5-years TCO: Golf SportWagen vs. Prius V?

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pandus13

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Hi BITOGers,

Please let me know your thoughts for 5-years and 7-years Total Cost of Ownership for
a 2016/2017 (new) Toyota Prius V Three (don't like the black leather seats in Prius VFive) and
a 2016/2017 (new) VW Golf SportWagen S Auto

do these make sense used? (2014 for prius V, 2015-up for GSW)

WV has good deals for new vehicles,
Toyota hybrids may or not make sense in these low gas prices market

projected use:
-8-10k miles driven per year
-mom-mobile/DD
-GA/TN border area (some hills and mountains driving) + Chicago flat-area City/Highway mix driving
 
Good question
That said Hybrids are priced nicely now and your use will escalate if you get great gas mileage.
Like this AM my C-Max ripped off a 38 mile trip and none of it was city driving and I got 53.7 mpg combined and I don't
play " I think I can" while driving. I let it rip and accelerate swiftly very often.
 
They are two pretty different vehicles, so kind of hard to compare.

The Prius focuses more on economy, the VW is more fun to drive. From a pure numbers perspective, the Prius will probably cost less to own. The VW would be more fun to drive and could probably fit more in it as far as cargo. It really depends what is more important to you.
 
The newer Golfs & Golf Sportwagens are great.

For a five or seven year period and less than 70k miles, either will be fine. Get the one that you and your wife like the best.
 
Originally Posted By: drtyler
The newer Golfs & Golf Sportwagens are great.

For a five or seven year period and less than 70k miles, either will be fine. Get the one that you and your wife like the best.


Yeah if it doesn't fit you, don't buy it!
 
Any new car is a waste of money. You really care about TCO? By a depreciated vehicle. Hybrids have always been false economy, now more than ever with gas being nearly free lol...

Now if you're going to throw money away, always make sure it's on the one that's fun to drive. So many boring cars, and they all cost the same good money as exciting ones.
 
The Prius V is the practical, reliable car, and the VW the fun car. Take your pick.
 
If you're really low on the annual mileage, I'd take a hybrid any day. Short trips kill engines more than anything else, and hybrids deal with the issues more effectively. And in terms of maintenance and mean time between failure I'd bet on Toyota over VW any day.

At that mileage, going electric is also an option if you can deal with the vehicle being smaller. They're practically giving Nissan LEAFs away, and on the used market you can get a CPO in top trim with 10k miles on it for ~12k asking.
 
Prius V owner here, wife DD it for about 20k a year. We got it as a last year model (bought a 2014 in Feb 2015) at $5k below MSRP. First 25k free maintenance but afterward synthetic oil change every 10k. Tire lasted me 47k so far but if I rotate it right I think 50k is achievable, replacement is about $500 a set for LRR include installation. Getting 40mpg on average regardless of local or highway.

It is slow and spacious for a wagon, sort of the opposite of a VW wagon.

How long is your range? If it is short trip only a used Leaf is as low as $6k.
 
Last edited:
PandaBear,
Have you (Wife) tried the Prius V in rain/cold/snow?

Because a move is in my future, I may be renting for a while, So range/power re-charge is relatively unknown....
 
I would expect the Prius to be worth more money at the end of 7 years. However, the Golf is so much more fun that who cares about a small bit of residual value? its a satisfying daily car and i have hauled some ridiculous loads in it. Do i care that a Prius might get 5-10 more MPG? Nope.
 
Originally Posted By: dareo
I would expect the Prius to be worth more money at the end of 7 years. However, the Golf is so much more fun that who cares about a small bit of residual value? its a satisfying daily car and i have hauled some ridiculous loads in it. Do i care that a Prius might get 5-10 more MPG? Nope.

Have you tinted yours?
Also, you have the black or beige interior?
How you see it working over the summer? Did you had any rains? (I remember you already had some fun in the snow....)
 
The prius is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned (30+). But they like to be driven both for the battery sake and because with only 12k miles a year it wont save you a ton on gas, but I get them because I do make lots of trips and the reliability is crazy.
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
PandaBear,
Have you (Wife) tried the Prius V in rain/cold/snow?

Because a move is in my future, I may be renting for a while, So range/power re-charge is relatively unknown....



She drove it in the rain all the time (I280, 75mph for 1 hr each way) in commute. Drive in snow when we go skiing and it was not the most stable car (it is OK if you compare it to a Corolla). Not much torque and low center of gravity, but LRR tires are not the best in snow, you know.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Why the V and not the regular Prius? V only gets 40mpg instead of the 55mpg of regular Prius.

wagon form and space when having the kiddos....
also why looking at the golf sportwagen...

They have about the same foot print as my mazda5, and probably a better interior space distribution.... probably cheaper tires (15" GSW, 16" Priu V)...
 
For kiddos duty I'd say Prius V would be a better choice. The space is useful and surprisingly the rear is very convenient for diaper changing.
 
5 year TCO should be in the Prius's bag. Even with the low gas prices, I do not see the GSW being able to undercut it. Both, but especially the Prius are discounted. I saw a 2015 on the lot for $15 with 30Kish miles. It was hard for me not to consider that deal.

Then again, when gas prices rise back up to $4, the Prius could/will gain value... the GSW will never have that opportunity (anything more than a 3 years on a VW drops like a rock).
 
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