What percentage of Prius drivers actually think about the driving experience?

I was actually looking at an Avalon Hybrid as a first choice. In the end I wanted the best mileage, and after a test drive knew my Prius 5 would be good enough.

 

Over 40k. WOW!!! I did not know they reached that price level. If I paid that much for one and I did not like it I would just have to learn to like it.

 

and yet, many are overjoyed with their $40,000. pri, when they had a wide range of vehicles to choose from.

 

I had a 2011 Prius Two. Prius is a great car. I just traded it for a new 2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE. I wanted a luxury car that was a little more comfortable. I'm happy with my decision.

 

Wow your O** (EXPERIENCED). Glad we are in the same Boat! Do you have the oars or was I suppose to have them?

 

I can't believe I'm paying what I am for a new car, and a Prius at that. All things considered though, I was going to pay around this no matter what I bought, so I'll find out soon enough if the mpg is worth the trade-off in size and comfort. The hatchback gives me the access I want for all the stuff we take on our road trips without having the rearrange everything in a trunk like my brother does with his Sonata Blue. The size means my wife and I will be sitting a little closer. I hope that means she'll be able to rub my neck a little easier after some long hours on the road. Comfort is kind of a wash. It'll have heated SoftTex seats, a premium audio system, navigation, etc. I guess the big question will be seat comfort, but the 2010 we rented didn't seem any worse than our current van, though admittedly that was after only 2 days/1,100 miles vs the 37 days/6,500+ that is coming up. Since I've got a lot of experience for a comparison, it's be interesting to see if the Prius holds its own. I'm also curious to see how it's going to do once we get to Yellowstone and Glacier.

 

avalon is a great car too. they each have their purpose. we looked at avalon hybrid when we bought my wife's hycam. it was beautiful, but too large for her. and that brings up a point about price. avalon at 35k is the same as loaded hycam, so it all depends on how you look at it.

 

Yellowstone, Glacier,Rocky Mountain, Pikes Peak. All parks no problem at all!
Enjoy your trip it will be great

 

Thanks, we will. We've been to Yellowstone before, but this time we're going to drive the Beartooth Highway and hope the scenery lives up to the hype.

I didn't mean to imply I was 'concerned' about problems, just that this will be the first trip without the van we've used for over 15 years, so it will be different, that's for sure.

BTW, it arrived across town today and we pick it up Thursday morning over here.

 

Last time I went to Yellowstone I went in by way of Beartooth highway. As far as I'm concerned it is the best entrance by far.
Let me know what you think when you get back! Enjoy, I'm sure you will!

 

That's MSRP and they don't come off of it. In the middle of the deal they told me the 3000.00 off didn't qualify for 0% financing only MSRP. They also stalled till the Honda dealership down the road was closed before telling me this. As I started to walk they split the difference on price and gave me the 0%. Should've pushed for the whole thing because when I mentioned "bait and switch" on price and financing they jumped. I should have known. I got a similar treatment when I bought my Corolla at another dealership.

 

I think we all get screwed one way or the other when we purchase a car. I know I do. I don't intend to buy another car for a long time. At my age (76) I probably will never buy another one.

 

Thanks, that's good to hear.

 

I drove an Avalon XLE Touring conventional around for a day. $38k car. Now that (Avalon) was a luxurious and very nice driving car. Prius Five 'luxury' (?) is now where near any new Avalon. Prius is laden with hard plastics. but, it gets the big MPGs woohoo and is still the poster child of hybrids.

 

Go test drive a 2014 Avalon Hybrid Limited, then report back how the Prius driveability, comfort, quietness, etc ... stacks up to the Avalon.

 

Ditto all of those. (though my Prius hasn't yet been across Beartooth.)

That too.

Climbing up Beartooth, something went 'boom' in the back of the car. Some investigation found that a bag of chips purchased in Red Lodge, where all the bags felt like inflated and pressurized mylar balloons, was no longer inflated. The seal couldn't hold up to the pressure change at high altitude.

 

Speaking of which, my plan is to stay in Cody, go up to Red Lodge, take Beartooth to the Roosevelt Lodge and continue on to Malmstrom AFB. My thinking is the sun will be behind us, so views and photos should be easier/better. However, I found that views in the Mount Rushmore area were completely different depending on direction, so I'm open to reversing the route.

 

The Prius is the MPG champ, is extremely reliable but I wanted a little more comfort in my old age of 76 so I bought a new Avalon Hybrid XLE Touring. I had to take a little MPG hit but the comfort is worth it to me. Just depends on what is important to us all, that is the bottom line. This will probably be my last hurrah so what the hey!!

 

That kind of thinking goes through my mind every so often, and I'm only on the cusp of 63. Like sometimes when we're shopping at Costco: "that's the last time I'll need to buy... (dental floss, batteries, vitamins, whatever)".

 

Wait until you are 76. Your outlook just has a way of changing. I'm not at all paranoid about it but reality is reality. If you can afford whatever it is and you want to do it, go for it.