Rented a Prius

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I took a mini vacation, and as usual when traveling far away, I spend a couple bucks at Budget and get me a car. They're nearby and have good online rates, etc.

Anyhow, Sunday when I was picking up the car, they walked me out to a Prius. I was sort of upset/shocked at first sight. I was like "Uh, um, that's a Prius... that's what I'm getting?"

Anyhow, running a bit late, I got into it, after getting past the obstacle of starting it and finding the e-brake, off I was. (I guess the start button requires you to put your foot on the brake for it to start- I figured that out after about 10 presses of the button and some choice words)

Anyhow, off I was. I guess this was a brand spanking new 2014 with like 1500 miles on it. I normally like cars that have higher mileage and scratches and some dings, so I'm less paranoid.

But I hit the road, went down south to the LA area.

Not a bad little car, I was surprised. Very practical, very comfortable driving car, the seats had great support, though a tad stiff on the bottom seat part- so after 4 to 5 hours driving, my but-tocks was slightly soar. OK power- nothing you'd win any races with (I had eco mode turned on for the most part) Steering wheel was in a good overall position, and the gas pedal was also in a comfortable position. Smooth driving, good handling, quiet driving. Good sounding radio.

GAS MILEAGE, WOW.

tini.jpg


This shows the car pushing 49mpg.

From Universal City (Universal Studios) to where I filled up was 317 miles -it didn't need gas, but when they gave it to me they said it was full and I needed to return it full, but the LCD was down one line. It took like 45-50 miles of driving to drop a bar, so topping it off 30 miles before taking it back would still show full
smile.gif


This fill up yielded like 47 mpg. Amazing. Only 6.7 gallons. On the way down, it wasn't full, drove like 360 mile, and it took 8.4 gallons. That's like over double the mileage my ranger can get on it's best day.

The only things I didn't like about the car was the Reverse beeping. (Not sure if it can be turned off, but very annoying)and the only other thing I can think of that I didn't like was the rear pullout hatch cover was pain to latch properly. You almost need both hands to do it.

Only one other annoyance was the key fob, and here is why. (This car didn't have the auto unlock feature- little black square in the door handle) To unlock, press the button to unlock, throw the key fob in your pocket, start car. Then turn car off, get out of car, reach into pocket, lock, back in pocket. So its an additional step every time vs. the conventional key system.

But overall, talk about a little car that impressed me quite a bit.
 
Yeah, lots of hatred for them, but given that they seem to be a middle-ground in terms of volume from a corolla to camry, and can return really great MPGs, they can be a smart buy for many.

Some scenarios have rather lousy ROIs, others are well suited for such a drivetrain. When they work, they seem to work well and make their owners happy. Not sport cars, but utilitarian vehicles which seem to be decent for certain applications.
 
I wouldn't buy one, not only because I'd be one of them Also I wouldn't want to be replacing an expensive battery down the road.

I have lots of miles under my belt in VW TDI's and love their torque, sure they don't typically get 50 mpg and it's costs .25 more per gallon for diesel, but I'm not in one of them
 
Very true about scenarios and ROI. As in my commute, I'd never benefit from a hybrid. I'm 300 yards from the highway, and have a long commute. A VW TDI would be a dream!!
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
one of them


I hear you on that. Down south, not knowing the area, I did get honked at once when a solid green turned to a green arrow and didn't realize it for 2 seconds. I did feel like I was "one of them"

It was weird that I was wearing a hotrod type shirt driving that.
 
I just turned 90k on my 2011. No repairs to date. Just routine maintenance, tires, and a set of shocks (by choice).

Mileage has range from low 40s to mid 50s depending on the driving style, trip length, ambient temperature and tire/wheel combination.

It's a great car with a lot of versatility. Around here, the Prius outnumbers the Corolla 4:1...and for very good reason.

The repair issue is way overblown. Battery warranty is 150k in a number of states, and the service life of them is usually well beyond the term of the first ownership.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
mid 50s

It's a great car with a lot of versatility. Around here, the Prius outnumbers the Corolla 4:1...and for very good reason.



Dang!! Mid 50's??? I saw tons of them down there.
 
We have them as company cars. They're ok.

On company trips, I take my Accord and expense my mileage.
 
The battery is not a problem. The engine does not have a fan belt of any kind. The transmission is a planetary gearbox, no shifting of gears, ever. No reverse gear, either. Reverse is on the electric motor. The A/C compressor runs at it's ideal speed, not engine speed. If you lean the system you can brake much of the time without using the breaks, just charge the battery. Watching the displays you can play the mileage game while driving. The mechanical parts of the drive train are simple. You can get involved in the in the system with the various read-outs or you can ignore everything and just drive.
 
Driven a few of them, Toyota have a great idea with the planetary gear set and two MG sets...Chevy added a clutch, but same concept, and there's 100 year old hydraulic analogues.

I love them driving bare feet, in areas where the hybrid drivetrain actually works...it's fun to conserve while having fun...it doesn't add up to won one in my world...YMMV
 
Originally Posted By: 1kickbuttranger

This fill up yielded like 47 mpg. Amazing.


Too bad you kinda get the brown end of the stick on that side of the pound by the EPA as a 1.3 or 1.6 Diesel will do that all day long without any bell and whistles.
 
Originally Posted By: Andy636
Originally Posted By: 1kickbuttranger

This fill up yielded like 47 mpg. Amazing.


Too bad you kinda get the brown end of the stick on that side of the pound by the EPA as a 1.3 or 1.6 Diesel will do that all day long without any bell and whistles.


However no reek of diesel belching. Also no mess all over your hand filling with it although around here I think the diesel trucks cause the mess.
 
I'm a motorhead and drive a 400+ HP Turbocharged S2000, a V8 F150, an older manual trans Jaguar and fly a modified aircraft. Yet, I love the Prius. In my mind, it's a performance vehicle, capable of squeezing every last mile out of a gallon of gas.

The fact that it can do so without annoying the driver is a minor miracle.

I'm not sure I'd go through with the purchase of one, as "fun" cars are more important to me. However, I have considered owning one.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I wouldn't buy one, not only because I'd be one of them Also I wouldn't want to be replacing an expensive battery down the road.

I have lots of miles under my belt in VW TDI's and love their torque, sure they don't typically get 50 mpg and it's costs .25 more per gallon for diesel, but I'm not in one of them


You are only one of them if you allow yourself to be. Let me assure you, my rifles, pistols, and ammunition all fit nicely in my Prius, and it is happy being an arms and ammunition carrier.

And with my normal 50mpg I can spend the gas money I would have otherwise lost on more ammo and range trips.
 
Wouldn't own one on a bet. The ROI simply is not there.

Also, I have a hard time getting past the suppository-on-wheels shape.
 
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Originally Posted By: Andy636
Originally Posted By: 1kickbuttranger

This fill up yielded like 47 mpg. Amazing.


Too bad you kinda get the brown end of the stick on that side of the pound by the EPA as a 1.3 or 1.6 Diesel will do that all day long without any bell and whistles.


However no reek of diesel belching. Also no mess all over your hand filling with it although around here I think the diesel trucks cause the mess.


You might be right, but for the price difference of a Prius VS the same size diesel car you can buy a lot of plastic gloves
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: 1kickbuttranger
Smooth driving, good handling, quiet driving. Good sounding radio.
...overall, talk about a little car that impressed me quite a bit.


They really are good little cars, aren't they? I've driven a few, and based on that, believe in my heart of hearts that 99% of the criticism they get are from people who either haven't driven them or are looking for a reason to not like them. Anyone can want to dislike something and be successful at it.

They're really pleasant cars. They drive easily. They handle well and are still tossable little cars if they have the right tires on them. They're quiet and smooth. I agree with Cujet: they're true performance cars if you can get passed the mindset that "performance" only equals "fast". Just like Jeep Wranglers are performance vehicles, dedicated to doing a certain thing really really well.

I'd like to own a Prius V. My wife thinks they look too much like a station wagon. I think they look pretty smart, myself.

Thanks for the very open-minded review.
 
Call me crazy, but I'd take one of these over a prius any day:

03-2014-mitsubishi-mirage-review-1.jpg


Cheap, basic, simple transportation. Capable of prius like mileage in the real world.
 
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