# Prius - love em or hate em?



## Ramona Motors (Jul 11, 2008)

I've hated the Toyota Prius since it became available and I've never been able to put my finger on why. I can't even think of another vehicle of any type that I detest more than a Prius.:dunno:

Anyway, an old car-guy friend of mine stopped by and we were talking about the M3 vs Prius Top Gear and he finally summed up why I don't like the Prius.

*"The Toyota Prius is the car for people who hate cars" * I couldn't believe it, he managed to sum up my feelings for the car in one phrase.

Anyone else hate the Prius?


----------



## Gigabyte71 (Aug 8, 2008)

Just not appealing at all


----------



## big-tex (Jan 25, 2008)

I kinda like em... They make me laugh every time I see one, kind of how a clown is funny; you dont want to get to close but it's fun to stand back, point, and laugh.


----------



## wag-zhp (Apr 8, 2004)

big-tex said:


> *I kinda like em*... They make me laugh every time I see one, kind of how a clown is funny; you dont want to get to close but it's fun to stand back, point, and laugh.


-1 I don't like them at all. I do agree with the rest of your post, they are funny to look at.


----------



## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Ramona Motors said:


> I've hated the Toyota Prius since it became available and I've never been able to put my finger on why. ?


I know why I don't like them. They are a terrible car to drive. Poor visibility, uncomfortable driving position, zero handling and zero feel.

The Civic Hybrid is a much better driver and it is mediocre.

I prefer the Peugeot 207 or the Mini Cooper D. Both use about the same amount of fuel as a Prius. The 207 is a comfortable inexpensive little family car. The Mini is fun to drive.


----------



## jcatral14 (Aug 4, 2003)

I would use one. It's the perfect car (appliance?) for getting from point A to B (dry cleaners, grocery, pick kids up, etc.). I would have one as a DD and a 911 GT3 for a weekend car


----------



## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

I'm sure you would love it if you had a Prius-related business.

... or if you're a Toyota Dealer.


----------



## fuz (Feb 6, 2002)

I don't love or hate them, I sort of ignore them. I'd rather people purchase them than a SUV.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

Griffoun said:


> I'm sure you would love it if you had a Prius-related business.
> 
> ... or if you're a Toyota Dealer.


True, there aren't too many cars that have been selling for full sticker or more since their introduction (third gen) since 2004.

I watch these cars sell at auction for $24K for a 2 year old 20K mile car. Brand new they were going for around the same price. Talk about great resale value!

The only other cars I see have that kind of resale are MINI Coopers.

IONO, I have a friend that has one, and she averages around 35MPG on her daily commute from Fallbrook to Oceanside CA, approx 40 miles each way. It seems like an awful big waste of money to get worse gas mileage than I get in a Honda Civic for 1/3 the price.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

big-tex said:


> I kinda like em... They make me laugh every time I see one, kind of how a clown is funny; you dont want to get to close but it's fun to stand back, point, and laugh.


 Ever notice that most of the people in them give you the same feeling?


----------



## brkf (May 26, 2003)

I hate the Prius but that's because I'm often stuck driving in or riding in one (my mother-in-law has it). Wow, what a sloppy car. It's an old person's car through and through...


----------



## GBimmer (Mar 26, 2008)

It's ugly. It's not environmentally friendly. It's overpriced and under-optioned. It handles like a brick on-end and accelerates like a snail on 'roids.

You couldn't pay me enough to even ride in one.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

GBauer said:


> It's ugly. It's not environmentally friendly. It's overpriced and under-optioned. It handles like a brick on-end and accelerates like a snail on 'roids.
> 
> You couldn't pay me enough to even ride in one.


 Wow, GBauer and I agree on something. What a great day!


----------



## ed325i (Dec 20, 2001)

I wouldn't buy one, but my brother really like his.


----------



## sno_duc (Sep 3, 2008)

cjwheeling said:


> IONO, I have a friend that has one, and she averages around 35MPG on her daily commute from Fallbrook to Oceanside CA, approx 40 miles each way. It seems like an awful big waste of money to get worse gas mileage than I get in a Honda Civic for 1/3 the price.


My daily driver is a VW NB with a heavly modded 1.9 TDI. I flog it and still get 42 - 43 mpg. Put a set of 225/45/17 potenza's on a Prius or Civic and see if their can 1) move sticky tires that big 2) get over 40 mpg.

South Park had it right, its the "smugness".


----------



## gojira-san (Mar 1, 2004)

I have one and I don't give a flying **** what anyone else thinks; I don't buy my cars to please anyone else. I use one most days for my commute. I've had it 18 months and it has 37,000 miles on it. It is a reasonable commuter car. The hatchback holds a lot of stuff and I rather put the dogs in it than the BMW or the GTO. It sucks big time as a long-distance car - the seats are very uncomfortable. I throw snows on in the winter and it is competent. I get 50-52mpg in the summer on my mostly highway commute and around 45mpg in the winter. If I am driving the back roads of New England it crests out around 60mpg. I don't hypermile either, I drive it like any other car.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

gojira-san said:


> I have one and I don't give a flying **** what anyone else thinks...The hatchback holds a lot of stuff and I rather put the dogs in it than the BMW or the GTO.


Ah... the first rational reason to own one.:rofl:


----------



## 02 330Ci (Jun 9, 2008)

I too dont like them, for alot of the reasons people here have already mentioned, and one other, where I live its cold probably 9 months or more out of the year, and it gets very damn cold in jan and feb, normal car batteries do not last well in the -30+F temps we get you place a car that is run mostly by batteries in those temps and you will shortly find problems.
Besides that and here im guessing, normal cars cooling system also heats the interior of the car, the Prius would have a difficult time heating the interior and saving gas..


----------



## gojira-san (Mar 1, 2004)

cjwheeling said:


> Ah... the first rational reason to own one.:rofl:


It's what happens when I write a response around midnight. 

Hey, it's a polarizing car. When I bought mine in Jan 07, gas prices had fallen back and there were cars on the lot. I got money off the sticker on a car that was not too heavily optioned, so I did all right. The dealer is always trying to buy my car back too :rofl:

Bottom line is it is an appliance, my commuter beater. I'll run it until the wheels fall off, saving mileage on my other toys.



02 330Ci said:


> Besides that and here im guessing, normal cars cooling system also heats the interior of the car, the Prius would have a difficult time heating the interior and saving gas..


I live in central NH, which may not get as cold as the Dakotas, but it gets cold and snowy enough! The Prius uses a small electric heater to help quickly warm the car in the winter. To help save gas, some people have installed block heaters. I've also blocked some of the grill during the winter, which helps conserve some heat in the coldest weather. The little aluminum engine in the car needs some help to stay efficient. In my previous post I mentioned that my mpg dropped to around 45 in the winter. When I started blocking the grill near the end of last winter, I could raise that up by about 2mpg. Adding a block heater might raise it a little more.


----------



## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

sno_duc said:


> South Park had it right, its the "smugness".


+1........these cars create Smug. If you have a need, in some way, to save the environment, buy a VW diesel. It'll be better, no question. If you're concerned about cheap transportation only, take public transportation.


----------



## Griffoun (Jan 19, 2006)

Will this car change your mind?


----------



## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

At the risk of being immodest, my own (slightly biased) review:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224800&highlight=gimme+the+crappiest+car+you+got


----------



## big-tex (Jan 25, 2008)

cjwheeling said:


> Ever notice that most of the people in them give you the same feeling?


That is mean. Yet so true. :lmao:


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

philippek said:


> At the risk of being immodest, my own (slightly biased) review:
> 
> http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224800&highlight=gimme+the+crappiest+car+you+got


 Very nice review.


----------



## 02 330Ci (Jun 9, 2008)

02 330Ci said:


> I too dont like them, for alot of the reasons people here have already mentioned, and one other, where I live its cold probably 9 months or more out of the year, and it gets very damn cold in jan and feb, *normal car batteries do not last well in the -30+F temps we get* you place a car that is run mostly by batteries in those temps and you will shortly find problems.
> Besides that and here im guessing, normal cars cooling system also heats the interior of the car, the Prius would have a difficult time heating the interior and saving gas..


More specifically what I am talking about unless the car is parked in a heated garaged most of the time the battery will go bad fast in the cold, and by that I mean it will fail to hold a charge, even after warming.


----------



## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

I loathe these things mainly because of the people who drive them. 

Apparently the Prius has no rear view mirrors, can only be driven in the car pool lane at 5-10mph below the flow of traffic, and has no ability to enter a turn-out on a mountain road. Maybe it can only make left turns? 

It's forward view must be obscured to 20 feet in front of the hood cuz drivers of them must brake at every corner. Or, maybe the stability is so poor, they can't corner above 20mph without tipping over. With dessert plate sized tires, I can't imagine it has much grip.

In the tree-hugging capitol of the country, California, they are everywhere like a herpes breakout, and equally as fun to be around.


----------



## TMARCUSK (Oct 21, 2007)

Nasty looking car. Reminds me of a smaller Pontiac Aztek but with better gas mileage.


----------



## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

jvr826 said:


> I loathe these things mainly because of the people who drive them.
> 
> Apparently the Prius has no rear view mirrors, can only be driven in the car pool lane at 5-10mph below the flow of traffic, and has no ability to enter a turn-out on a mountain road. Maybe it can only make left turns?


The rear visibility on the Prius is terrible. One probably has to open the drivers' door in order to back up at a car park. The camera (like all backup cameras) is useless at determining distance.


----------



## brkf (May 26, 2003)

AzNMpower32 said:


> The rear visibility on the Prius is terrible. One probably has to open the drivers' door in order to back up at a car park. The camera (like all backup cameras) is useless at determining distance.


It's actually really easy to see out of a Prius. :dunno: The backup camera works fine but if your mirrors are set correctly the car's the same as any other. Have you driven one?


----------



## gojira-san (Mar 1, 2004)

jvr826 said:


> I loathe these things mainly because of the people who drive them.
> 
> Apparently the Prius has no rear view mirrors, can only be driven in the car pool lane at 5-10mph below the flow of traffic, and has no ability to enter a turn-out on a mountain road. Maybe it can only make left turns?
> 
> ...


I've read other car boards where they'll say stuff like that about BMWs; you know the ones, "all BMW drivers are assholes because they weave in and out of traffic. Must be something wrong with the steering." Does it bother me? Nope. Heck, for pretty much every car I've owned (and I've owned -a lot- of cars) someone comes along and tells me what a piece of crap it is. I could care less. (What do you want from a guy who once used a Citroen SM as his winter car?  )



AzNMpower32 said:


> The rear visibility on the Prius is terrible. One probably has to open the drivers' door in order to back up at a car park. The camera (like all backup cameras) is useless at determining distance.


No worse than any other car. For example, I find it easier to back down my driveway than the E46 or GTO. At least on my car, even with the extreme wide angle lens, the view of the bumper's center in the rear view camera is exactly where you are. If I back into a parking space and line the center of the bumper with the parking line I will be right at the line.


----------



## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

blueguydotcom said:


> It's actually really easy to see out of a Prius. :dunno: The backup camera works fine but if your mirrors are set correctly the car's the same as any other. Have you driven one?


Unfortunately, yes, we have test driven one. I didn't like the rear visibility, and nor did my mom. I don't like backup cameras in general, in the same way I don't like touchscreen sat navs: they just don't work for me.


----------



## brkf (May 26, 2003)

AzNMpower32 said:


> Unfortunately, yes, we have test driven one. I didn't like the rear visibility, and nor did my mom. I don't like backup cameras in general, in the same way I don't like touchscreen sat navs: they just don't work for me.


my mother-in-law has one and she's a horrible driver. horrible. so rather than suffer my wife or I will often drive her car rather than put up with the off-on gas pedal modulation she can't seem to figure out. Anyway, neither of us found the Prius rearward visibility an issue. And as Gojira pointed out, you use the backup camera for a middle line and it works fine.


----------



## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

It's not the car for me. I've never driven one or intend to. Can you spell ugly?


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

Dave 330i said:


> It's not the car for me. I've never driven one or intend to. Can you spell ugly?


 U G L Y


----------



## 02 330Ci (Jun 9, 2008)

I am unsure of a backup camera because I would rather you watch where you are going then to watch the screen. there are so many variables that the camera might have outside of its range, or other such things.


----------



## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Dave 330i said:


> It's not the car for me. I've never driven one or intend to. Can you spell ugly?


You buy cars based on looks? You drive from the inside normally...


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

blueguydotcom said:


> You buy cars based on looks? You drive from the inside normally...


Speak for yourself


----------



## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Oh ****ttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt. :tsk:


----------



## sdai2 (Aug 15, 2007)

I commend Toyota for creating such a successful selling vehicle like the Prius. On the other hand, I tend to think less of any person that thinks purchasing a Prius is actually going to save the environment vs. a big SUV or that they are saving a disgusting amount of money in fuel over purchasing something similar like a Civic.

I do not necessarily hate the car, but rather I often find myself hating the thought process used by the person purchasing it.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

sdai2 said:


> I commend Toyota for creating such a successful selling vehicle like the Prius. On the other hand, I tend to think less of any person that thinks purchasing a Prius is actually going to save the environment vs. a big SUV or that they are saving a disgusting amount of money in fuel over purchasing something similar like a Civic.
> 
> I do not necessarily hate the car, but rather I often find myself hating the thought process used by the person purchasing it.


I don't hate their thought process as much as I can't stand their holier than thou attitude. It's almost comical.

BTW, I just purchased a hybrid Chevy truck at auction today; I'm curious to see how it sells. We've never had a hybrid before, but this one went for a song because none of the other dealers realized it was a hybrid when it went through the auction block.


----------



## Justin T (Oct 10, 2006)

I think they are fine for what they are...actually pretty cool tech in it. What I cannot take is the Prius F1 driver...hey there chief...I am doing 10 over the limit and passing a couple of cars going the speed limit and then will get over so you can go 90 with those tiny tires. Don't overstep yourself by tailgating me in either of my cars. The left paddle is not to be trifled with!


----------



## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

I drive an electric car. I don't hate the Prius because it of the greenness. I hate it because it is a terrible car.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

Justin T said:


> I think they are fine for what they are...actually pretty cool tech in it. What I cannot take is the Prius F1 driver...hey there chief...I am doing 10 over the limit and passing a couple of cars going the speed limit and then will get over so you can go 90 with those tiny tires. Don't overstep yourself by tailgating me in either of my cars. The left paddle is not to be trifled with!


Hey now, I have 17 inchers!


----------



## need4speed (May 26, 2006)

I hate the Prius. Always have, always will. N4S


----------



## luigi524td (Apr 4, 2005)

My daughter loved hers for commuting in and around Washington DC while averaging 55mpg . When she moved overseas and had to sell it, gas prices began to fall no one wanted one and we wound up "giving it away" because short memory consumers were falling all over each other to buy big SUV's while economy & green cars sat on the car lots! 

I drove it for about a month - I personally wouldn't buy one today but if I was a commuter in and around heavy city traffic it'd be on my list of "UGH - guess I should buy something besides a ___ ___ ___!"


----------



## TEKSMRT (Jul 28, 2015)

Had to post on here just after reading the comments. haha.

The car is not as bad as most people make them out to be. Just so happens that a majority of the drivers of this car are just terrible drivers. But not everyone drives a prius like an old person.


----------



## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

I lost a race to one in my Cobalt SS (2.4 liter, VVT, aluminum block, natural aspirated). I had thee other fat-asses in the car.. uhh... heading to our favorite lunch buffet. The Prius driver, in the left lane, had some old lady in the passenger seat, presumably his mother. Off the line, he walked away from me... and the old lady was laughing at me! 

The whole sad incident almost made me go order an M5. Some of my relatives are militant, tree-hugging, socialist hippies. They hated my M3. That actually was a check in the M5 column on my most recent car selection spreadsheet.

A BMW Active Hybrid 3 would walk my E46 M3, at least out of the hole. I had one as a loaner, but I didn't flog it since it only had 200 miles on it. Soccer mom's liked it and smiled as I quietly buzzed past my 'hood's soccer field to check them out. But, a loose dog hated it and attacked the car as I was parking in front of an office building. People bring their dogs to work here and let them run loose.


----------



## R ODonnell (Dec 15, 2014)

I have no reason to hate Prii (or any other hybrid/electric car).

What I *do not* like are lifted pickup trucks that are so high their bumpers override all your safety crumple zones and even their low beam headlights shine directly in your eyes.

If I get hit by one I'll be looking for a ruthless, cold blooded, lawyer.

http://gomlaw.com/in-the-big-city/


----------



## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

R ODonnell said:


> I have no reason to hate Prii (or any other hybrid/electric car).
> 
> What I *do not* like are lifted pickup trucks that are so high their bumpers override all your safety crumple zones and even their low beam headlights shine directly in your eyes.
> 
> ...


Those oversize tires also diminish the effectiveness of the brakes. If the tire diameter goes up by 50%, the braking force goes down by 33%.

My cousin is an ambulance chaser. He represented an estate of a dump truck driver and he thought it'd be his winning lottery ticket. Usually dump trucks win when playing chicken. The notable is when the other driver is driving a locomotive. But, the dump truck driver blew a stop sign at the RR crossing. So, my cousin got nada, nicht, zilch, zero, zip, goose egg.


----------



## R ODonnell (Dec 15, 2014)

Autoputzer said:


> Those oversize tires also diminish the effectiveness of the brakes. If the tire diameter goes up by 50%, the braking force goes down by 33%.


I like Germany's stance on stuff like this.

Our son shipped his Chevrolet pickup (with wide wheels and tires on it) to Germany when he got stationed there. He took the truck down to get it inspected and they turned him away in the parking lot. He had to either put flares on it or narrower tires and wheels.


----------



## TEKSMRT (Jul 28, 2015)

*BBK in progress*



Autoputzer said:


> Those oversize tires also diminish the effectiveness of the brakes. If the tire diameter goes up by 50%, the braking force goes down by 33%.


I think their often compensating for something. 

The Gen 2 prius comes with either 15" or 16" wheel. With my 19" wheels the diameter of the tire increased only 2% (24.4" to 24.9") - regardless that my diameter didn't increase much, I'm in the process of doing a 13" BBK just for fun. Currently the oem brakes do a tremendous job regardless of the additional wheel/tire weight.


----------



## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

TEKSMRT said:


> Had to post on here just after reading the comments. haha.
> 
> The car is not as bad as most people make them out to be. Just so happens that a majority of the drivers of this car are just terrible drivers. But not everyone drives a prius like an old person.


My SIL & BIL have one. Driving 20 miles to recycle glass bottles, he was putting along in the left lane of I-95. I was afraid we'd have some lead to recycle before we got home.

Glass is made of...sand...not something we really need to conserve in Florida.


----------



## Rob325_in_AZ (Oct 22, 2004)

Yep. No problem with Prius. Serious problem with people driving them slow in the fast lane. :eeps:


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

I said I'd post a pic... 

Not too bad for a 50MPG daily driver. BTW, I've now put 30K miles on it in 10 months. I've spent less than $150 in maintenance with ZERO problems. It's definitely not a rewarding ride like a BMW, but it does have it's pros!


----------



## R ODonnell (Dec 15, 2014)

cjwheeling said:


> I said I'd post a pic...
> 
> Not too bad for a 50MPG daily driver. BTW, I've now put 30K miles on it in 10 months. I've spent less than $150 in maintenance with ZERO problems. It's definitely not a rewarding ride like a BMW, but it does have it's pros!


If either of us were still working they would be at or near the top of our list of cars. I would not commute in my BMW only to have it sit in the searing sun all day acquiring door dings.

I had a friend with "more money than god". He owned a Testarossa, convertible Jag, Mercedes, a Stearman BiPlane, and a base Ford Escort that he drove to work.


----------



## R ODonnell (Dec 15, 2014)

Rob325_in_AZ said:


> Yep. No problem with Prius. Serious problem with people driving them slow in the fast lane. :eeps:


Me too. The poll didn't include that option.

My wife and I are seriously considering an electric car for local trips. We have a big piece of property with plenty of clear sky space for a big solar array. As little as we would drive it we could probably charge it for free most of the time.


----------



## Initial E (May 30, 2015)

I cant speak on the newer generation Prius but my parents have one of the first generation ones. What an AWFUL car. Cheaply made not comfortable to ride in. If you pack it with 5 people it feels like it's going to explode getting onto an on-ramp. I had to drive it 3hrs (each way) one time to go pick up some stuff for the family business. By the time I got back, I was absolutely exhausted. Not from the distance/time driving but from screaming at the car, anxiety of why the hell it's not going fast enough to pass someone, frustration from lack of pick up and the odd looks I got driving it. Never in my life have I wanted to destroy something so bad. 

I'm sure the newer ones are pretty good now a days though


----------



## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

I had a Prius V (big one) as a rental car a few years ago. It wasn't bad, and more room than my unacceptable standard size, second generation Prius. I got 50 MPG, driving carefully. My wife could only get 35 MPH. I was at 49.8 MPG pulling back into the rental car place. But, my batteries were charged, so I putted around their parking lot a few laps until it registered 50.0 MPG.


----------



## u3b3rg33k (Jan 14, 2015)

I would much rather be in / be seen in a prius than say, a PT Cruiser. I find the seats to be rather uncomfortable after about 30 minutes though.


----------



## cjwheeling (Jan 26, 2006)

u3b3rg33k said:


> I would much rather be in / be seen in a prius than say, a PT Cruiser. I find the seats to be rather uncomfortable after about 30 minutes though.


Yeah, I have a package 5 with the leather seating and it still isn't a comfortable seat


----------

