Loved my Prime, but battery range pushed me to Honda Clarity

Consider yourself asked! We need to hear more about other products and what we are missing.

While the traitors / turncoats / Quislings may receive a bit of sniping as they go, they still should come back on occasion and let us know what we are missing. The whole industry is moving forward on many fronts, but Toyota isn't leading or even participating in all of them.

If you don't want to post here in Primeland, then look at these other forums that deserve more traffic:
Honda/Acura Hybrids and EVs | PriusChat
Other Cars | PriusChat

 

I am wondering what you mean by not having to feel a transition between an ICE/battery in hybrid mode. Is that an unpleasant feeling? If it happens when I am travelling about 70 on the freeway I can notice it but if I am in an urban area I can't feel it at all. I am really pleased that the transition is so smooth in my Prime.

 

There are reasons beyond money for driving EV, just like there are reasons beyond money for getting a hybrid. Just focusing on the money is what hybrid detractors did back in the day.

 

Everyone's decision is based on their own analysis of competing factors. You seem to have a good understanding of the compromises facing the change to the Honda product.

For me, I would welcome a more luxurious interior, and a longer EV range, but not a the cost of $10K, and the experience and quality of Toyota. Having to gas up once a month is not a problem for me. It would be if I had to do it every week, as do the great unwashed.

Please do check back with your experiences with the Honda, and how it compares to the Prime.

 

What happened ?

 

If this is the case, then perhaps a BEV is the correct vehicle, not a PHEV.

 

You're in the exact same situation I was in with the PiP. The constant effort in the summer heat to get all the way home without starting the ICE as I pulled into the driveway was really starting to wear thin with me. (Winter was much better since I don't need AC in the winter.) For my commute, the Prime solved everything. Your commute is more demanding so you need more range. I can sure understand that.

And yes, I'd love to read about your comparisons. I'm not in the market, but I'm curious all the same.

 

Stepping stones.

 

Congrats on your newly acquired Clarity. I've considered leasing Clarity as our second car earlier this year. The price was right, and I really liked a car but could not pull a trigger for we really needed a bigger SUV or minivan type car. Trading in less than 2 years old PRIME for Clarity did not solve our need for the second car and would be a very costly move. And the lack of a hatchback was the deal breaker for me anyway.

I agree with the superiority of PRIME over Clarity on the hatchback. But I don't know why you think PRIME is better for the other two features, auto-piloting and easy to read on-screen display? Really??? I would be interested in seeing the comparison.

 

I do feel the "bump" every now and again, and I notice the change in NVH as well. Not a problem, just takes away from the refinement of the car.

The route was a fortunate one in that max 55 MPH range, with some city driving at regular intervals. Earlier in the day I took much the same route (long story) and netted in the mid 50s (compared to 44 with the ICE). The Prius seemed to have to work harder than the ICE only car did. The extra 10 MPG didn't really seem worth the sacrifice.

That said, the Prius does make up for it when I do true city and highway stop-and-go driving. The ICE can't compete there.

For those wondering, the subject ICE was a Ford Focus with the dreaded DPS6 transmission that's been in news. Yes. It shuttered like a son of a gun, but it did get the MPG.

 

driving ev doesn't save money either, when you're paying 24 cents per kilowatt

 

Weird. I can drive half of my 79-mile commute on battery only and still have 30-45% battery left when I arrive at work, and that's about 50% highway. I'd hazard a guess that it includes about two dozen starts from a cold stop (traffic lights, stop signs, and traffic). The overall trip is "downhill" (in quotes because it's a 0.5% grade on average). There is no charging available anywhere within a mile of my work, so no-go on that front. I can make it about 33% of the way back on electric power. My gasoline MPG is about 175-180 for a 79.0-mile trip. If I assume about 55 mpg while in HV mode, that means I'm driving about 54 miles on a charge (unfortunately my GOM appears to have a hard-coded 50.0 mile limit).

It's weird how finicky range can be depending on driving conditions.

I hope your Honda works out well for you. A few years ago I owned a Civic and an Accord, and my experience with those two cars swore me off of Hondas for life.

Where can you get a Corolla hatchback for $14K or less? After rebates my Prime was $17K.

If I keep the Prime for 150,000 miles, my pro-rated operating costs will be in the neighborhood of $0.215 per mile (purchase price, gas, maintenance, electricity, taxes, registration, and tires). Even if I can purchase a Corolla for $14,000 and keep it for the same 150,000 miles, my operating costs will be in the neighborhood of $0.25 per mile. If I have to pay anywhere near the MSRP of $20,140, my operating costs are at $0.30 per mile. I will have short-changed myself by $15,000 over the six or seven years it would take to rack up 150,000 miles. That's not pocket change.

Another way to think of it: the savings I realize from the lower operating cost of the Prime is almost enough to fund the cash purchase of a new car after 150K miles.

 

That’s unfortunate .

But at least it’s sorted .

 

Where did the $10k more for the Clarity come from?
It is a $5800 difference between the base trims of the cars, before considering the Clarity is eligible for $3000 more in tax credit.

Can the OP in Rhode Island get the California state incentives?

The federal tax credit can put the out of pocket price for the Prime near that of the of the Prius. Currently, Toyota doesn't have a cash offer for the Prime at my zip code. There is $1000 for the Prius, and $1500 for the Corolla Hatchback. It's going to vary by region. Lowest listed dealer price on Cars.com for 2019 Prime are in the mid $24k; Corolla hatchbacks are at the mid $18k. Then there are factors beyond region. The Corolla hatch was a new design for 2019, and the 2020 model isn't out yet.

 

o/p said when clarity came out, 'it was a good 10k above prime base'. ymmv

 

You guys still humor me, and I've had a Honda Fit for the past 3 years.

 

The Clarity did come out later. Could have been only top trim ones available then.