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Toyota Prius Test Drive - What Do You Think? - READ ONLY

52 messages,  Last post on Feb 22, 2012 at 6:20 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Prius, Hybrid Cars, Car Buying, Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 6

#13 of 52 Re: Prius Test Drive.... have questions [jonnycat26] by falconone

Oct 08, 2005 (9:05 pm)

Replying to: jonnycat26 (Oct 08, 2005 11:20 am)
Well... I have to say. I've been in many, many cars. I've owned quite a bunch of fancy cars as well. I would say that the Prius is very quiet on the highway compared to my Audi allroad. Perhaps it's because the Prius I drove had the Goodyear Tripletred tires on them. If I can have a normal conversation with my passenger at 70 mph, that to me means there is not too much road noise intruding in the cabin. I would suggest you sell your car while the market is hot and buy a more sensible car for your tastes.

#14 of 52 Test Drive - Still Looking by buckeyelarry

Jul 21, 2006 (6:39 pm)

I rented 2005 for a week - and have driven about 3 of the 2006 vehicles.
 
Power is similar to our Saturn LS1 (With 5 speed). The passenger room is spacious and comfortable.
 
The hatchback is convenient. Remember that the 16 cu ft is measured from the cargo floor to the roof.
 
Handling is a "soft" - not real crisp - creates a little uncertainity.
 
1 week of driving the rental resulted in 47 mpg, mostly at highway / interstate speeds and A/C running (temps in the upper 80's - low 90's) Total mileage about 600 miles. It was interesting how much flucuation in MPG with A/C and winds as low as 12 mph.
 
This spring drove a Prius that was considering purchasing - on I-70 in rain - wind, 75 mph felt twitchy. I decided to hold on purchase, in retrospect - I think the drive by wire steering gives different feel and car stable.
 
A little concerned about battery disposal costs when car is older (usually drive vehicle to 200K) and reliability of switching gear after 4-6 years of use.
 
Not purchased yet - considering currently with the $3,150 tax credit. Without credit, hard to justify the capital cost for the hybrid.

#15 of 52 Re: Prius Test Drive.... have questions [gmctruck] by mwkoman

Dec 16, 2006 (9:27 am)

Replying to: gmctruck (Oct 07, 2005 2:31 pm)
From 60 to 110 mph there is nothing like a Prius. People are amazed at the seamless, powerful, silent acceleration. The most quiet car I have ever owned (And I have owned some nice ones)I can only speak for my 05.

#16 of 52 Test Drive: Std vs Touring by rcinmd

Feb 19, 2007 (6:38 pm)

I am considering a Prius purchase, and tonight drove 'them' for the first time. Both were package 2, one Standard, the other Touring.
 
The drives were brief, about 7 miles. I took the Standard out first, and drove a bit cautiously. I felt the ICE cut out a couple times, and overall felt good about the ride, noise levels, steering feel, etc. I was not autocrossing of course, but the car came across just fine.
 
With the Touring, I immediately noticed 'feedback' through the steering wheel, not the sort I was looking for. While not feeling like an out-of-balance condition, there was a definite sensation through the wheel that was not present on the Standard model. I was thinking perhaps the lower profile tires and the shock / spring differences were the cause. In addition, the engine was quite a bit more audible than in the Standard. That one made no sense to me, since the drivetrain is identical in both. I sure doubt Toyota opted to give the Touring a "sporty" sound. The ride was a bit harsher, with a trace of jiggling. I did not mind that, since I enjoy driving. It's just that the Standard model was much smoother.
 
For the brief identical drives, the Standard reported 44 mpg, while the Touring returned 40. I was probably driving the Touring a bit more briskly. The HID headlights were nice, but not as effective as those in my Mazda Tribute.
 
Does anyone out there with more time behind the wheel of both think what I experienced in the Touring is normal? Or might there be an issue with that particular car? The dealer does not have any other Tourings for me to try.

#17 of 52 Re: Test Drive: Std vs Touring [rcinmd] by pathstar1

Feb 20, 2007 (8:21 am)

Replying to: rcinmd (Feb 19, 2007 6:38 pm)
The touring gets slightly lower mileage than the standard model. Always has in other countries. The ride is firmer, and noise level should be slightly higher with lower profile tires (tire sidewall transmits more road noise).
 
The plus you get with the touring is slightly better handling, particualrly in corners. You also have 16" tires, which should give more choises when tire replacement time comes around (15" tires are going out of favour, so aren't available in as many styles/sizes). Further, the OEM 16" tires are much better than the 15" Goodyear Integrities the standard model comes with.

#18 of 52 Test Drive by dncb

Apr 07, 2007 (8:58 am)

My wife and I test drove a 2007 Prius yesterday and found a nice riding, nicely equipped (except for lack of quality sound system), reasonably quiet, reasonably comfortable (though not as much leg room as an HCH)extremely efficient car for everyday driving. One notable lack(and the only reason I found that I would not buy a Prius) for those who do their own home improvement and do not want to own two vehicles is the lack of towing ability of a small light utility trailer for hauling the long Home Depot items home like an HCH can do. (No one is talking about hauling heavy loads here, so please save the comments.) The techy info panel is great for most of the types who would be shooting for max mileage. One possible negative is that it is also used for the HVAC - requiring a button push just to get in the mode and more button pushing to change settings. I suppose most owners would get used to this and not find it a negative. An obvious advantage over the HCH is a split fold-down rear seat back -- something we are almost expecting as standard nowadays -- and where Honda puts the NiMH battery pack. If it weren't for the trailer hitch issue I'd trade my 23MPG V6 Sonata in a heartbeat.

#19 of 52 Re: Test Drive [dncb] by pathstar1

Apr 07, 2007 (9:17 am)

Replying to: dncb (Apr 07, 2007 8:58 am)
You can get a trailer hitch for the Prius, just not from Toyota. Be aware, the Prius can haul 14' lumber -inside- with the hatch closed. Check out http://www.coastaletech.com/04prius.htm
for the receiver hitch.

#20 of 52 I have a 1 1/4" hitch on my 2004 Prius by stevegold

Apr 07, 2007 (9:32 am)

I bough it from Coastaletech.com and installed it myself.
I use it mainly for a bike rack. Works fine.

#21 of 52 Re: Test Drive [dncb] by railroadjames

Apr 07, 2007 (5:46 pm)

Replying to: dncb (Apr 07, 2007 8:58 am)
Let it be said loud and clear...The Prius is favorably versatile and can carry a vast array of Home Depot goods to your domicile and lets not forget that there is a trailer hitch available that can handle minor loads easily. I speak with 57,000 miles plus and 3 1/2 yrs behind the wheel. I'm 62 yrs old and took the plunge way back when it may have seemed a bit of a risk. All is well with Prius owners and we continue to smile to and from gas stations. I especially like filling up next to Hummers w/ their 38 gal tanks that take nearly ten minutes to fill while I dump 8 plus gals in less than 1 minute. Seems that "smarts" is developing a new definition in this world of hybrids and gus-guzzlers.

#22 of 52 Re: Toyota Prius Test Drive: What Do You Think? [pf_flyer] by maxtest

Apr 08, 2007 (3:59 pm)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 15, 2006 7:37 pm)
I recently rented a Prius for a day in Mesa, Arizona. Going uphill on I-17 at 75 mph the car was a little noisy as you would expect from a small car, but performance was good. Cruised through Jerome, Sedona, Flagstaff, etc. before heading in a round about fashion to Phoenix where I finished the trip on city streets avoiding freeways. The computer showed mpg's all over the map. Mpg's, without trying to conserve, for the day was 47. I like the car. The controls on the steering wheel were very convenient and the touch screen was easy to get used to. Its really cool driving through the neighborhood on electric power only. I'm tall and found the car reasonably comfortable. Its a great little car. I just haven't decided to part with the money. It is a bit pricey. Gas will have to hit $10 per gallon before you will save the price difference. Still, I like the car for its styling, comfort, efficiency, and lower emissions.

Messages Page 3 of 6

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