Best to compare just base models vs. options. As you saw from the Cars.com actual street price comparison, base Prius C is $20,240 and base Prius III is $22,760, 10% difference. You got no sun roof, no solar roof cooling system, less room, rougher ride, cheaper interior, strings for cargo cover, noisier, no rear camera, less instrumentation, cheaper nav and internet system, no automatic DRL's, smaller tires.
You say it's best to compare base models, but the Prius Liftback II, ostensibly the base model, doesn't have a solar roof, a sun roof, or a rear camera. Looks like you're not practicing what you're preaching here.
It doesn't help that Proximal is most likely referring to a 2012 Prius Two as a base model (cheapest available to consumers). Him saying "Prius III" is super confusing as that implies the pricier Prius Three model.
Exactly which is why the person comparing the price of my Prius III/3 to base Prius C was not useful. Cost difference of base Prius C to base Prius III is 10%, about $2,000.
It is silly to be dogmatic about the price differences between two cars. Prices change by the day and from one locale to another. The best one can hope for is a range, or one data point. E.g., I looked up the base Prius liftback and base Prius 'c' a moment ago for San Diego and then Brooklyn using the USAA car buying service. Prius is discounted off MSRP quite a bit more than the 'c', with these prices: San Diego 'c': $19482 'Prius' $22684 Brooklyn 'c': $19430 'Prius' $23769 That would be a $3200, or 16.4% price difference for San Diego, and $4339 or 23.3% for Brooklyn. I suspect that finding a 15 - 20% price difference between these two models would be typical. ProxSuns: Even you can learn one teeny tiny correction: There is no such thing as a Prius III on dealer car lots today. The base Prius (commonly thought of as third generation (G3) is called Prius liftback (trim) two.
And easy to buy in distant locales for price breaks as we see so many on PriusChat do. Checking your SD number, you'll notice it compared a Prius III/2 to a base Prius C which accounted for the larger cost differential. Base Prius C to Base Prius III on the street per Cars.com is $2K. I hear but you need to talk to these guys Gen III 2010+ Prius Main Forum
It says "Gen III 2010+ Prius", NOT Prius III. I'll say it again, the *ONLY* Prius III was the 2010 Prius III. But there's also 2010 the Prius I, II, IV and V. Starting w/2011, it became Prius Three, One, Two, Four, Five.
It does refer to a Gen III Prius...aka Prius III. Not to worry, we'll have a Prius IV soon. It's when we have a Prius V/V that it will get dicey.
A new base Prius liftback *is* the Prius two. Prius liftback trim one is a stripped car Toyota has sold to car rental agencies and I think fleet buyers. You will not find it for sale on a dealer car lot to an individual. Re: nomenclature -- Notice how the forum is labeled Gen III Prius ... We are discussing prices of base trim levels in these latest generation cars, not generations. When you write Prius III you imply some trim level that does not exist but people try to parse as trim level three (one up from the base.)
NO terms after Prius are assumed to refer to trim or sub-family (e.g 'c', 'v', 'liftback') terms before Prius are assumed to refer to generation
^^ lol Anybody know which original painting provided the inspiration for this Homer Simpson rendition ?
You are the about the only regular current poster on Priuschat who continues use the incorrect and confusing nomenclature of Prius III, III/3, 3/3, III/4, etc. when referring to the 3rd gen Prius liftback. Why? It annoys people and confuses new users and prospective buyers. Base 3rd gen 2011-2012 Prius liftbacks are the Prius One (fleet only) or Prius Two.
