GM and others announce hybrid project

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 12:43 AM) [snapback]336637[/snapback]</div>

LOL. You're going to replace your Prius with a Saturn?!?!?!? And you bitch about integrity issues now, I can only imagine what you're in for!

If it gets the milage you expect, it's your next car? Well that won't be hard. The article states the standard version gets 20 city and 28 highway, for a combined 24. It also states that the Hybrid will get 20% better fuel economy. Lets see, 24 x 20% gain = 29mpg. Nice. Just do yourself a favor and buy yourself an Accord. It'll get you the 29 without a Hybrid system.

LOL!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 01:08 AM) [snapback]336644[/snapback]</div>

LOL!

No.

The Aura should get *at least* the mileage of the Vue hybird, which uses the same system. If it doesn't, well simple, I won't buy it. I'll get a TDI instead.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 01:48 AM) [snapback]336653[/snapback]</div>

Why would it do better then the VUE? Exact same power train, just a few pounds lighter. Seriously, If you've got things narrowed down between the Saturn Aura hybrid and the Jetta TDI, then go with the TDI. Every review I've read on the Aura is that the interior is pure junk, and for peat's sake it's a Saturn!

Now, Volkswagon's diesels are second rate in my opinion, but they're all we have here in the States. If only Renault and Citroen sold their diesels here, it might be an option to rival the Prius. But for me, Volkswagon's reliability issues are enough to keep me miles away from any of their lots!

But good luck none the less!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 01:57 AM) [snapback]336655[/snapback]</div>

Actually, the Aura is lighter and more aerodynamic. I expect it should be able to beat the G6 4cyl in mileage (which is around 34mpg highway), and they are, after all, running on the same platform.

And, I've read that the Aura interior is quite nice. In any case, it can not be worse than the interior of my Prius.

 

There's a brief look of the Vue Green Line at http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests...green-line.html.

They were not impressed by it and got 25 mpg overall vs. 37 mpg for the HyCam (over a different route).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 12:57 AM) [snapback]336655[/snapback]</div>

I don't know where you've read your reviews, but pretty much everyone agrees that the Aura has an excellent interior. Personally, the only real fault I can find is the hard door armrests. You should actually look the car over before talking bad about it. You might find you like it, such is my history with Prius.

Geez, that's the same reason I haven't yet reserved a Prius Touring. B)

I drove both the Jetta (expensive) and Beetle TDI models and both of them had a dash rattle. I've tried to love VW but their quality gets in the way.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna)</div>

Honda And Driver are hardly ever impressed with anything American. Go see it yourself.

The Camry hybrid and the VUE hybrid are so different it's not even funny. They should've taken an Escape and Highlander hybrid on that same route in the same conditions and given the results. Even a non-hybrid VUE would've satisfied me. Hell, I acheived 22.6MPG in my 5.3L, 3.73-geared tow machine 2005 Silverado on a trip to Dallas and back, but I doubt many will ever see that high. Point is, you can't base a vehicles economy off of one tank while it's still in break-in.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 02:07 AM) [snapback]336659[/snapback]</div>

You've read good things about the Aura? Apparantly you missed this thread on the GM sight you seem to frequent.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38414

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 10:22 AM) [snapback]336727[/snapback]</div>

See, this is what's funny, at least to me. And to you, even though you won't admit it.

People on the GM forum honestly talk about what's good and bad about the product. Here, it's just the opposite. The Prius has, and let's be honest, one of the worst interiors ever foisted upon a carbuyer. 26K and I didn't even get a height adjustable seat.

To quote Gob Bluth, "Come on!"

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Oct 23 2006, 03:57 AM) [snapback]336670[/snapback]</div>

Ouch.....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 10:29 AM) [snapback]336728[/snapback]</div>

Here's where I think I don't differ from you. Things could be better in the Prius. Some people are always happy with what's hoisted at them. I consider myself a very sceptical buyer, and I'm not easy to please.

Height adjustable seat? Yeah, it's crazy it doesn't have one, but I got lucky and the seat is set to right were I'd like it.

The car has its fair share of flaws. I paid 24k for mine -3150 rings it in at about 20,895. I think that's a steal personally. At under 21k I was looking at 4 banger Accords and Camry's that were more Spartan then the Prius. At the time the tax benefits were the reason I pulled the trigger, now I'd do it again even void of the benefits.

The good news for you is the car doesn't depreciate, despite all its rattles and "issues." When you sell, you'll have lost less money then on any other car on the market. Maybe we can both agree to that?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 10:38 AM) [snapback]336729[/snapback]</div>

Hey... I hear a reviewer got 24mpg in the highlander hybrid and 43 in the civic hybrid.

Ouch on that too? I mean, if you can compare apples to watermelons, can't I?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 10:43 AM) [snapback]336734[/snapback]</div>

The Highlander isn't sold as an economy Hybrid, that's why I'm not a fan of it. Performance Hybrids irk me. The problem with the Vue is it gets performance milage with an economy powertrain.

Hey man, it's your money. Feel free to do what you like with it!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sl7vk @ Oct 23 2006, 10:51 AM) [snapback]336738[/snapback]</div>

And again, I find the hypocritical response funny... Didn't C/D get in the high 30s/low 40s when they tested a Prius? When Consumer Reports tested a Prius, didn't they get a low number as well? It's amazing how they're they enemy when they turn in low mileage numbers on the Prius, but the best reporters in the world when they do the same for a competing product.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 10:59 AM) [snapback]336744[/snapback]</div>

I recall car and driver getting 43 from the Prius which is what I was getting the first week I bought it. 43 is a tad better then 25. Almost twice as good!

Seriously, if you like what you see in the Saturn Aura, then go for it! If you can prevent GM from having to use my tax dollars in a government bailout, then god bless you!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BellBoy @ Aug 11 2006, 01:40 PM) [snapback]301579[/snapback]</div>

Detroit is a division of the oil majors. Their FUNCTION is to crank out fuel INefficient vehicles as fast as they can, while placating the docile population with garbage press releases.

 

On the dirty ice/snow melts faster thing. The glacier melting is do to the co2 and other greenhouse gasses reflecting heat back to earth in the form of infrared radiation.

Watching tv and having a camera man point his camera at the snow to show you cracks in the ice, wile a scientist talks about global warming, and you notice the dirty ice. Then come up with the conclusion that the dirt in the air landing on the ice is causing glacial melting. Now that is science in its purist form.

If that were the case, why are we working to stop green house gas production? When by your logic we should be working to free the world of dust bunnies. If you want to melt the amount of ice in the glaciers, it will take more than a little dirt. We are talking about thousands even millions of cubic tons of ice, not an ice cube in your back yard. It would take several feet of dirt maybe even several hundreds of feet of dirt to have the same affect.

What is melting the ice is warmer temps. Wait until summer, take an ice cube outside, and time it until it melts. Take an ice cube outside in the winter 32f or colder and time it. repeat both with a sprinkling of dirt. I think you will find ice in the warmer temps will melt faster. That is not proven yet though, So be the first to prove that heat melts ice. I dare you to actually do controlled scientific experiments and record your data and then when you discover that dirt is the cause of glacier melting not global climate change let the world know.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 07:59 AM) [snapback]336744[/snapback]</div>

C&D got 42 mpg overall on the Prius http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtests/7701...rius-page4.html. They also picked it as one of their 10Best cars: http://www.caranddriver.com/bestcars/7582/...yota-prius.html.

When Consumer Reports tested it, they got 44 mpg overall (35 city/50 highway). It also happens to rank (w/their ratings) as having the best mileage of any family sedan or small car w/an automatic: http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023460. At http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/co...cient/index.htm they say it "returned an excellent 44 mpg overall in our tests--the best fuel economy we've measured in a five-passenger vehicle." It's also on their recommended list (along w/many others cars) and on their top picks list http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/ne...picks/index.htm. It also made the most reliable list at http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/10/26/cr_mos...=cnn_topstories and http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023544.

It happened to do well at http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/01/Autos/carr...r_satisfaction/ amongst owners "The Toyota Prius is the car that makes its owners happiest, according to a survey by Consumer Reports, but the Chevrolet Corvette is a close second.... Ninety-five percent of Prius owners said they would buy one again. Among Corvette owners, 93 percent said they would buy the car again."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 23 2006, 07:29 AM) [snapback]336728[/snapback]</div>

That I would strongly disagree with. I've seen FAR worse interiors on vehicles that have shipped between the 04 model year and now, esp. on some GM vehicles. At least Bob Lutz there has publicly admitted it and forced GM to improve their interiors. At least a lot of them look ok in pictures, but when you see and feel some of these improved interiors, some of them are still cheap.

Nissan's been pretty guilty of these too (look at 02 thru ~05 Altimas).

When I first saw the (our) 2nd gen Prius in the 04 model year, I was actually quite impressed w/the interior considering I knew Toyota had to be losing $ on each Prius for quite some time. It took awhile for them to recoup their investment on the Prius gen and turn a profit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Oct 24 2006, 02:21 AM) [snapback]337212[/snapback]</div>

Now I know you can't be taken seriously, sorry. The Prius is, by far, the hardest and most uncomfortable car around. I've sat in an Altima, and even that has some soft areas to put your arms. The Prius has two spartan little outposts of cloth in a sea of hard plastic.

Even the first generation Prius was far, far better than this. It had controls. You could change the ventilation without having to take your eyes off the road. Amazing stuff, that.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonnycat26 @ Oct 24 2006, 09:59 AM) [snapback]337284[/snapback]</div>

Have you ever been in Mini Cooper S with sports package, talk about no soft spots.

If the Prius is the worst ever interior, then I have to ask have you ever sat in a Chevy Corsica, ford tempo, ford probe, ford focus, what about the old Honda’s. I can go on and on. with complaints about interior designs far worse than the Prius. Now if you are talking about new cars 2000 model year and up please don’t say things like the “worst ever†(talking about implied meaning. This implies that you mean all cares ever built. No I am not going to go as far back as the model T. the cars I speak of go back to 1990 and as new as 2006 model year.)

I myself do not see how the interior is so bad. I had a Mini before and I used a Lincoln Town car for work. Now that car was huge and soft. The funny thing is the things that I liked most in both cars the Prius had standard so I got the base model. Power windows, mirrors, doors, keyless entry, ac and stereo controls on the steering wheel, and the auto climate control. I know I like all the simple stuff, I just don’t see myself using all the extra options so I didn’t pay for them and I don’t miss any of it.