I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return i

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

I didn't give up anything in comfort and performance to drive a Prius. Your blanket statement makes assumptions about previous cars. Many of us didn't drive luxury cars before adopting the Prius. To me, my Prius *is* a luxury car.

Tom

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

You should have CT200h instead of a Prius then.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

Bologna.

We have "luxury" cars, classic cars, normal cars, and a Prius. All of them have their benefits and the only reason I prefer to drive the luxury SUV is when we drive 30+ hours straight cross country.

The smoothness and quietness of the Prius is a major plus. The only car better than the prius (except for MPG) is the RX450h. All the benefits but with the added luxury. However, half the mpg on a good day.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

You're right. I gave up having to buy gas so often, I gave up the joy of not having enough luggage room, I gave up the joy of manual transmission, I gave up the need to use a key to open and start the car! Gosh, I miss all those!

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

+1 except for the manual. I hate automatics because of the jerkiness and slow response. The Prius is perfect with the all electric torque from a stop and no shifting jerks. However, a manual can be a joy. Not while stuck in traffic, or most times during any traffic loads. But on a track, or a twisty back road, it can be a blast.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

We had a regular gas engine automatic Civic, next to lastest gen, while our Prius was getting (minor) bodywork. I was suprised at the relatively punchy startup from a stop, compared to the Prius. I really had to feather the gas pedal: every start was jack rabbit. I actually prefer the Prius' more sedate departures, but...

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

Ditto. I had a rental Chevy Cobalt when we were in Maui. The throttle is over sensitive.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

But an oversensitive throttle does not make it nicer off the line. A 0-2mph "race" between the Prius and any other automatic transmission vehicle not meant for starting (meaning excluding the "launch control" mode found on modern super cars), the Prius will win. Instant power. When you put your foot down in anything else, you get: wait... wait... wait... lurch! then acceleration to the redline because you say "power!" and it says "but I wanna shift!!!" and you win until the redline where it must upshift.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

Coincidentally, I just happened to be driving one yesterday (really!). Since 90% of my driving is stop-and-go, it was not a joy.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

I agree the comfort of the gen2 seats had much to be desired. I adjusted with day to day driving, and it only became apparent on long trips or after driving something else.

Performance was fine. The suspension was set for a family car and drive train sounds different, so it may appear lacking. It's like driving a truck or minivan. Sitting higher gives the illusion of going slower than a lower sitting car, but the speedometer says you're going faster than you think.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

He, he, I know that feeling. Do you drive the Prius in Eco mode?

We have a 2008 Civic LX. When I was driving it regularly I didn't think of it as any more sensitive than our Sable, but once (quickly) used to the Prius Eco mode when I first get in the Civic it requires a conscious effort to stop it revving past 2500rpm.

My wife finds the Prius a little unresponsive, even in Power mode.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

I have to agree with the OP. Every car has its own balance of features, performance and luxury.

But it's not really about the car so much, it's more about our own perspective, and (if it's important) how a specific car fits into the automotive landscape.

Personally, I decided not to buy another Prius, and drive a Honda Fit Sport instead. It's a bit quicker, handles better (even more so with a lowered, stiffer suspension), has a shorter wheelbase, and the driveline is so much more direct. Not to mention all the cargo space!

I do miss the mileage and the smoothness (in everyday driving) of the Prius with its HSD, and waiting for someone at the train station with the car on, the engine off, and the A/C blowing cold air. It was very relaxing in traffic, too, for the same reasons.

I suppose I'm a simple gal, and simpler and cheaper and smaller appeals to me. The Fit doesn't seem like one of those 'get the extended warranty or else' cars, whereas the Prius did to me. It also seems to have a much less rattle prone interior than the GIII, which I was considering.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

Why do people say the Prius seat isn't comfortable enough? Isn't that like saying a piece of Death By Chocolate cake served with double chocolate ice cream covered with chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles isn't chocolaty enough?

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

There is a compromise between what a car can be made to do on the road in comfort, reliability, sporty performance, and the economy of ownership... for what YOU are willing to spend to have it.

Most of us buy something already made... which has limitations...
Some take the time to special order from a manufacturer from the aforementioned providers...
And a select few take the effort and the money that it takes to have something perfect to do what they want to on or off a roadway...


I still take my favorite corners at speed... only the Prius doesn't come out of the shoot as quickly as the Corvette would... the Prius doesn't ride as soft nor as quietly as the Lexus... it can't drive up on riverbeds as I do in the Jeep... and I can seat seven in the Voyager, no way I get more than four of us adults in my Prius (well not comfortable for a child that could be squeezed in)...

I don't miss the $450 to $500+ per month in fuel costs just driving back and forth to work... last month I spent less than $80.

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

For death...

Nope... need whipped cream Bra... :hungry:

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

Add an S/C and you can outrun an M5 like Skunk2's

The Prius seat is terrible compared to any set of Brides or Recaros I've ever sat in. If not for the side airbags in the seats, I would have replaced the seats within my first month of ownership.

It's funny because the Prius is a hell of a lot faster off the line than my Evo IX, but that's mainly because of turbo lag. Everyone beats me off the line in that car (but not once at speed).

 

Re: I've been driving my wife's car for the past week and I'm kind of disappointed to have to return

I was driving through Hollywood yesterday on a quick errand. All of the sudden, traffic stopped dead. I saw hundreds of teenagers hopping the fence from the nearby high school and heard police vehicles coming from everywhere! Turns out, somebody reported a suspicious package on the street, so they called in the bomb squad, evacuated the school and started closing off streets. I have never been in such horrendous traffic. In my old Z28 6-speed, I would have been wearing out the clutch, creeping forward 6" at a time. My car before that, was a Fiat, which would have started overheating, requiring me to turn on the heat to cool the engine. Made me glad I was in my Prius.

As for performance, a few weeks ago, some car refused to let me merge onto the freeway, forcing me into some cones. I was pissed, so I caught up to the guy and gave him the finger.

Big mistake! He was about 20 years old, with gang tats on his neck, driving a Mercedes. He started chasing me! So I barrelled down an off ramp at about 70 , with this guy right on my bumper. Thankfully, the Prius is so aerodynamic, that in a pinch, you can hit the curves pretty hard without losing control.

I pulled alongside a truck on the curving off ramp and as the ramp narrowed to one lane, jumped ahead of the guy, putting the truck between me and the other (crazed) driver. I saw it was clear so I blew through the stop sign and when the truck stopped for it, I could hear the Mercedes holding down the horn, trying to get to me! I'm very thankful for my Prius and glad I didn't have to test it's crashworthyness!