New member considering Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 04:52 PM) [snapback]475764[/snapback]</div>

I drove a '97 Porsche 993 before selling it for the Prius (and investing the other half of the money!)...maybe the biggest bummer with the Prius is that, to me, the throttle response isn't linear, so it's difficult to balance the chassis with subtle (or not so subtle) applications of power.

There's also quite a bit of lag. For example, if you're on a two lane road and want to pass, you'll find yourself mashing the throttle to the floor even before you're sure you'll have an opportunity to...that way, if it comes, the engine room is already providing full power. And, if the opportunity doesn't materialize, well, there isn't *that* much power down in there to begin with...

You can even get caught off guard by a yellow light; it must take the thing a second or longer to spool up...like turbo lag, but worse in some ways.

That said, I added the TRD bits to mine and it's pretty floggable, but I tend to enjoy driving a slow car fast more than a fast car slow (and also have a spot in my heart for underdogs). It's fun to wring performance out of something that really wasn't intended for that purpose.

Also, the electric steering is pretty much dead, feeling-wise, and the ratio is actually a bit slower than even in my '96 RAV4 (let alone my '73 Pinto, which feels almost twitchy in comparison, the steering is so fast). I'm really beginning to wish the steering in the Prius had a faster ratio.

Don't get me wrong, I *really* like my car. But I have to be honest with myself; it's got a long wheelbase, a high CG, and just isn't super responsive in some of the ways you'd expect a performance car to be.

Rent one and drive the wheels off of it. But remember the TRD suspension does make it better...the car becomes a bit more predictable, won't plow as much, and won't lose its composure quite as quickly, either. But terminal understeer is still the order of the day.

 

RAMbler, I was sort of in the same boat as far as uncertainty went. I rented one from Middletown Toyota for about $60 for two days / 300 miles. It was a great way to experience the car, even though it was a more basic trim level than I would have (and did) purchase.

I tried Hartford Toyota but they didn't have a rental department, though that's where I ultimately bought the Prius -- if you go there, be on guard, they did a number of the normal jerky dealer tricks.

 

I sold my 11 sec. AWD Eclipse to purchase the slow Prius But now instead of looking to break into the 10's I'm looking to break the MPG barrier every time I drive it. Basically I got tired of breaking and fixing the car every other month due to major abuse at the track, now I drive slow watching the MFD. I do miss the fun factor sometimes but having a car that requires no special needs and gets 3X the gas mileage sure makes me I bought the Prius for my wife since I traded in her Turbo Beetle but I'm the one that always drives it. She misses the Turbo Bug as it handled great and was quick enough for her but on the other hand she loves the room and all the gadgets inside the Prius.

 

I wouldnt think of it in the environmental aspect. Be greedy! Think of it as saving your own money. I was rollin an '06 s/c tC, which was the most fun car I've ever driven. It only had 230hp, but the torque was huge so it was just a blast off the line, droppin from 4th to 2nd and just pulling away. Of course, in an STi, you know exactly what I'm talkin about. The reason I went to the prius was because it was a hell of a lot nicer of a car and it actually was cheaper per month to drive. Ya the car payment is a lot more, but my insurance dropped a ton, and I spend about $50/mo in gas( I drive around 250mi a week average), insted of around $40/week in the tC. Also, because my driving record has a scroll bar, I deceided maybe its time to tune it down a notch. Ya, the fun factor is a huge loss to me, I'm always thinking to myself "Wth did I just do?!!! OMG the tC is gone!" But then I remember all the good reasons why I did it, and I can live with that. The prius has a lot of nice features that I've always been wanting in a car that the tC could never offer, ie: bluetooth integration, lcd driven climate controls, voice activated comands, etc..., and its cheaper per month to have

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]475929[/snapback]</div>

According to my kids I made a huge sacrifice...I went from the 'I can be seen in' Lexus LS400 to the 'silly looking' Prius. I just miss the almost silent ride and smooth 290hp V8. But belive it or not the back seat has about the same leg room.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 03:41 PM) [snapback]475727[/snapback]</div>

Although I initially got mine for different reasons, here is how I bought mine a month and a half ago... (posted earlier on a different thread)

I had it with fuel prices, traded in my year old 2006 Lexus GS 300 with 20,000 miles for my Prius. Was costing me nearly $50 to fill up (it *only* took premium fuel). It was this reason, along with the weekly "you car cost too much" (> $50K) comments from my wife, and my 3 year daughter (I really should put the extra money in her college fund) that made me trade it in, take a 20 grand hit in depreciation (ouch!) and get a Prius.

I did make myself a deal - that I would get a fully loaded Prius (I had grown acustomed to the smart key, back-up camera, DVD nav, leather interior, CVT trans) So hence, my Barcelona Red Touring with pckg #6 with a select few aftermarket mods.

After having it a month? I LOVE IT! I love the technology (one could argue that Toyota has more advanced engineering in the Prius than in their Lexus GS 300/350. And, of course the fantastic millage (23 mpg vs 45!)

I also used to play with mucho horsepower (Buick T-Type 1986 - turbo V6), but after 4 years of that, I discovered dating was cheaper! As a result, got married, started a family.

Yes, once in a while I wished I had 350 plus ft pounds of torque and more than 300 hp at my disposal, but my Prius and the car seat strapped in the back seat reminds me of why I should drive like a human being.

Just my 2 cents...

 

On the handling part of the question. If you can get the Touring version. Then you don't have to do the 3rd party suspension thing. The Touring suspension is a LOT better.

The non Touring version felt very tippy for my wife and I and her old car was a 1991 Toyota Camry with the orignal shocks and a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee (17mpg - ugh but lots of power). Considering our other vehicles and the non-Touring version feeling tippy really surprised us.

While the Prius doesn't have a lot of power it does have a lot of torque. And it doesn't have something like a CVT, the transmission IS a CVT so there is no shifting for the ICE (internal combusion engine).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Jul 9 2007, 04:33 PM) [snapback]475810[/snapback]</div>

having had some fast cars prior to my prius, i was very worried about how fun it would be to drive the prius on "fun" roads. i just had the chance on a long road trip, and i have to totally agree...its a blast to drive a slow car fast also, i equate my driving now to more like the mental activity when sailing. you end up have a ton of situational awareness trying to drive and blend, and not accelerate then brake hard in traffic that to my surprise it too was fun.

i have the standard prius and don't consider overly "tippy" per other posts, but you have to embrace the fact that it has a high CG.

just curious, how much better is the car with the trd parts?

btw, pinto girl, my first car was a '73 pinto...now that was a ride thanks for the memory...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 04:41 PM) [snapback]475727[/snapback]</div>

I LOVE my Prius but I am not crazy about the handling. Lola is an '05. If I hadn't kept my SUV 4x4, I probably wouldn't love her near as much. I drive the SUV in bad weather...Heavy rain, high winds, snow. The SUV had about 4500 miles the past year and Lola picked up the rest of the milage. I had the advantage of being able to afford two vehicles. I would not have been happy or felt really safe without that.

 

clearly, the prius won't hold a candle to the handling ability of the sti. but, i was pleasantly surprised with how my touring edition holds the road. not that it's stellar, but it's much better than i expected it to be.

i'm lucky, and so far, have been able to keep my "fun car" (an 02 t-bird). but i also have a motorcycle. so in your case, if you sold the sti, you still have the ducati for your fast and fun escapes.

 

Was driving a 1995 Diesel Mercedes-Benz for two years, two wonderful years! Smooth, comfortable, and great power on the highway. Then things starting happening, it was in need of some major work, so while it was in the shop, I had to find myself other means of transportation. Bought a 1995 Acura Integra. After a few weeks, it too was having problems, and it too needed some mechanical work. It was time for a NEW car.
Now, I drive in luxury once again. Sold the Acura, still have the '95 Benz, yet....I chose to drive the Prius instead. Even though the Benz is a luxurious car, nothing compares to the smooth, quiet drive of a Prius. Hoping not to see a mechanic for a very long time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 04:41 PM) [snapback]475727[/snapback]</div>

FYI. I think I remember reading that the Smartcar Fortwo was originally designed as a turbo-diesel and it gets 80 mpg (as sold only in Europe). The USA version is gas only, because of different emissions requirements. I agree that at "only 40mpg" I would never consider buying this car. Too many sacrifices, not enough gains.

 

Rambler,

I traded in a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT with the 2.5 liter turbo. The car was lowered and had some beautiful black diamond BBS RGR wheels on it. It was a fast, sharp looking, and well handling car. It also got 21 mpg for the first year that I drove it. After gas prices on premium went close to $3.40 out here in Arizona, I started to drive more conservatively and managed to get my mileage up to 23 mpg. After reading some hypermiling articles, I could even get up to 26 mpg or so.

A friend gave me some clairity when he stated "either drive the Subaru likes a sports car and forget about mileage or get an economy car." He was right....why baby a sports car to eek out a few extra miles? I'm now proudly driving my 07 Prius. I've still got half a tank left and I just crossed over 350 miles on the odometer. My Legacy would have been out at gas by now sitting on the side of the freeway. Since I bought it 10 days ago or so, I'm averaging over 49 miles per gallon with the A/C on all time.

It is a totally different car. I now get my excitement from seeing how often I can glide, accelerate on battery power only, etc. A different type of excitement but excitement nonetheless.

Best of luck in your decision.

P.S. I've got a radar detector for sell now that the Subaru is gone! :lol:

 

Another Subaru driver. I absolutely love my '00 Impreza RS. While not in the same league as your STi, I had same concerns as you. I bought the my Prius strictly as a commuter car to save miles from my beloved Impreza. In a year and a half, the Prius has done over 37,000 miles, and the Impreza less than 3000. I use the Impreza now primarily on weekends, and for the ocassional auto-x. All in all, the Prius is just as fun as the Impreza, but in a different way. As somebody put it, its more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. The Prius is not slow, not fast, but it its fun to pick off unsuspecting SUVs and "Muscle" cars. With today's traffic (90 miles a day), the Prius is just a better tool for the job. Don't give up the Impreza, and you can have the best of both worlds. After a while, the Impreza will start feeling crude and old fashioned, and it may make the decision easier. I'm almost there...not quite yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 9 2007, 08:21 PM) [snapback]475929[/snapback]</div>

I was thinking the same thing... surprised by the amount of decent rides that were traded in for the Prius. I myself made a similar move, from a Turbocharged 2003 6-Speed Acura CL Type-S (~450hp) to the Prius. Yes I do miss it from time to time but mostly because of the comfy seats and superior stereo. I spent most of my time trying to get good mileage in it anyway (and could manage 30-32mpg!). In the end it just made sense to make the move and I can now easily achieve 60+ mpg and am a happier and MUCH less stressful driver.
However one of my buddies at work just bought a new STi and I wish I still had the Acura to give him a little run Anyway I think it's great so many of you made the switch! For me I hit 30+ years old and just stopped caring about being the coolest or fastest. Getting 66mpg for a tank, now THAT's cool

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RAMbler @ Jul 11 2007, 11:00 PM) [snapback]477297[/snapback]</div>

The display can be a real distraction at first if you're not careful, but it doesn't take long to get used to what it's telling you and then be able to do little more than glance at it to get the information you need. The major issue with it (and indeed all such touch-screen displays) is that to control anything with it DOES require you to look because the flat surface gives no tactile feedback in the same way that physical switches would. Most common functions can be controlled from the steering wheel however, so once used to that, the display doesn't really intrude into normal driving. Manually adjusting environment controls or speed-dialling is really the only time I find I need to pay it much attention - and even then, for the latter I could use voice control instead.

As for the suspension and handling - many people have complained that the base model is soft and that it rolls in corners, but I've not really found either to be particularly true. I drove a touring edition, which has firmer suspension, and noted the ride was marginally harder and cornering felt a little more precise, but like anything, it's a matter of what you're used to and comparing it with.

There are suspension upgrades, as suggested here, but they're not dealer-based options so much as after-market products. I've driven mine on mountain roads in my area and found the handling more than adequate enough that I wouldn't consider these at all necessary. The car drives very well, with what I would have to describe as slightly detached precision. Detached, because the electric power assist leaves little road feel and the fly-by-wire throttle and brake controls give no direct connection to the consequence of using them, but precision because the car goes exactly where it's pointed, and the steering is sufficiently direct that the car is highly maneuverable without a lot of arm-flailing.

All in all, while the Prius is not a performance car, it responds very well to hard driving and can be a lot of fun to drive it quickly. Then, once done with that, it has the advantage of being a very relaxing and de-stressing car to drive when using the feedback it provides to adjust driving techniques for better fuel efficiency rather than greater urgency.

To my mind, the only reason to jump in and buy now is that if you have decided to get a Prius at all, it makes some sense to get one as soon as possible in order to begin saving fuel costs at the earliest opportunity. With the 08 models unlikely to represent any great change from the current specification (Toyota seem to juggle color and option packages between model years more than anything) and the 3rd generation not due until spring 2009, buying now wouldn't loose you anything in terms of technical advantages and would then mean your Prius would be still a valuable trade-in asset once the 3rd generation models had been out long enough to have some clarity on reliability and drivability. I would, I think, be inclined to turn down the current offer just to see the dealer's reaction, but if they have the Prius model you want with the color and option package you want, I'd still be prepared to accept a deal if they offer something better than at present.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eberrong @ Jul 11 2007, 10:28 AM) [snapback]476931[/snapback]</div>

Yeah, the US SmartCar is a piece of junk. And the crash test reports aren't very encouraging either.

The thing is TINY. Even with a regular gas engine, if they used a halfway decent design they should have been getting over 40 MPG!