Prius C owners... what's your *next* car?

Note- in case you missed it, Toyota is withdrawing the c from USA sales after the 2019 model year has been delivered. It is still being made in large numbers, and will be for the foreseeable future- just no more coming to the USA after this season.

The Chevrolet Bolt isn't too far off from your wish list. Granted, it's $20k worth of car wearing a $38k window sticker but I think you already realize EVs are hopelessly overpriced at the moment... and that they won't stay that way. Eventually there will be some real action in that game.

In our case? Ours hasn't had its first birthday yet, but without drastic changes I expect we will shop for the same formula: a subcompact hatchback (5 doors, 100" wheelbase) with an awesome safety record and a good warranty. Bonus points for a real PRNDL shifter on the floor (even if it's fake like in the prius c) and an old-school metal twist key. As far as powertrain goes? I don't think an EV can handle my wife's commute. We would consider a pluggy hybrid if it didn't add too much to the cost, but honestly I'd also consider a straight gasburner given that a small car like that should be able to get phenomenal MPG anyway.

 

My C's been my leased work cars and I went through the 2012 and 2015 models.
Time to switch it up and been thinking of the Kia Niro.
Once you've had 50 MPG you can't go back.

 

"Right now" it's hands down a Honda Civic Hatchback.

I'm already on the fence when it comes to purchasing it, I've just not pulled the trigger yet. I've even driven it home twice. (Friends with most people there so that's one of the perks I guess). No specific reason why, other than I'm in love with the thing and have been for awhile now. I'm an "impulse" buyer though, so that may change. I have no real "must have" option that I'd require. I don't typically keep a car long enough to even care. But I've always liked the "hatches". lol No matter what I do get, it'll be a Honda. That's mainly due to my son being a Master Honda Tech. My brothers the same when it comes to GM, but I'd never even consider a GM product. Even if it came with cash under the seat.

I do like my "C" though and was extremely surprised this winter in how it handled the snow. Like you, I've complained about it being underpowered. Some here will disagree on that point. But yeah, it could use some help in my opinion. There are times your right foot just can't push the pedal far enough. I've never really found the road noise to be a big issue though. Tires being LRR's probably have a big impact, and that I do hear. Others have complained about wind noise, but I don't seem to have that either.

If your playing the waiting game when it comes to having a full blown electric, why not just spend a couple grand or less on a new battery and keep going. That C is going to go much more than 200k. We've seen them at the dealership rolling in with 300+ before they really started to say to their owner their tired. ​

 

If I was to replace my car it would be with the new RAV4 Hybrid HSE. I will only buy a car with a tow rating next. I already tow with the C but for the next one it has to be rated. The RAV4 gets 40+MPG and is AWD on demand with electric motor in back. Efficient that way but can still go on adventures and tow! It can also go 600 miles on tank. It does it all! The EVs aren't there for me with range and costs. The model Y when it comes out will be 80k with the only 320miles range and it does tow and have AWD. Compared to the RAV4 cost and range it isn't worth it for me.

Hehe so the C stays for me! I own it so it's free! I'll be saving so much money over any other option. It's setup for towing and it loves to pull trailers. I already have a battery cooling reginmen (some search here you can read about). I just need to get a prolong kit to get the battery to hit some big numbers. I am speculating going 300k+ on the original battery.

 

Currently, I am more realistically going to get into a 2019 RAV4 Hybrid Limited. I love that it's the Prius C, but in a SUV format so that I can road trip more comfortably and carry even more luggage. 41 City MPG and 38 Highway MPG, those aren't shabby numbers for a SUV that has AWD and an extremely large and comfortable interior, coming from the Prius C.

My 2012 Prius C that I've had since day one has only 92K miles on it, so it'll be a long time before I switch out vehicles.

 

I love the size of C, how it handles and of course the mpg. "IF" I go next car route I see no reason to trade C in for another subcompact, whats the point in getting the same type vehicle. next vehicle will probably be a small SUV/Crossover.

 

There is some talk in my household of going from two cars to one upon retirement. My wife dislikes my "toy car" and won't ride in it, definitely won't drive it. I can put up with her 2013 Corolla, but I think we could compromise on a Corolla hybrid; she is willing to give it a look if/when the time comes. I hope I can convince her to stay with the two cars we have.

 

the thing which would be tough to take is hit in mpg, even my C "bad" highway mpg of 44-46 beats what I am looking at by 14 mpg but city mpg change would be hard to swallow when used to getting mid to upper 50's and going to car which gets upper 20's or at best very low 30's

 

I'm having a hard time following your logic. You love the size, economy & driving dynamics, so clearly it's time to get something else? Eh? What x factor am I missing here? Does "love" mean something different there?

 

I'll get another Hybrid, hopefully a Toyota.

 

Given the parameters of what the OP wants in the "next" incarnation?

I pose this as a legitimate question.

Are you crossing the Hybrid Bridge too quickly?

I think I'd investigate one more Hybrid incarnation. Many choices exist. Maybe the Toyota Corolla Hatchback Hybrid?

Get the minimum expectable life span...and perhaps EV's will have reached a more mainstream position, with more "affordable" options by the time you are looking at your Next-Next vehicle.

Also in the meantime, if an EV option becomes available that you really, really like, you can always make the jump...with your Hybrid as a potential trade in, at really any time.

I'm not anti-EV. Infact, I believe that is the future. BUT...I still think Hybrids are great. I think the reality is we whether we should be or not, are still a fossil fuel based infrastructure for vehicles. And IMO no vehicle offers both efficiency and eco-friendly realities while being supported by gas stations.
Hybrids by virtue of their own success have lost some of their "New" thing panache. But I wouldn't cross them off my list. They still are a great reality of low emissions and fuel efficiency, while not suffering range anxiety.

Maybe stay on the bridge a little longer?

 

With mainly highway driving, my Prius Liftback consistently gets above the EPA combined of 52 except in cold weather. Usually above 60 in the summer.

 

that is why I put IF in quotes, IF I get a new car not that I am because I love the C

 

I bought the C primarily to take non-truck miles off of my Tundra, plus to stop giving Shell $400+/month in fuel costs. I still have the truck to handle all of the stuff that I bought it for, so a replacement for the C would be something very similar--small, super efficient, etc. If I decided to live in a city again, I would buy a Prius Prime in a heartbeat. I like the concept of full-EV, but don't like the fact that they're still vastly limited by charging infrastructure when it comes to leaving town.

 

Ooo. I looked hard at the 238 mile bolt, the new hybrid corolla coming out, and the i3 extended range. I love the idea of dual fuel but the 238 miles bolt range is appealing. The i3 has nice interior and seems to be zippy. Then again you can't go wrong with toyota. While new parts are easy to buy, I have not been able to find any prius c's in the junk yard which is a good sign. The i3 has a straight cargo space without the wheel wells protruding into the cargo space, but the corolla probably has the biggest amount of space of the three. If I didn't just get a prius c I probably would have ended up with the BMW i3. If money was no problem....I probably would have a bolt, an i3, keep the prius c and get an M5 for a friend

 

As reported on another thread, after my very disappointing bout with a Bolt (which was supposed to replace the C as my main car) I have decided to keep the C for as long as it will last with dignity. Which is to say, probably for 5-6 years at least. And in 5 years a lot of things will change, so I don't really know.

If I had to replace the C now for whatever external reason, I'd go for a 2016-2017 RAV4 hybrid.

 

The Bolt was rumored to get upgraded to 259 miles for 2020, but one needs to keep in mind that 259 or 238 is your fine weather range. Unless some dramatic improvement are made to the car, and unless you live in the land of eternal spring, you will likely see your winter range drop to 150 mi/charge or worse. Unlike ICE cars or Teslas the Bolt doesn't harvest the waste heat, and doesn't have a heat pump, so every BTU you get in the cab you have to "steal" from the battery ... this alone will decrease your range by 10% or more even at above freezing temps. Further, at lower temperatures the battery loses some efficiency, and on top of it it has to heat itself. Bottom line: The way I drive I used to get up to 5 mi/kWh in optimal weather and at low speeds, 4.3 mi/kWh lifetime average, and as low as 2 mi/kWh or less sometimes in cold weather.

In hot weather (90F+) you need to run the AC for yourself and cooling for the battery, which can amount to 11% of overall energy use, in my experience. Further, the Bolt will use some energy to "condition" (cool or heat) the battery below 40F and above 90F, I think, so if it's not plugged into an L2, that would come from the battery, too. Last summer the Bolt sat for 36 hours in Bethany Beach unplugged - chewed through 6 miles of range.

Also, if you look at the Bolt you will immediately see it's not aerodynamically optimized for high speed travel ... its drag coefficient is 0.32 I think, which is like 25-30% worse than that of the Prius. Your fine weather 4.5 mi/kWh @ 55 mph will likely drop to 3.0 mi/kWh at 70 mph for no other reason than air resistance.

All in all, if you are used to the reliability and predictability of the Prius, you'll soon get tired of the random surprises the Bolt throws at you. Happened to me.

To compound the problem, the winter L3 charging is a lot slower than in the summer; the battery takes a while to attain the optimal temperature, and I never saw it charging faster than 35-ish kWh (up to 45 kWh in summer).

Wait for 2 years with an EV, methinks. At the same time where we live we can get a Bolt for $24K, no kidding, at which price it will make a lot more sense than let's say a Leaf at 30K

 

We are gonna try to keep our current cars for as long as we can,

but if and when that time comes, next car would more than likely be in the Toyota family.

Gen 5 or 6 or 7 Prius, hopefully fool cell, plug in or whatever they excel in

 

I have several Toyota vehicles but unless they lose that cow catcher grille design I will likely purchase a Honda. Reliability of competitors has improved over the years.