2007 Toyota Prius Road Test

All these reviews that just say the car is slow without any numbers to say how it compares to similiar cars. I haven't driven one yet, but the numbers say it's as quick off the line as my Subaru Impreza, which I find completely acceptable. Seems like the reviewers just expect it to be slow, so they don't even make a judgement themselves. Plus they only give the hp of the ICE, not the combined hp. I think it gives the wrong impression, even though it was a positive review overall.

 

The Prius is definitely not a performance or sports car - I can easily tell the difference between it and my previous car which had a V6 engine. That said I've never noticed a lack of power and speed. I have no problem passing cars or even getting up to 80 when I need to. No problems coming up to speed from a cold start or dead stop and no problems with that monster hill in my commute. I agree with the point cyrus69 made - it seems like a lot of reviewers are judging the Prius performance based on its reputation rather than their objective experiences.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cyrus69 @ Jun 3 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]454487[/snapback]</div>

I agree. If I didn't own the Prius, I would probably read the review and decide that the Prius can't get out of its own way and I probably would decide I don't want one. Since I do own a Prius, I can unequivocally state that the reviewer doesn't know what he's talking about. I went from an Acura CL-Type S w/260 HP. While the Prius is certainly not as quick as the CL, it never suffers from a lack of power. I can pass anything on the road and I can get the jump on anyone at stoplight if necessary.

Regardless, the Prius is very satisfying to own. I recently changed my commute from 30 miles of freeways to 3 miles of city streets. My mileage has gone from 44-46 MPG to 60+ MPG. That's money in the bank!

 

The article states that the starting price is $ 31,280. Obviously the quoted prices are not in U.S. dollars.

Keith

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Jun 4 2007, 02:45 PM) [snapback]454830[/snapback]</div>

The article mentions the 401 which runs across southern Ontario, Canada -- I suspect the prices listed are in Canadian dollars...

 

If I Wanted a speed based performance oriented car, I'd get one.

I'd bring the right tools to the comparison.

 

Are these all paid shills for detroit?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jun 4 2007, 12:13 PM) [snapback]455001[/snapback]</div>

Or for JBL!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ibmindless @ Jun 3 2007, 10:35 PM) [snapback]454718[/snapback]</div>

I totally agree. My previous car was a VW GTI VR6 with a manual trans. The Prius is quicker off the line, and better at passing in most situations IMO, the the VW is consdiered a pretty high performance car by reviewers like these. I will never own another non-hybrid car, unless I can get an electric!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tech_Guy @ Jun 3 2007, 11:45 PM) [snapback]454830[/snapback]</div>

The price differential is really bad now with the US dollar worth not much more than the Canadian dollar. That CAD$31280 is about US$29540 at today's exchange rate! :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cyrus69 @ Jun 3 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]454487[/snapback]</div>

There's no way my Prius is as quick as my Impreza (2.5 RS non-turbo, 5 sp), but it beats my wife's Outback 2.5 Automatic in every way except traction. The Prius is my daily driver, but for different kind of fun, I still love my Impreza. The Impresa gets 25 or so, the Outback 18 mpgs: Prius (50 avg.) wins hands down on mpgs, and refinement.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kinghuang @ Jun 4 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]455102[/snapback]</div>

Even with the current exchange rate you quote, the starting price here in the U.S is not even close to US$ 29,540. The current starting price of a Prius here in California is about $ 23,000 USD. I guess that compared to the rest of the world, we are getting a really good deal...

Keith

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Jun 4 2007, 10:13 AM) [snapback]455001[/snapback]</div>

Man, you guys are tough. I thought this was a very fair review of the car. The guy really liked it! Everything he mentioned, both pro and con, sounds about right to me.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Jun 4 2007, 12:51 PM) [snapback]455118[/snapback]</div>

I think I misquoted the speed of the Impreza, I have a 2.5 TS 5 speed, so I think it's little faster 0-60. I don't usually drive the car that way though. I think the tradeoff of 2 seconds 0-60 is more than worth it. I just drove the impreza to California a couple months ago, and averaged over 28mpg the whole way, driving 70mph or more most of the way. Best tank was 31mpg (that's us gallons). 50 mpg sounds good with the price of fuel up here, the impresa is terrible in city driving which is what I do most, it gets maybe 18mpg at best, and that's with no jackrabbit starts.

With our dollar going up all the time (they say it could be at par by the end of the year), importing one is looking better and better.