Et tu, Prius

The Listener is one of the most-read magazines in NZ.
This week's issue has an article subtitled:
"Hybrid cars used to be trendy, but now it's hip to knock them. What's up?"

Partial text of the article:
"Hybrids have taken a bit of a beating of late, but you can't blame the bloggers; the sight of Prince Charles wedging himself into a Prius just after sending the private jet back to Britain for Camilla's forgotten shoes is more than a greenie can take. The perversity of celebs such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Tom Hanks owning Toyota's greener-than-thou hybrid, while still indulging in lifestyles that produce more CO2 emissions than the whole of Mali, is the stuff of eco-farce."

"But Prius-knockers aren't all pimply photophobes called "Boolean Warrior". Earlier this year, a shadowy US entity calling itself CNW Marketing Research Inc whipped the motoring media into righteous fervour with the release of an "analysis" that rated the Hummer, GM's bloated SUV, as more environmentally friendly than a Prius."

The article goes on to do a pretty good job of setting the record straight, although it does allude to some whiney posts on consumer-type boards complaining that they can't achieve the 5.1 litres to 100 km economy (I routinely get 4.8). I'd give the article an overall grade of B+

The full text will be available at this link
http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3522/colum...t_tu_prius.html
on the 12th (after the next issue hits the newsstands) Sorry 'bout that.

 

My heart sank as I read the opening paragraphs of the article, seeing them refer to the now-infamous CNW study. But then it quickly came right, the authors set the record straight about flaws in the study etc. From memory, they went on to say how the Prius appears to be taking an inordinate amount flack, but how the new technology was necessary/inevitable, and that markent leaders/changers always cop some abuse. They finished on a really good note overall, although they did mention that there were some posts on various consumer websites from new owners complaining that they can't get the mileage they think they should. All in all a pretty balanced article I thought, but I am totally biased.