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Midsize Sedans 2.0

13322 messages,  Last post on Dec 02, 2009 at 1:21 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, Mazda MAZDA6, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura, Car Comparisons, Sedan


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#11264 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [akirby] by bpizzuti
Jan 03, 2009 (12:47 pm)
Reply

Replying to: akirby (Jan 03, 2009 11:31 am)

Actually, while I like the styling of the Fusion a lot, I also happen to like hatches, and wish the Fusion or Mazda3 would come in a hatch version. That's another advantage to the Prius.
#11265 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [akirby] by mz6greyghost
Jan 03, 2009 (12:56 pm)
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Replying to: akirby (Jan 03, 2009 12:33 pm)

The Prius is smaller, uglier by far and doesn't drive anything like a normal midsize sedan. The Fusion Hybrid is EPA rated at 45 city while the Fusion gets 41. The Fusion looks better, drives better and gets almost the same fuel economy in the city.
  
The only reason to buy a Prius is to show people that you have a hybrid, since it doesn't look like any normal midsize sedan.

 
Quoted for truth!
 
Having been behind the wheel of a Prius, I can agree with everything here, especially the driving experience. To me, Toyotas are a close second to Buick in terms of putting me in a coma when behind the wheel, but the Prius is beyond pathetic. The low rolling-resistance tires squeal at every corner, WITHOUT being pushed hard, and they also contribute heavily to the numb steering, miserable braking, and the overall disconnected feeling you get.
 
I can see why tree-huggers love it, and why anyone with a soul doesn't.
 
You forgot the most important part. The Prius cost about $10k less. That's one heck of an incentive to be greener.
 
It may be $10K less on paper, but you're going to have a hard time finding ANY Prius at that base price, since they were (and in some cases, still are) going at a premium over MSRP. I've seen listing of USED examples going for higher than that.
 
That's not the most important part to me. Styling, features and driving are more important to me than the price.
 
Quoted for agreement.
 
Kudos to Ford for the excellent press and praise they've been getting for the Fusion Hybrid, which seems well-deserved.
#11266 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [bpizzuti] by mz6greyghost
Jan 03, 2009 (12:58 pm)
Reply

Replying to: bpizzuti (Jan 03, 2009 12:47 pm)

Actually, while I like the styling of the Fusion a lot, I also happen to like hatches, and wish the Fusion or Mazda3 would come in a hatch version. That's another advantage to the Prius.
 
You mean the Mazda6, right?
#11267 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [mz6greyghost] by backy
Jan 03, 2009 (1:42 pm)
Reply

Replying to: mz6greyghost (Jan 03, 2009 12:56 pm)

The Prius really is not $10k less than the Fulan hybrid. The Fusion hybrid starts at $28k. The Prius starts around $23k. I don't know how the equipment levels of these base versions compare, but it's at best a $5k difference. Loaded, the Prius is pretty close to if not over $30k, while the C/D Fusion tester seemed pretty loaded for $32.5k.
 
We are forgetting one thing though comparing the Prius to the Fusion hybrid. The 2010 Prius is coming very shortly (will be unveiled officially in Detroit in a week or so). It should be an evolutionary improvement over the current Prius, and is expected to offer more power and also better fuel economy than the current Prius. As for interior room and handling improvements, we'll have to see about that. But I personally consider the Prius, and even the Insight, to be competitors to the likes of the Fusion and Camry hybrids. I don't need as much interior room as those sedans provide, I prefer a hatch configuration, and the 2010 Prius at least (don't know about the Insight) should easily exceed the FE for the hybrid mid-sized sedans--as it should as it's smaller, lighter, and lower-powered. I also like the swoopy looks of the 2010 Prius and Insight better than the mid-sized hybrid sedans. And the payback proposition is better with a lower-priced hybrid like the Prius or Insight. Especially for people like me who don't drive a lot, maybe 10k max per year for my wife's vehicle, which is what I am looking at a hybrid to be a few years out, once we are done with minivans.
 
Now, if gas stays around $2 a gallon and Ford et. al. are forced to offer discounts on the mid-sized hybrid sedans to move them, e.g. a base Fusion hybrid for the low $20s, then that could be compelling. But at $28k and up? I'd probably pass. Or maybe buy a 2010 Fusion hybrid in 2012 or 2013.
#11268 of 13322
Re: EPA certifies Fusion Hybrid [plekto] by explorerx4
Jan 03, 2009 (1:49 pm)
Reply

Replying to: plekto (Jan 03, 2009 9:00 am)

i interpreted your post to indicate a hybrid can be driven without gas.
this simply is not true, other than maybe a short distance.
obviously, a gas engine won't run without fuel. i think everyone already knows that.
#11269 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [backy] by explorerx4
Jan 03, 2009 (2:00 pm)
Reply

Replying to: backy (Jan 03, 2009 1:42 pm)

considering not a whole lot of hybrid fusions are goining to be built for the forseeable future, i don't think there will be big discounts on them.
there aren't even any hybrid escapes for sale anywhere near me.
i prefer having a trunk for security reasons. the back of the prius is open, although a tonneau cover is available.
#11270 of 13322
Re: C/D on hybrid mid-sized sedans [explorerx4] by backy
Jan 03, 2009 (2:10 pm)
Reply

Replying to: explorerx4 (Jan 03, 2009 2:00 pm)

Actually the cargo cover is standard on the Prius, always has been AFAIK.
 
Yes, that is one way to keep prices up, by limiting supply. There was a tongue-in-cheek comment in the C/D review about Chevy saying that the Malibu hybrid is "very limited availability." C/D remarked something to the effect of that won't be a problem as not many people will buy it.
#11271 of 13322
New Hyundai Assurance Buy-Back program by tenpin288
Jan 03, 2009 (2:16 pm)
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Not to change the subject from the hybrid debate, but I saw this advertised today.
 
Hyundai Assurance program
 
What do you think? Will this help spur sales? Would this or maybe something similar from another manufacturer make a buying decision easier for you if you were on the fence? Just curious.
#11272 of 13322
Re: New Hyundai Assurance Buy-Back program [tenpin288] by joe97
Jan 03, 2009 (2:25 pm)
Reply

Replying to: tenpin288 (Jan 03, 2009 2:16 pm)

Sounds like the perfect program to introduce for the state of the economy right now.
 
Two ad spots:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVAWviuVmK4
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c_nAmJbjvw
#11273 of 13322
Re: New Hyundai Assurance Buy-Back program [tenpin288] by backy
Jan 03, 2009 (2:26 pm)
Reply

Replying to: tenpin288 (Jan 03, 2009 2:16 pm)

I think it might help in cases where people are worried about losing their jobs--which is likely quite a few potential car buyers. Regardless of how much it increases sales of Sonatas et. al., I applaud Hyundai for offering this program. To my knowledge, no other automaker has offered anything like it. I am wondering if any other automakers will respond with a similar program, as some did after Hyundai first offered their long warranty in 1999?

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