Our Gen 2 gets about 46mpg on the highway. City is easily in the 70s.
Our Gen 2 gets about 46mpg on the highway. City is easily in the 70s.
Does the aftermarket not make springs, sways and steering rack bushings for Prius? This group does these mods to other cars all the time to make them more fun, why should the Prius be left out? Parts sawps off Lexus CT 200h???
Personally I like them. Now that I've moved out to the country, both my wife and I are pounding on the miles. Gas is cheap now, but it will go back up eventually. I wouldn't mind driving a lightly modded (suspension) Prius for the daily slog.
H&R makes springs, not sure about gen 2 sway bars (TRD makes sway bars for the gen 3), or steering rack bushings.
Edit: whiteline makes a good sway bar for it.
I think the whole self righteousness about the prius is gone. Those who want to make a statement own a tesla or leaf now. Trust me, I live in seattle and there is a Tesla showroom 2 blocks from my office. If anyplace is full of ecoweeny self righteous numbtards it's this place. there is a market for gluten free organic pet food out here..... Srsly..
I think the prius is a good appliance that gets good mileage. It's used for taxi's the world over and we love the last major taxi car, the crown vic. If I needed a souless commuter, I'd buy and older one that had the battery swapped and enjoy the good mileage.
G_Body_Man wrote: H&R makes springs, not sure about gen 2 sway bars (TRD makes sway bars for the gen 3), or steering rack bushings. Edit: whiteline makes a good sway bar for it.
Corolla bars swap. The chassis shares a lot with a Corolla of the same year.
ProDarwin wrote:G_Body_Man wrote: H&R makes springs, not sure about gen 2 sway bars (TRD makes sway bars for the gen 3), or steering rack bushings. Edit: whiteline makes a good sway bar for it.Corolla bars swap. The chassis shares a lot with a Corolla of the same year.
Neat!
" I needed a soulless commuter "
Maybe that is part of the problem with your commute. Now, if you're cursed with only highways that are frequently bumper to bumper I guess you could justify a car that is mind-numbingly dull. I have a 30 minute commute each way but it is back roads. There is traffic and multiple traffic lights but my pleasure level went up in a huge stride when I went from a POS Focus to my Mustang. Neither got me there faster and both had radios and manual transmissions. The Mustang is just way more engaging and I frankly don't really miss the extra 10 mpg.
On really nice days I ride the Bonneville. Not the most fun way to enjoy the motorcycle either but I still look forward to it. Never looked forward to my drive in the Focus.
I'm reading that Prius owners are averaging mileage in the low 40s? That's why I dislike the Prius. I have a 99 TDI with 275K miles on it I was averaging 54 MPG, and having fun doing it. The VW is good looking inside and out, rewarding, and a more enjoyable place to be.
My current commute is what the Prius is made for: 2 miles each way. I could to that on all battery, but I'd rather do that in a Wrangler and enjoy my day.
Prius = great car for commuting.
Commuting = long, boring drive to and from work.
Do you want to continually make a long, boring trip to work in an equally boring car? Every day? Really?
ProDarwin wrote:G_Body_Man wrote: H&R makes springs, not sure about gen 2 sway bars (TRD makes sway bars for the gen 3), or steering rack bushings. Edit: whiteline makes a good sway bar for it.Corolla bars swap. The chassis shares a lot with a Corolla of the same year.
so with the extra weight you get comp springs and then it will ride like street springs?
DaveEstey wrote: Our Gen 2 gets about 46mpg on the highway. City is easily in the 70s.
that right there. The Prius is a great city / suburban car. It isn't a pure city car because it is too long, and it isn't a highway cruiser because at 46 mpg, a mazda6 with sky active is a better buy because it drives better, has a nicer interior, and get very similar fuel economy on the highway.
So you are left in the lurch that alot of Americans are in. Suburban/metro traffic with lots of stop and go and the occasional 10~15 mile highway blast.
Prius is a very good tool for that.
Didn't get to read the whole thread, but I had a 2010 Prius. I got it after my relocation to Atlanta, and found myself with a 50 mile each way commute...the afternoon half being in rush hour traffic. I figured the car would be the best option. Reliable as gravity, great on gas, hatchback versatility, low operating costs. It's all of those things and more. I averaged 43mpg, even with my stop and go driving, as well as 80mph cruising during my morning commute. Very comfy inside, no problem spending 3 hours a day in it. It did everything I needed it to.
BUT....
Using the word "boring" would be like calling the sun "warm". Not only is it lifeless, its handling is downright putrid. There's a twisty two lane country road that I use in the evening to take my kids too/from sports practices. Perfect Miata road. Even my wife commented several times that she has more fun driving our old Kia Sedona minivan down that road than she does the Prius. It wallows like my FIL's old '92 Lincoln Continental. While it was the perfect commuter, I just couldn't handle the utter lack of any driving involvement. Damn shame too, because now I find myself with a 55 mile each way commute and am dying to find a car that can meet all my needs without being boring.
DrBoost wrote: I'm reading that Prius owners Are averaging mileage in yhe low 40s? That's why I dislike the Prius. I have a 99 TDI. WITH 275K miles on it I was averaging 54 MPG, and having fun doing it.
You probably don't have an urban commute. My Saturn struggles to hit 30mpg in a commute where the Prius would easily return 45-50. Today is the first day in several months the car has been on the highway - for a whopping 5 miles. You won't get 54 mpg with your TDI here. Yes, if you have a highway commute, a TDI is probably a better choice.
Klayfish wrote: BUT.... Using the word "boring" would be like calling the sun "warm". Not only is it lifeless, its handling is downright putrid.
So... its basically the same as any other automatic econobox?
I never quite get this. Yeah, its boring, but so is almost everything else one would compare it to. Throw some springs, bars, wheels & decent tires at it and you probably have something fun that's still very economical and can swallow a berkeley ton of stuff.
FWIW, in town I find the Prius more interesting to drive than many cars (like a Miata). Nothing is fun going from one stoplight to the next while watching the bumper of the SUV in front of you. I like to try and challenge myself to beat traffic and still stay on electric power.
ddavidv wrote: " I needed a soulless commuter " Maybe that is part of the problem with your commute. Now, if you're cursed with only highways that are frequently bumper to bumper I guess you could justify a car that is mind-numbingly dull. I have a 30 minute commute each way but it is back roads. There is traffic and multiple traffic lights but my pleasure level went up in a huge stride when I went from a POS Focus to my Mustang. Neither got me there faster and both had radios and manual transmissions. The Mustang is just way more engaging and I frankly don't really miss the extra 10 mpg. On really nice days I ride the Bonneville. Not the most fun way to enjoy the motorcycle either but I still look forward to it. Never looked forward to my drive in the Focus.
For two years I commuted up and down the schuykill(sp?). It would have been a better tool for that job than the ranger I owned at the time. Sometimes the trip was 30 minutes, sometimes two hours. I hear you though.
In reply to ProDarwin:
No, not at all like other auto econoboxes. I've driven plenty of them...they're pretty much the defacto rental car every time I travel. Focus hatch comes to mind. They're much more entertaining to drive than the Prius. So is the Sonic, Rio, Mazda 2 and Fiesta. None of the cars are Miata fun (or insert your favorite sports car here), but at least subjectively to me they're all significantly more entertaining than the Prius.
Yes, the Prius has that video game fun of trying to stay in electric only mode. I used to play that game all the time with mine, often to the dismay of the driver behind me. 
But I had a Leaf prior, and that's infinitely more fun of a video game.
I have a ton of respect for the Prius. It's dead nuts perfect at what its' mission is. I also agree that no car is "fun" when sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. When I bought mine, I came in with very low expectations on the driving fun. But I just could never warm to it.
My biggest beef with the Prius is that it's a Toyota. 
But that doesn't mean I want a Fusion Hybrid.
I should add that I'm not hating on the Prius. I'm currently beating my head against the wall to try to find a nicer daily driver than my current '09 Chevy HHR that checks all my needs. I'm addicted to wagons/hatchbacks. I drive 35k+ miles per year. So I need a car that can stand the beating and has cheap(ish) consumables, good mpg, dead nuts reliable, plenty of space to haul kids and their gear, can run on 87 octane, and has a nice interior...all for less than $17k. The HHR checks a lot of those boxes, and mine is even a 5spd. I'm quite happy with it, but it's not a ton of fun in it's own right. Plus while the interior is laid out very nicely, it's full of hard plastics. The Prius V would check so many of my needs, and logically it'd make sense, but it's even less fun than the Chevy.
The Prius is Toyota's self-driving car development platform. JohnnyCab is supposed to drive you.
G_Body_Man wrote:Trans_Maro wrote: It's a Prius. Even though it's capable of going well over the posted speed limit, owners seem to feel that it's necessary to be at or under the limit, in the far left lane whenever possible.Is that sort of like how BMW owners are portrayed as shiny happy people who weave in and out of traffic, while tailgating and talking on their phone?
BMW owner here, can confirm. Although I don't consider it weaving since I use a turn signal.
LuxInterior wrote: I hate the Prius because its a truly terrible thing to drive. Crap steering feel and poor handling didn't add fuel economy. Efficiency doesnt have to equal soul-less appliance. Ex: Suzuki Swift, pretty fun - 45 mpg highway. If Toyota wanted to make a good handling hybrid with stellar fuel economy and great steering, they could.
Toyota does make this, it's called the Lexus CT200h Fsport. Like a Prius except with all the bad stuff removed. It looks good, handles very well, has steering feel, a nice interior with a useful hatch and only gives up a couple of mpg on a Prius. My wife drives ours most of the time. It is an excellent car, would buy it all over again. Lifetime avg mpg is 41US gal, 80% city short trips including winters.
Why don't I like the Prius?
-About as attractive to look at as a microwave oven
-I hate sitting in them, can't get comfortable
-Cannot stand the gauges being in the middle of the car instead of in front of me, huge distraction for me
-That dinky little shifter on the center stack that's about as engaging as a toothpick in pudding
I could go on...
Also, I have a bad predisposition to Prius drivers. The ones around here are the worst. For instance, last Friday, I'm commuting home cruising right along passing people behind an absolutely beautiful red Viper GTS coupe. It was modified and sounded and looked beautiful. I was making great time, it was nice out, and I had a cool car to look at in the sea of gray econoboxes! Then, out of nowhere, a derelict road potato Prius just cut in front of me, in the left lane, only to do about 53mph with it's turn signal on for a few miles. It couldn't even complete the pass of the car it intended to. It rode there for a few miles and got back behind the car it intended to pass. It's like the guy did it just to obstruct my view and spite me. Typical Prius owner behavior.
I'm not against hybrids; I think they are cool and can be a great choice for a car in certain situations. But I will always hate the Prius.
(I have driven a Prius rental a few times. In fact, when traveling in CA, if I'm not going to be doing discretionary driving on the PCH I get a Prius for the HOV lane access)
Here in the DC Metro we have a very high concentration Preii. We also have more people operating cars who couldn't be any less interested or engaged in the process than anywhere I've driven.
As a result, if I see a vehicle leave a green light late, accelerate at a glacial rate to at or just above the speed limit, then, with neither signalling nor any deliberate application of brakes, turn right through a red light with minimal concern for traffic; as often as not it's a Prius.
This morning on the way to work. Prius in front of me at the top of an on ramp to the DC beltway. I'm in an NA Miata. I accelerate, look, and as soon as I reach the dashed-white blend line, merge left into the lane. I'm waiting for the Prius ahead of me to merge. I wait. I lift a little to make more room. I wait. The driver drives the length of the merge area and is now on the zebra-striped end of the merge area. I've stuck my car in a hole in the lane to my left and the last I see the Prius, it's trundling down the shoulder, no signal displayed, waiting for there to be NO CARS IN SIGHT so it can swerve into the lane.
Prius drivers w/ MD-VA-DC tags are nearly universally the laziest drivers I ever see. I don't expect driving excellence except in Germany and Spain. But the most basic rudimentary acceptance that the operation of a vehicle is a form of interraction with the vehicle, other vehicles and their operators is not an unreasonable expectation. And operators of Priuses (and RAV4s and CRVs for some reason) display a willful lack of this basic involvement, shockingly often.
I don't hate the car, but I dislike how it seems to make people operate it.
dean1484 wrote: I want to put a LSX motor in one or better yet some how take the drive line from a C5 and put the body from a Prius over it.
Epic idea.
ProDarwin wrote:DrBoost wrote: I'm reading that Prius owners Are averaging mileage in yhe low 40s? That's why I dislike the Prius. I have a 99 TDI. WITH 275K miles on it I was averaging 54 MPG, and having fun doing it.You probably don't have an urban commute. My Saturn struggles to hit 30mpg in a commute where the Prius would easily return 45-50. Today is the first day in several months the car has been on the highway - for a whopping 5 miles. You won't get 54 mpg with your TDI here. Yes, if you have a highway commute, a TDI is probably a better choice.
My current commute is 2 miles each way. No matter how you slice it, that's a nightmarish commute for a car. In the TDI I'm getting low to mid 40s (closer to low 40s). That's not bad considering the vehicles never gets warm. So my worst economy is what the average Prius owner is reporting. My best is typical for a TDI of this vintage and better than a Prius would get in 99% of situations.
Of course diesel is more expensive than gasoline, that helps to offset it.
But I'm glad the Prius exists. It spurred on other manufacturers to improve the breed. We all benefit from that.
There's a big difference between harshing on the car vs. harshing on the people who drive them.
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