Featured Should I consider a Corolla (Auris) Hybrid instead

Thanks - I wasn't sure at the time - flipped a coin, and it stood on it's edge .

 

Size of vehicle doesn't matter greatly - it's just me 99% of the time, occasionally one other passenger. And seeing that other passenger is my 86yr old Mum, that excludes an MX-5 or Boxster. I wanted to go to a hatchback - the small sedan I've got now doesn't have flexibility if I want to carry longer or bulkier items. Logically, I should go for something which uses less fuel than now - which is a Diesel Fiesta, averaging 51 US MPG, though I looked at some other options too.

Last time, as well as the time before, I considered a Prius, but got cold feet at the last minute, so a Prius isn't a sudden direction change in thinking. I heard a new Prius was coming out toward the end of last year, so I put the decision on hold.

It's probably, on past purchases, a 3-5 yr investment. The car I've got at the moment, at 4½yrs old is the longest I've kept one for a while. . Because of short ownership terms, I thought that just maybe, the Corolla hybrid could fit the bill, and in 3-4 yrs upgrade to the newer version - and I'd assume that Prius 4 will have had a mid-term upgrade by then too. But if the car ends up being a longer term investment, you're right - it's got to be PRIUS now.

Nearly all the manufacturers/importers here have worked on the philosophy that if you want the "goodies", you also want a big car. And unfortunately package it with useless stuff like sunroofs (in the tropics??!!), wide tyres which ruin the ride etc. We have some very good, VERY LARGE locally made, well priced, well equipped cars (by GM, Ford & Toyota - Chrysler, Nissan and Mitsubishi packed up decades ago), but those factories are all closing down within the next year or so, and it will be all imports. Buyers have gone away from the home-grown big sedans which is why the factories are struggling and headed to SUVs and hatches, but the importers are only just realising that buyers are wanting lane assist, autonomous cruise, blind-spot etc in smaller, more economical cars. VW & Skoda brought in packs recently, and Ford Focus is coming next month, KIA has just put part of a safety package on the Forte. Toyota hasn't noticed yet.

Yesterday my local dealer (and a few other dealers too) advertised that they have a white base model Prius arrived, so I rang about it. Sorry, sir, it's still in the holding yard, but I can get it out for you on Monday. So 10:00 Monday, I've got an appointment to meet the Prius as well as a silver Corolla Hybrid.

 

Yes, Falcon will be dead. Holden will continue the name - they stole "Commodore" from Opel in the first place - the name. And the car too, sort-of, though had to beef it up substantially to cope with our outback roads, and since then, every new model has become more and more home-grown. Yes, will be Opels, Vauxhauls?, Chev, Daewoo in future with a badge change. Camry will still be Camry, I believe.

 

OK - time to close this post - I've decided, put a deposit on a 2016 white Prius - for pickup probably Thursday, maybe even Wednesday.

I'll start a fresh post, but here she is (with the Corolla Hybrid beside).: