1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

How Slow IS the Prius? (Archive)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Tideland Prius, Sep 8, 2007.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,243
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    So.. we all know by now the two, rather high profile cases of speeding Priuses.


    Of course, the general public thinks that they're slow.


    But.. reading the archives of some magazines, you'll discover how different the perspective was back then. How they praised the Classic Prius for its quirky design and top-notch materials. How "[a]ccelerating away from a stop sign... generat[es] more than adequate power to join the traffic flow" despite having <100hp.

    Of course what they don't have, they want and what we have, well.. they nitpick lol.


    Anyway, I couldn't help but notice this paragraph.

    "With 200 mind-numbing miles of interstate cutting an asphalt swathe through the tumbleweed-strewn desert, it was inevitable that an unofficial top-speed test would be conducted. Once firmly in the triple-digits, the large LCD speedometer rises slower than a Mt. Everest climber. Eventually the digital gauge reaches its peak at an impressive 164 kph, aka 102 mph. Before we could begin a little victory dance, a little turtle light illuminated, signalling low battery power. Perhaps we could make it for the 51st celebration."


    Yeah... that's right.. 102mph in the OLD Prius.

    Here's the full article
     
  2. n8kwx

    n8kwx Member

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2004
    236
    1
    0
    Location:
    Arlington Heights, IL - NW Chicago Suburb
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 8 2007, 10:07 PM) [snapback]509346[/snapback]</div>
    Why don't people ask if a Hummer is fast enough to merge on the freeway? Or can a Tahoe keep up with traffic?

    Some of those SUVs out there can't get out of their own way! Some are 11+ second (0-60) vechicles, some can't even hit 100!
     
  3. donee

    donee New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2005
    2,956
    197
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Hi N8KWX,

    Yea, those SUV's are slow, but expecially on the highway ramps! Its not uncommon to see a line of 10 SUV's a hundred yards behind the car in front by the end of a ramp.
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,243
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    haha.. but what's amazing is that the new one is only a few mph faster than the old one.
     
  5. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2004
    14,816
    2,498
    66
    Location:
    Far-North Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    My wife and I got stuck renting an Expedition once on vacation. We had to merge into traffic where there was no onramp. You round the cloverleaf and *bam* you're in traffic.

    I screamed "floor it!"
    She screamed "I am! I AM!!"
    That thing had the acceleration potential of a small house.

    We laugh about it now but we were scared out of our pants at the time.
     
  6. bazineta

    bazineta New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2007
    26
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Sep 9 2007, 10:51 AM) [snapback]509623[/snapback]</div>
    I was driving in Florida, and on one of the onramps there was an official DOT sign, which read "Short ramp, hit it running". Haven't seen anything like that elsewhere.
     
  7. ranmandx

    ranmandx Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 28, 2007
    56
    0
    0
    164km/h hmmmm i'm kind of thinking i should fix up my old jag. Back in the day hitting 180 wasn't difficult and quite quickly on my 5500lb boat of a car with a 4.2L straight six. It only has a 3 speed auto and was well tuned for the high speed accelleration. I haven't tried getting the prius to go fast but 140 was hit on one occasion it took a while though.