I recently bought a Prius. I have been, of course thrilled. I was explaining to one of my friends why I traded my 2004 BMW X3 on a 2007 Toyota Prius (let's just say it was a long discussion), she asked how long it was taking me to get to work. I told her the same amount of time it usually does, why? She asked well how can you keep up with the other cars on the road? I mean, what's your top speed? Of course I laughed, she apparently thought HYBRID = SLOW. She had heard top speed for electric cars and assumed the same of my Prius, VERY FUNNY (TO ME) !! That got me to thinking, what has been your top speed, ANYONE?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJGreen @ May 13 2007, 03:08 PM) [snapback]441236[/snapback]</div> Congratulations on your purchase! I've hit 103 mph once. It's was a late night on highway 101 with nobody in sight.
I've never tried to top out at more than 95mph but I did run it at the drag strip a bunch of times. [email protected] That is right on par with the majority of Honda Civics throughout the 90s and even the Integra (non-GSR)
I don't know yet, just got it but I am going on a road trip in a couple of weeks so I will let ya know!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJGreen @ May 13 2007, 03:08 PM) [snapback]441236[/snapback]</div> The car is limited to 107 mph.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJGreen @ May 13 2007, 06:08 PM) [snapback]441236[/snapback]</div> 117mph, emergency run to the hospital. Our daughter fell out of a second story window, and we didn't have phone service, so we made the trip in record time. Luckly nothing permanent, young bodies are so resilient.
I have noticed that due to my heightened awareness of fuel economy (staring me in the face) I drove much slower overal than I used to in my Beamer. I don't think more than 75-80 is even necessary but I find it comical that panicked drivers and tailgaters that cannot wait to pass you only to stop at the same red light. I think I used to be one of those, THOSE DAYS ARE GONE.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJGreen @ May 13 2007, 04:48 PM) [snapback]441287[/snapback]</div> See, your friend was right. Prius DO drive slow! They only go the speed limit (unless you want to go faster, of course.) Many people note the calming effect of Prius driving. I personally think that never feeling a shift kick has a lot to do with it, just smooth acceleration and cruising.
I doesn't really matter if you are going 1 mph or 500 mph. In any case you are getting better gas mileage and poluting less. As for 65 or 70 being fast enough. It all depends on when and where. I always go 5 over. So if the speed limit is 75, then 65 or 70 isn't fast enough. The MAIN thing is to --never-- block other people. So what if you don't want to go as fast. Move one lane right and get out of the way. In Germany (which has a lot smarter traffic policies than the US) you can lose your license if you keep getting in the way of other people. FYI: I live in the Seattle area which has some of the worst traffic in the country.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ May 13 2007, 05:56 PM) [snapback]441320[/snapback]</div> I lived there for 2 years. I agree. Some of the rudest too. lol
All reports indicate that the top speed of the Prius is 106/107. If you want to prove to your friend that hybrids can go fast, check this: http://hybridcars.about.com/od/news/a/priuslandspeed_2.htm
Yes, well I'm in Los Angeles. Traffic is pretty crazy here too. I'm sure she'll be convinced to go green as soon as I get her in the passenger seat, stay tuned.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MJGreen @ May 13 2007, 04:48 PM) [snapback]441287[/snapback]</div> Haha!! I see that way too often... I typically drive right on the speed limit on flat roads and keep the foot entirely off the pedal to maintain speed downhill and I usually don't let the speed drop more than about 5mph going uphill. Way too many cars tailgate me (not sure why they can't just go around?) and the ones that do fly past me I usually end up sitting behind at the next red light or when we catch up to slowed traffic. It's just pointless, driving like an idiot speeding and weaving across lanes just doesn't seem to get you anywhere. About speed... I once had a rental Prius that I typically drove at 80 on the highway and I remember taking it up to about 100 at least once but not sure of the exact number. I used to have an Insight, I took a picture of the speedo with my cell phone at 111 mph in 3rd gear (after I took the picture I realized I was so busy trying to drive and take a picture that I forgot to shift).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ilusnforc @ May 13 2007, 06:56 PM) [snapback]441395[/snapback]</div> Yeah, well i'm beginning a video diary of my travels in the Prius and some other crazy things, stay tuned for that, should be fun.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vagabond @ May 13 2007, 06:24 PM) [snapback]441244[/snapback]</div> I thought it was 109. I guess that explains why I was only able to get it up to 107 though
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Maytrix @ May 13 2007, 11:23 PM) [snapback]441412[/snapback]</div> Maybe under "normal" circumstances, but I got 117...to be fair it was going downhill off I-75 coming into Chat, TN. Read my previous post regarding why. Never been close to that since.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ May 13 2007, 08:56 PM) [snapback]441320[/snapback]</div> If I move over one lane I will hit a tree. We have two lane roads. I drive the speed limit, so speeders back up behind me or pass when they get a chance (not very often with our twisty roads). I completely agree with your philosophy of slower traffic not blocking faster traffic, but I also have little tolerance for speeding. Once a vehicle is going the speed limit, the driver should never have to apologize for holding up traffic. Of course common sense and common courtesy (and sometimes the law) says to stay right when there are multiple lanes. In Germany, they set sensible speed limits and expect people to obey them. In the U.S., we set silly speed limits and expect everyone to look the other way. I would prefer that we set reasonable limits then rigorously enforce them. German's also expect drivers to know what they are doing, where in the U.S. you can get your driver's license from a box of Crackerjacks. Tom
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ May 13 2007, 06:47 PM) [snapback]441281[/snapback]</div> You're even luckier no one got hurt on the way to the hospital. 117 is just a little too crazy, and reckless.
I will admit I was worried that the prius would be too slow, so I went up to 106 on my test drive ( on the M1 jn 33 to 31) and it put my mind at rest. When getting up to speed ( when merging into fast traffic) I do find the slight pause between pressing the pedal hard and power kicking in slightly annoying ( a bit like old fashioned turbo lag) but it is just a quirk of the car.
