#1 reason you bought your prius?

Because Leonardo DiCaprio has one.

 

At the time, it was rated 52 City and 45 highway. After 70,000 miles, over 52 MPG highway and city and it has become a great teaching tool. So we replaced my wife's 2001 Echo with a 2010 and have never looked back.

The question is should be why are other cars not built serious hybrid style? What is wrong at GM, Chrysler, and the Euro companies that they continue to play 'image games' instead of real reform. They have seen the Prius architecture since 1997, now 12 years on various roads, and they still don't get it.

Bob Wilson

 

I listed other, although a couple answers are close.
The number 1 reason for me is a tie, in that the USA is far too energy dependant on oil from foreign countries (which leads to all sorts of issues) and we are producing far too much CO2 and this is ONE way I can contribute to putting less CO2 in the air.
The first choice (MPG savings) really doesn't apply to me, I just want to use less gasoline, the price isn't an issue.
The 'to save the world' isn't really correct as me driving a Prius is not going to save the world.
A) The world is at no risk, if we humans screw it up WE are the ones that will suffer, not the world. It will keep circling the sun and shake us off like so much dandruff if we should destroy ourselves (which would take something more like nuclear annihilation than climate change).
B) Driving a Prius wont resolve pollution or climate change on its own. It will help, along with many other things we can do as individuals. What we really need is education so people stop falling for marketing gimmics and start realizing they can help.

 

Other: "Voting with my wallet." In short, supporting the emerging market of alternative vehicles with the hope that it develops some commercially viable pure electric cars sooner rather than later. The geopolitical, military, economic and environmental ramifications of the oil trade need not be belabored here. Suffice it to say that we need to end our use of fossil fuel, and I will support any positive step in that direction in the hope that it will lead to other positive steps.

"I'm an elitist," would do as a good secondary reason.

 

The seats!

 

Reason for buying?
Simple. I like to feel smug and superior.

 

I can't find where to vote my main reason:

Reliability.

So they were saying the main consumers reports here in Europe when I bought it.

The alternative for a good MPG car was a turbo-diesel, not very good in the long run. Modern turbo-diesel are prone to (expensive) inyection failures. That was the case of my former car.

And a lot of high-tech, well performed as in the Prius, sounds great.

 

Don't all Browncoats own Prius's???
Froley

 

Rae.....you are right.....we each have to do our own little part and the Prius is one way to do that. But..............as a previous poster said the "FPG" (fun per gallon) far supasses the "MPG" for me!!! It's a techno-marvel and I love her!!!

P.S............you lookin' good on tv, girl!!!

 

After thinking about this for awhile, I had to vote Other. Our #1 criteria when we started looking for a new car was a hatchback or small wagon as we were downsizing from a Ford Explorer. The Prius wasn't on the list until we walked into a dealership to look at a Venza (too big), Rav4 and Matrix (didn't like either one) and saw the space in the back of the Prius and went WOW! We took it for a drive and went WOW!! Here was a car with space, great creature features, and quiet on the road.

After that, the mpg, reliability and price knocked off all other contenders (Mazda3, Audi A3, Jetta TDI wagon, Insight, and Subaru to name a few).

 

Two real reasons.
1. Too screw the Government out of my hard earned tax money.
Lower fuel usage dramatically 18 mpg to 50 mpg means a whole lot of gasoline taxes will not be paid by me.
2. To cut my over all cost of living by cutting my yearly fuel costs.

 

You know, I think a poll like this needs to be made semi-permanent and a sticky. This would directly address the anti-hybrid crowd who think our Prius is some sort of status symbol or "statement." It directly refutes the fake polling reports by those of questionable reputation that we are into Prius ego or smug.

The only thing I would do is scrub though this list and find any "other" reasons and add them to the poll. Then order the new poll by response frequency, top to bottom. What this does is make it easy for folks to hit their number 1 and move on.

As for home forum, I'm open but would suggest the "Newbie" forum might be the natural home. Us old farts can wander over and cast our votes but also, we can get 'fresh ideas' from the newbies.

In theory, such a poll should run model-year to model-year. But that might be a bit much and a little 'over engineering.' Still, a thought.

Bob Wilson

 

1) I like quirky cars. Cars that are different than anything else. (Honda is ruining that with their clone. Toyota did even worse. How UGLY is the new Prius? I don't know. I think 12 ugly bats worth!)
2) I see no reason to make the gas company any more profits than I have to.
3) Why should an engine be running when you are stopped at a stop light or anything else
4) Shouldn't all cars get over 40 mpg. Actually, shouldn't they all get over 100 mpg.
5) It's not a cheap thing. Stingy maybe. How can you say I'm cheap when I paid almost $30,000 for a Prius? I guess I just don't want the gas companies making anymore money than they need to be.
6) Even if it wasn't a Hybrid it is everything I would want a car to be. Ok, it isn't Speed Racer's car. But it is still lots of nerd fun with the MFD (ruined on the 2010 version) and the large area in the hatch. It's also fun to drive and has zero problems over the mountains in Washington State at 70 mpg in cruise control.
7) I love the Brake gear so I don't have to use my brakes much going down hill.
8) Even when I use my brakes it is mostly not brakes but the car using regenerative braking so my brake pads last a long, long time.
9) Two 6'4" friends of mine fit very comfortable in the back seat from Seattle to Portland (Oregon, not Maine).

 

As the poll shows, for most it is all about fuel savings. I think Toyota is making a marketing mistake with the 2010 as it is all about being green. Many are turned off by that where if they emphasized MPG they would catch more fish IMHO.

Kirk

 

I voted all of the above, except it wasn't a mistake.

Thought I did see a 2010 Spectra Mica Blue one the other day. Look pretty good.

 

would selecting "all of the above" be considered an oxymoron?

as for me, it was highly probable that another car would be needed by us in the near future (that has not happened yet) so i simply went out and got the best available car AT ANY PRICE

 

I voted for MPG, but it is really more. The hatchback, rear seat room, it is fun to drive, high tech, and reliable.

I am not at all a tree hugger. Global warming is a crock. I hate when people assume I'm "environmentally conscious" just because I own one. Hell, I don't even recycle...

 

It's all about reducing (in my own small way) the amount of money that is transferred to terrorist-supporting nations.

If the western world would have made legitimate efforts to reduce/eliminate petroleum use starting in the 1970s, the world would be a much different place these days.

Now that my city offers curb-side recycling pickup, I happily participate. I also have an Energy Star-rated home (which saves a bundle of $$$ on heating and cooling).

Aside from these things, I absolutely do not consider myself to be a "green" at all.

 

You forgot one... Price range.
Whenever I buy anything. The first thing I do is determine what price I am wanting to pay or can afford. And when I looked at all my options the Prius was the only vehicle that met every one of my important needs (new, well priced, interior space & comfort, efficient, reliable) Perks I wasn't counting on Fun to drive, Good looks (I admit I hated the way it looked when I bought it), maintenance is cheap and easy.