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Hatchbacks Honda Fit Article Comments - 2008 Honda Fit vs. 2008 Toyota Prius
92 messages, Last post on Jan 25, 2009 at 10:36 AM
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2008 Honda Fit vs. 2008 Toyota Prius - Thanks to a proprietary function called Edmunds.com True Cost to Own, we can answer the $8,425 question when it comes time to determine the relative value of the 2008 Honda Fit and 2008 Toyota Prius. (more)
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Aug 08, 2008 9:05 am)
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The Prius rides much better than the Fit, so that is something to consider. Also, Fit may have more cargo VOLUME, but it surely doesn' t have the same length of load floor as the Prius. So if you need to carry longer objects, not just tall ones, the Prius wins there too. The Prius is just a larger car than the Fit. So this is really an apples/oranges comparison. This comparo is a bit silly anyway since both these cars are on their way out. I wouldn't purchase either since their replacements are just around the corner. Compare the next gen Fit (which should have improved ride quality) with the next gen Prius when they come out. Or compare the upcoming Honda dedicated hybrid with the next gen Prius when both of those cars come out. Honda's new dedicated hybrid is going to cost less than the next gen Prius. And then maybe we can have our cake and eat it too.
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Replying to: toronado455 (Aug 08, 2008 11:45 am) Compare the next gen Fit (which should have improved ride quality) with the next gen Prius when they come out. But won't the 2009 Fit still be considerably smaller than the 2010 Prius?  Also... if the cargo you are carrying is pretty flat, then maybe the Prius can carry longer cargo. But the Prius is so slanted in back, with a fairly high load floor, while the boxier Fit can carry items that are both long and tall. Plus it can carry smaller tall items in front of the rear seats, with the cushions flipped up. The Ginzu knife of hatchbacks! |
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Replying to: backy (Aug 08, 2008 10:37 am) Taking a cue from the dumb error in the 2nd paragraph of the original article were you?
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Aug 08, 2008 9:05 am) I'd challenge lower operating costs of a 100K mile Prius versus a brand-new Fit/xD
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Aug 08, 2008 2:38 pm) Between the Fit $16000 and the xD $16000 and a 3 y.o. Prius $16000 the latter costs the least over whatever time frame your want to choose. I choose a 12-year timeframe, driving 20k miles a year. And the 3-year-old Prius already has 60k miles on it, so it's out of warranty (except the emissions warranty, which runs longer and covers the battery). What are the odds that the Prius' battery pack will need replacing in that timeframe, within 300k miles of use over 15 years? I'd say they would be pretty good. Add that to the TCO for the Prius, please. Also add any repair costs that would be covered by the factory warranty on the Fit or xD but not on the Prius.
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Replying to: danbeau (Aug 08, 2008 2:41 pm) A $23000 MSRP vehicle in 2005, mine for example, with normal miles of say 36000-45000 miles normally should be retailing for about $16000 right now ( 70% of $23000 ). The whole concept of this original article was a 5 yr driving cycle of about 75000 miles. Add 75000 onto say 40000 miles and the 5 y.o. Prius would just be broaching 120,000 mi. I know personally that the Prius needs less maintenance than a Corolla, a Yaris, a Fit, an Elantra, a Malibu, etc, etc, etc. even up to 200K+ miles. A 3 y.o. Prius needs almost nothing extra over the next 75000 miles that a brand new vehicle would get over the same 75000 miles. Surprising but true. Actually it's all in the Scheduled Maintenance guide. In fact the Toyota hybrids need less maintenance than ICE vehicles. Now if you're talking about unexpected 'stuff' occuring then I will grant that it might occur but there's no definitive method to measure what is the frequency and the cost of what this 'stuff' might be. The only two guides are Consumer Reports and JD Power both of which rank the Prius as the most reliable vehicle in its class ( presumably costing the least to the owners ). What I do know from personal experience and contacts is that owners in the 100K - 200K mile range are not spending much of anything other than normal maintenance. Again to make this comparable and accurate for the original article a normal 3 y.o. vehicle that has about 40000 miles on it should cost LESS to maintain over the next 75000 miles than a new Fit/xD. |
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Replying to: backy (Aug 08, 2008 4:16 pm) First this article wasn't talking about 12 yr or 240K miles. The original article spoke about a 5 yr ownership period and 75000 miles of driving. Let's not change horses in midstream. The original article is dumb from paragraph #2 onward. It's fodder written for the slow summer season probably by summer interns. The whole concept is stupid because it picks two data points that are only vaguely related; 4c 5 dr hatchbacks. Other than that there is no similarity. My basic question is why choose two vehicles so dissimilar in price. Why not compare these two vehicles with a similar price, $16000? But to address your specific question let's do this precise calculation: New 2008 Fit  $16000 and 5 miles 3 y.o. 2005 Prius $16000 and 40000 miles Both will be owned for 5 yrs and driven 75000 miles over that time. Both will depreciate 10% pa over that time. That's a wash. Insurance pa is equal as per TCO. That's a wash. Both are very reliable and likely will need no significant out-of-warranty repairs over that time. ( Prius hybrid system is still well withing the CARB warranty period even at the end of these 5 yrs ) Maintenence on the Prius is less than the maintenance on the Fit over these 5 yrs !!!!!! It's true. Up til now it's pretty much equal. Except for the cost of fuel. Average price of fuel over the next 5 yrs? $4.75/gal seems low but reasonable. Fuel used: Fit 30 mpg EPA combined = 2500 gal Prius 46 mpg EPA combined = 1630 gal Cost of fuel for 5 yrs and 75000 miles Fit....... 2500 x $4.75 = $11875 Prius.. 1630 x $4.75 = $7750 If Edmunds can make an arbitrary and illogical comparo between two vaguely similar NEW vehicles then it's just as valid to make a similar comparo between the same two vaguely similar vehicles, one NEW and one USED. In Edmunds comparo the less expensive new vehicle is the 'better buy' no question about it. In mine the more efficient used vehicle is the 'better buy'. BTW why wasn't the NEW Jetta TDI Sport Wagon considered in this goofy little exercise? |
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Aug 08, 2008 5:11 pm) First this article wasn't talking about 12 yr or 240K miles. Correct. You were the one who introduced the concept of "any time frame you choose." All your lengthy comparison demonstrates is the well-known fact that it's almost always less costly to buy used vs. new, unless there's a huge difference in operating cost. Which I find kind of funny, given the shots that have been taken here about the comparo in Edmunds.com being "stupid" and written by summer interns to take up space during the slow summer season. One might consider a lengthly post that only illustrates an obvious point to be of the same vein. FYI, Edmunds.com isn't the organization that has evaluated both the Prius and the Fit and found the Fit superior overall to the Prius. CR is another one, even though the price difference between the two cars was about $8,000. Must have been a slow month for CR, too. 
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Interesting thread. I can almost smell the beer and pizza. It seems to me that the comparo is fair enough. The unspoken premise is that your choice is limited to economical, utilitarian, Asian automotive transportation that will provide predictable and reasonable service over X amount of time. The question, "Do I like it?" must not be asked. Because if you do ask that question, it's unlikely you'd take either one of these homely, tiresome creatures to the prom. I realize we're at the end of the Golden Age of Automobiles, but there must still be a market left for those who insist on a bit of fun in their driveway. Here's my idea for a comparo, Mr/Ms Editors -- You have $25K burning a hole in your pocket. What do you buy and why? You could say, I'd take the Fit and keep the change. You could say, I'd take the Prius. Or, you might opt for a four-year-old Audi 6. IMHO, this is the kind of thought process buyers should go through. Just MHO.
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