Why we shouldn't hate the Prius

Living in Northern CA, I've become apathetic to Priii. They're everywhere and large I think they're driven by well-meaning people that otherwise would be behind the wheel of a Corolla, Civic or other appliance. I can't see owning one, as there are a number of more fun ways to get any advantage the Prius has (fuel efficiency, alternate fuel, HOV lane access, green cred, etc.).

They drive in a completely forgettable way and I think that's completely intentional on Toyota's part. They aren't building a sports car, they're building a neat appliance for people that don't care about sporty driving...which is pretty much everybody out on the road.

Type Q wrote:

curtis73 wrote: I'll tell you why I hate them.... ...They don't save the environment, they just displace the responsibility away from the miniscule amount of time that the owner is driving it. Sure, it saves a couple MPG, but marketing and consumer stupidity makes people think they are saving the world.... ... drive your plastic Prius that required tons of nasty E36 M3 be spewed into the atmosphere before it is even built and you are a goddamned tree-hugging hero. Berkeley Hybrids. Driving a hybrid and thinking you're doing any good for the world is like operating a coal power plant and shutting it down for one day and saying "look at all the good I did for the environment." No. You just supported years of environment-raping activity and paused it for a second so you could pat your own back. Sorry.

Curtis, I don't know what reaction you are trying to get. My thought after reading that rant was "Jeez Curtis that's an awfully high horse you just rode in on. I don't want to fall off and hurt yourself or damage that camera you like to take to biker rallies." You sound angry and judgmental. This is not what I have come to expect from you. As someone who has been driving a Prius lately, can buy you a beer or something? Its Friday and you sound like you have not had the best week.

Meh... it was more tongue in cheek but I guess it didn't come across that way. I just can't stand the displacement of carbon being lauded as the environmental holy grail that most prius owners believe.

Its a complex vehicle with expensive parts and mostly disposable pieces when its done, but they market it as a "green" thing so people scoop them up. Even though they're not very green. Certainly not green enough to offset the complexity and expense.

I'm saying that if it weren't for marketing, they wouldn't exist. If we put that much money into marketing biofuels, (an equally implausible infrastructure at this point) people would be driving biofuel vehicles instead of Priuses. Prii? Priae?

Its not so much that I hate the CAR, its that it doesn't really solve any issues, but they swindled unwitting people into buying it by convincing us that it DOES solve issues. The Hybrid is the Reaganomics of the automotive world. And people bought it hook, line, and sinker.

... and YES, I'd love a beer Care to have one with me?

drainoil wrote: Curt is. Like said I don't even own one but I'm pretty sure not everyone that drives one is a "tree hugger" or is out to save the environment. If they are like my way of thinking its to save $$$$ for each tank of fuel, then spending that savings on my fun cars. Today is a Friday= end of work week=payday=happy hour, sounds like you have more unresolved issues than hating on Prius's.

Again... it doesn't necessarily solve that issue either. There are many cars in that MPG range that don't require the engineering quagmire and expensive parts that a Hybrid does.

Funny thing though... my go-to example for similar MPG and emissions was a newer TDI. THey're not a good example of emissions these days

curtis73 wrote: Meh... it was more tongue in cheek but I guess it didn't come across that way. I just can't stand the displacement of carbon being lauded as the environmental holy grail that most prius owners believe. Its a complex vehicle with expensive parts and mostly disposable pieces when its done, but they market it as a "green" thing so people scoop them up. Even though they're not very green. Certainly not green enough to offset the complexity and expense. I'm saying that if it weren't for marketing, they wouldn't exist. If we put that much money into marketing biofuels, (an equally implausible infrastructure at this point) people would be driving biofuel vehicles instead of Priuses. Prii? Priae? Its not so much that I hate the CAR, its that it doesn't really solve any issues, but they swindled unwitting people into buying it by convincing us that it DOES solve issues. The Hybrid is the Reaganomics of the automotive world. And people bought it hook, line, and sinker. ... and YES, I'd love a beer Care to have one with me?

Either I'm missing something about the hybrid construction process or I disagree. Sure a bicycle or upcycling a 1990 Toyota Tercel would be more green, but those aren't substitutes for a Prius. These people are going to buy a new appliance no matter what, I'll give them credit for buying a Prius instead of a Yukon.

Threads like this make me realize how many of you suck.

I've found the top speed on my Prius to be about 105. Slightly disappointing, but enough to pass literally everyone that isn't actually trying to race me (in my Prius...), and some that are (faster trucks with low speed limiters! LOL). My Insights were a little faster.

I bought another hybrid. It does 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and it's RWD. I also own more boosted cars than some of yall own cylinders. Guess what: I still like my Prius!

Half of the posts in this thread are the automotive equivalent of "Im not racist, BUUUUT..." and that's frankly pathetic. But i still like GRM forums and respect your right to out yourselves with crap like this. It's the internet, after all!

In reply to Vigo:

Oh yeah well you suck!

And your avatar is funny!

and to you too meanie face.

curtis73 wrote: Again... it doesn't necessarily solve that issue either. There are many cars in that MPG range that don't require the engineering quagmire and expensive parts that a Hybrid does.

Name me one other car I can buy for $5-6K that will get 45-50mpg in the city.

I've had a Prius, and know several other with them. Not a single one of them is a tree hugger or has any delusion of saving the environment by driving their car.