Prius for long highway commute?

I have put about 3000 miles on my used 2010 Prius ll. I have read here about people complaining about the way the car handles , pick up, wet traction , and comfort. No mods just 195/65-15 Yokohama AVID Ascend tires. At 75 to 80 mph on interstate car handles car handles extremely well. No wander at all. Steering responsive and tight.Tires are at 40/38 psi. Wet traction is good. Pick up ,handling , and comfort are better than the Honda CRV we traded in on it. Honda got 20 mpg around town this gets 43 mpg. We do have a car payment now but cut our gas bill in half. I am 72 years old with 10 grand children and 3 great grand children so we do a lot of driving. This car is not a Cadillac or a Corvette but very comfortable and economical to drive.

 

I'm a Consumer Report junkie, can you say an article when they said hybrids not good for highway? Some people like CAMRY hybrid or Avalon Hybrid or Accord Hybrid better than Prius as far as a comfort long ride. I would agree for lonmg rides sometimes Prius per se could be more comfortable seating. But nothing related to hybrid nature impacts highway driving negatively. I guess if you are doing 100% highway driving, then some non-hybrids like Cruze can reasonably match the highway MPG.

 

more like talking heads, to put it politely. wow, talk about uninformed. i get 60+ mpg on the highway and my wife gets 40+ in her hycam. i could get a couple friends together, get drunk, make a video, and make more sense than these guys. did they make any mention of the cost of diesel fuel vs gas?

 

ignorance is a scary thing, and people base their purchases on the clueless 'experts'?

 

Thanks by gosh he said it (hybrids not good for highway driving).
OK but it was "hybrid math" the same reason I mentioned, economic pay-off vs. a non-hybrid getting 40 MPG highway (Mazda 6 as the comparison). I worry a lot about "hybrid math" myself as I am concerned hybrids will have trouble with sales unless they get some compensation for the extra costs. In my state we have a graduated car tax that really hits the more expensive cars (hybrids/diesel/EV etc) way harder.

As far as Prius you are getting an amazing practical roomy car for the money. The high MPG is just one good thing about the Prius. It's like a mini-SUV you can do a lot. If Toyota had a non-hybrid Prius, I would buy that car. Not to mention you can produce emergency electric for your house. Now Prius not for everyone, if you just want a luxury commuter for work without the room, Volt could be the choice.

Caution- don't use Consumer Reports MPG data for hybrids...they got a measurement problem with hybrids. For Prius I think CR are something like 55 highway and 30 City which is totally bogus (they end up with 44 average). For Prius you should use EPA numbers.

I don't want to bad mouth diesel, but the CR guy who said American drivers doing highway driving should be buying diesels...sounds like he has a bent to advocate religiously for diesel. I am more in line with GM's former CEO Bob Lutz who does not advocate for diesel very strongly (shall we say). Lutz quotes +$10000 price premium for diesel in America and you have to pay through the nose for the fuel.

Note the non-sense of CR logic in the video, "don't buy a hybrid for highway driving because you might only break even on fuel costs, instead buy a diesel (...which has no chance to pay off economically)." Also if we used CR's lofty 55 MPG number for Prius highway, they gotta go with Prius as the answer.

 

Toyota is a better built car with better resale value. diesels are good but 100 miles roundtrip is not a far commute. i do this 3-4 times a week and i can count on good 50+mpg gas mileage. This is a Prius forum so everyone is biased... Go with the prius. No regrets.

 

I can't count the number of arguments I've had with advocates of diesel, especially folks from across the pond to the east. They always cite how much more fun to drive, more power, etc., and completely ignore the expanse of the US and MY reasons for buying a Prius of the "fun" cars. I had my "fun" with my 1970 GTO and none of those little diesels will ever match the fun "I had", even if they can go faster, etc. The hatchback alone sold me on the Prius and this trip we're on has proven me right.

 

i have four vehicles: 2004 Ford F150, 2004 BMW 325ci, 2014 Prius DD, 2013 Triumph Tiger 800 motorcycle Garage queen. So i can say each tool has it's own use? you don't use a garden spade to do drywall and you don't use a hammer to pound in screws? Commuting for MPG - Prius or a VW diesel. All cars are boring! The motorcycle in California i can split lanes at 90mph on the freeway, weave in and out of traffic, and drive the bike like i stole it. ANY car driven that way will get you in very big trouble quickly.

 

I drive a Prius at work, and I find I can easily get 50mpg on the freeway. In fact most of our Prius's average (according the the trip display) about 49-51mpg.

 

The prius on the freeway does not use the hybird mode much.

The gas milage is mainly dictated by the aerodynamics, and efficiency of the engine and transmission.

Diesels by nature are more efficient, hence that is why a very small diesel in a well designed car will beat a hybrid at freeway speeds.

Engineering is the art of trading off one problem for another to meet the goals of the consumer.

If you drive 90% freeway, then buy a well designed diesel...if you drive in stop and go and or slower traffic nothing beats a prius.

 

Jack, this might be true if the Prius didn't also use an alternative cycle engine that results in peak efficiency that rivals that of diesel. The Prius may not "use" the battery and motors much for highway steady state driving, but they are the reason this alternative engine cycle can be used. The combination also allows for near peak efficiency performance over a very wide variety of operating conditions, resulting in an overall real world average efficiency better than most diesels.

 

Looking at the data I shared on the first page of this thread, the Prius is still significantly more efficient than the Jetta TDI at any steady state speed, which is where the diesel should really shine.

 

Or if you drive on the Freeway in Los Angeles, which is typically stop and go then buy a Prius or other hybrid / EV

 

I drive 50 miles each way 5 days a week on I-95 using a 2011 Prius II. The car has almost 75k now and has given no problems. Only one set of tires, 2x air filter and cabin filter, 6x oil changes at 10k and tire rotations and balance, 1x key fob battery, 1x windshield wiper inserts. Car has been bulletproof so far. I too love the look and drive of the German cars but as a daily commuter the Prius is in incredibly economical and reliable. Plus I am reminded every time I fill up why its a good idea to have a car like this around.

 

I have much to say about VWs, having owned them since 1980. To save those with short attention spans from reading a long post: maintenance/repair costs will eat up any fuel savings with VW TDIs from my experiences. But, you will get a chance to chat with a lot of people as you sit in the dealership for hours on end. Frequently.
I've still got a 1998 Jetta GL TDI with 360K miles on it and it runs as good as ever, just uses more oil now. I've replaced/fixed most of the problems myself because of the experience I've had with the engine over the years. MPG is still low to mid 50's without A/C in the spring and fall, 46/47 in the summer and on the highway using A/C ( same in the cold winter temps). The engine block is bullet proof but everything else causes the problems. Knobs, switches, door locks, windows, glove box, etc, take turns falling off or breaking. Wiring in the car is terrible, I have to slap the dash regularly to hear all four speakers in the car. But, I have the original clutch and alternator ( replaced brushes once).
Several friends have TDIs at work and we all trade "what broke" stories, my Prius friends just brag about MPG. So, I bought a Prius last year so I could get the mileage without the dealership fellowship. The Prius works great for me, is comfortable, easy to get in and out of, and gets great mileage. I've been on two trips,one 1400 miles round trip, with relative comfort and good mileage and get about the same as many of the owners here around town.
I understand the VW purists and why they like the VWs, but I need a car now that I don't have to work on frequently. This is my first Toyota and I'm very happy with it, it does everything I need with a lifetime average of 56 indicated ( about 4-5% less computed) including the long trips.

 

I was considering buying either a French or German car, but a chat with a buddy who is a mechanic here in Greece was enough to cancel those nasty thoughts, and stay with my trusted Japanese. There is more to the equation than mpg, although the prius is second to none in that department as well.

 

I have done a fair amount of research on diesels and I own a hybrid so I think some Pros and Cons could be helpful for you. The great thing about the Prius is that it Really does get 50 MPG, but It does vary depending on your driving as well as weather and terrain. I could get as low as 35 mpg in hilly stop and go traffic and as high as 60 mpg on the freeway with cruise set at 60. It is very low maintenance. The engine is beltless. I have 113000 miles and all I have done are oil/ filter changes and changed the fluids/coolants I have only spend about $750 in maintenance cost over the last 50000 miles. Also the regen braking saves your brake pads, my car still has the original pads and I could probably go another 30000 miles before I have to change them. Another benefit to hybrids is an insurance discount. (see if your insurance co has one) I would say my biggest complaints with the car are the interior quality, seat comfort, and road noise. The interior is full of hard plastics. I have a 2010 with leather seats and they are pretty hard and not too comfortable for me, but for you they may be comfortable? At freeway speeds (70MPH) the cabin Is pretty loud, I definitely have to turn the radio up to compensate. But overall it is a great reliable car and I am happy with my choice. My car recently started burning oil but from my research, that is normal for the amount of miles it has. As far as battery longevity, there are quite a few gen 3 Prius drivers on here who have over 200000 miles, still with the original battery.

Diesels are rated lower than the Prius on the highway but usually beat the EPA ratings. A Passat, Jetta or Cruze TDI could probably get 5o mpg on the Freeway. A common problem with diesels is carbon build up since they are direct injected, this could be a costly problem. When I was researching the Golf Tdi I found that the DSG transmission requires a $400 service every 40000 miles. The maintenance on VWs seems to be pretty expensive once the free 20000 miles is up. And another thing to consider with Volkswagen is their less than average reliability.

If you want a comfortable ride I recommend you test drive the Fusion Hybrid, It is not as economical but it drives like a European luxury car, I am even considering one. I think you should go on nice long test drives in both diesel and hybrid cars and see what fits you best. Best of luck- Brian

 

When it comes to cars I stick to models that have been around for several years and manufacturers known for reliability. This strategy has served me well, from all the cars in my sig I only had regular maintenance plus replacing the auto-lock mechanisms on my Lexus after 10 years (apparently a known weakness) no other issues! Since the undisputed hybrid leader is currently Toyota, I'd stick to Toyota/Lexus and let others debug the other cars. If another manufacturer develops a positive track record I can change my mind

 

Their reviews over the years was a determining factor in my buying a Prius so, in defense of Consumer Reports, a publication I've subscribed to for years and have found to be spot-on more often than not, I'd like to try and "explain" my understanding of their conclusions on the Prius. Most of us that own a Prius don't drive it like the average American driver. As much as we'd like to think so, it ain't so. CR tests their cars as if the average driver got into a Prius, pushed the button and just drove, like any other car. CR didn't inflate tires, pulse & glide, coast downhill for miles, or incorporate even the slightest hypermiling trick. Why? Because it would then skew what I think is the objective approach that CR uses to test any car. Most people don't know much about cars. They just want to get in, start it, and go... drive at their pace, and get to their destination. Sure, some buy a car based on the mpg, but I've talked to a number of folks who think they can get that mileage by driving the way they always do. They don't pay much attention to the nuances of driving. Fair enough. Based on that alone I think the CR results are quite impressive.

I know someone who drives a Prius as if it's a Ford Focus, and guess what... her mileage matches the CR tests. But she's thrilled with that. A satisfied consumer.

And to be honest, I really don't care what conclusions on mileage CR, or any other publication/organization comes up with. The important figure is the one I get.