then quickly exit. That should pretty much cover getting on and off the FWY situations.

If you have to, bring a friend and take video of the test drive with a cell phone. If you do this, verbalize your thoughts as you are driving the car. Go back and review the test drive video while recalling as many details as possible while its fresh in your head. If you noted an acceleration problem during the test drive, you'll be hearing about it in your own voice in the video. On the other hand, if you like something, you should verbalize that too, so you can hear any praise in your own voice as well.

 

I feel your reservations about acceleration - I sold this to buy my Prius C:


I was worried about some of the same things you are. There's definitely a huge difference in driving feel and performance between the two, but I've found that the C still has enough power to pass people on the freeway at 70+ if needed, and merging isn't bad at all - you just have to start a bit earlier. Definitely took some getting used to, compared to the feel of almost instant-merging with my old car.

That said, while I miss the old car, I don't regret getting the C instead.

 

Are you flooring it? The Prius isn't fast, but its definitely not that slow. Will it pass people with just a light increase in pressure on the gas? No. But if you mash the pedal, you can pass those you should be passing.


The Prius C probably isn't really that much slower than your Mustang. The 2001 v6 only has 190hp and weighs about 700lbs more than the C. The sound and relative harshness makes the Mustang feel faster. In the city, the torque from the electric motor should make them pretty similar. Under 40MPH, I've never really wished for more power. Highway is another story, but if you're driving within the limits of the C, you'll likely be driving safer.

 

I highly doubt the mustang and the C are anywhere near the same. My previous car was a honda fit with 109 horsepower and that thing destroys the C. I shouldn't have to mash down the accelerator and floor it just to get a little bit of spark to pass people. Even when doing this it hardly moves and as mentioned I shouldn't have to do this constantly. No other car I've ever driven required me to basically have my foot to the floor to slowly pass people and I've never owned fast cars.

 

My Prius c4 blows away any car I've ever driven. Driving is fun. It's a game of balancing trying for mileage, being considerate of other drivers, and getting where I want on time (since too often I'm running late). When traffic is light and I'm not in a hurry, I really try to maximize mileage. If I'm really late, I take it off ECO mode and drive it like a regular car; the car has plenty of pep for this. I have a moon roof and really like this feature. I enjoy the satellite radio and being able to play my iPod. With winter coming, I'll soon appreciate the heated seats and mirrors. While I wouldn't have a car without cruise control, I hardly ever use it because I'm enjoying micromanaging my driving experience so much. There's much more that I like about my car, but I think you get the point: I love this car!

 

When driving this car you have to realize that it isn't like any other car you've ever owned. The throttle is mapped significantly differently, so yes you might need to stomp it more often during normal use, but the power is still there. You just have to be willing to ask for it the right way.

 

The C has all the acceleration one needs. When merging on a super highway just think ahead, choose your spot, and merge. My other car is a Citroen 2CV; Citroen used to advertise its 0 to 60 acceleration time was "the same day". I drive the 2CV on all types of highways without problem. Also, I am a retired semi truck driver with 53 years of service. If you think the C is slow, drive a tractor trailer. The fact is you probably rarely needed the acceleration of your Mustang except when you wanted to have some fun or to show off. Again, the C handles itself well on the road including acceleration. If you want or need good gas mileage get one. Quite simply, they are wonderful cars, frugal with gas, very dependable, with adequate acceleration and performance. Hell (I am a truck driver after all), I like it better than my 2CV, although my moniker will remain Citroenjohn.

 

Amt0715 - Just a small point. It is Ms. Prius, not Mr. Prius.

 

I remember seeing a few 2Cv's puttering around Oahu when I was younger. At first I thought they were VW Beetles hit by an ugly stick. They kinda grow on you - ugly cute. Some called them "Lemons".
Citroën 2CV - Ask.com Encyclopedia