Top Reason YOU drive a Prius

I drive the Prius because it looks cool and because of all the cool technology it has. The low emissions and high MPG is just a bonus.

 

I replied "other" because it was partly ALL OF THE ABOVE, which, therefore rendered it an irresistable chick magnet for THIS particular cool chick! :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ajprius @ Aug 5 2006, 01:49 PM) [snapback]298332[/snapback]</div>

And "Toyota Reliability" trailing WAY behind...

 

Emissions + MPG, but I did reply emissions. It also fit my needs of hauling around stuff and a kid and dog and camping gear and a kayak, but mostly I'm just a dirt-worshipping socialist with a year old car with under 7K miles on it....

 

i can't say it's toyota reliability per se, because the other cars we were considering were also toyotas. though we were looking at toyotas mainly for their reliability (and partially because DH's employer sells them.)

agh, circular logic... :blink:

 

Other = HOV lane access
everything else is gravy.... but it's a heck of a lot of gravy!!!

 

1. High Tech: I was just intralled with all the technology. Love the way the electric motor and ICE work together
2. Reliability: My 1st non-European auto, hope it's all I have heard about.
2. Different: Like to drive something that causes people to talk, even if the talk is negative."why did he buy that"
3. Styling: It is not just a copy of everything else on the road.
4: Size: Small on the outside and Big on the inside.
5. Milage: iceing on the cake.

 

1. I get to model what I teach and how I live.

2. Excellent fuel economy (50 to 62 mpg)

3. PZEV - no smog checks.

4. Toyota quality.

5. Form follows functiion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dancekat59 @ Aug 5 2006, 06:31 PM) [snapback]298390[/snapback]</div>

Ditto. I was going to buy a hybrid - and had tried the Escape hybrid first - primarily for the I-95 HOV lanes in Northern Virginia. And I am so happy that the HOV lane access got us out there looking at hybrids. Once we went on a Prius test drive, that was it.

I think that all the other choices on the poll are certainly among the many reasons my wife and I both really, really like our Prius. But it was HOV that was the top reason we ended up with the Prius.

 

I chose 'other' because my top reason would be "Decreased environmental impact" .. in terms of emissions *and* less fuel used.

 

You didn't include access to the HOV lane.. I bet that is most of the other

 

I picked emissions, since I figured you generally have better mileage with better emissions.

The rest of the stuff was neat, but not a deal maker. Like galaxee, we would have gotten a Toyota regardless of their being a Prius.

 

1. Comfort. It was the only car I fit in properly, headroom was great, and didn't have a center console mashing against my right leg all the time. Roomier than most SUV's I tested.

2. Mileage. I started shopping for cars just as gas prices started to soar.

3. Styling. I think it's a very unique looking car.

 

Hmmmm....as of right now, "Toyota Reliability" is still a big ol' goose egg...I deduce from that, Watson, that it wasn't a factor in our decision making processes, because it was a given to all of us who started shopping at all...The dog did NOT bark in the night...

 

It was difficult to choose.

Emissions is important but not at the cost of comfort or a hit on my lifestyle. I have a dog, an old lady with a wheelchair and numerous friends and furniture that often needs carrying about. I have bad knees so low sedans were not in the running.

Toyota reliability is important but a "given" with us. MPG is a bonus as far as I am concerned.

The other was the features...I love the gadgets, the technology. Easy acceleration, so much that a standard vehicle does not have.

 

I didn't answer the poll because it was "all/most of the above." I was basically nudged into buying a new car because my daughter needed a car and wanted to know if I would sell her my old one. I hadn't given it too much thought, but had been leaning towards getting a hybrid. Then I looked at Consumer Reports and they rated Prius as being not only the top hybrid but the top car overall in customer satisfaction. So I went and took a test drive and was immediately sold. I loved the gadgetry and the way it drove. The car looked "different" but the black 2005 that I drove was, I thought, quite attractive. Previously, I would not have thought of getting a hatchback/liftback because I didn't really like the look, but when I took into account the roominess and the versatility of the Prius, it really made sense. I wanted fuel economy, of course, and something that was fairly compact without sacrificing acceleration, comfort, and things like power windows and doors. The Prius seemed to have all of these and more. The fact that it is a low-emissions vehicle makes me feel really "good" -- okay, smug -- because I do think global warming is a real threat and we should do everything we can to slow it down.

Lastly, I think it is good value for the money, especially taking into account the tax credit, in spite of all those anti-hybrid people ranting about how you'll never get back the extra amount you spend on a hybrid versus a non-hybrid equivalent. Let's face it, there IS no equivalent! The Corolla just doesn't compare. I haven't spent any time pricing out a Corolla, but I drove a basic-model rental one last year on a business trip. It had nothing - not even power door locks - was small, the seats were covered in some ugly rough fabric that sticks to your clothing so you can't slide in and out, and it just felt CHEAP. Maybe a Corolla with a bunch of high options wouldn't be so bad, but by then you're probably approaching $20K and have nowhere near the features (or fuel economy and low emissions) of the Prius.

 

It's one of the smartist vehicles on the road....

Happy Motoring!