So this jerk-off says...

[bookrats]

So a year ago, the Prius was the best deal in Hybrid cars, hands down. This time next year, I don't think it will be anymore.

Yup, sooner or later, something better will come along. I, for one, am looking forward to see what the choices will be. (Though I'll probably hold onto my Prius for some time -- I tend to cycle through cars very slowly.)

[Tideland Prius]

Well, let's say the upcoming Fusion hybrid from Ford gets 42mpg, and this is probably quite a low guess, which I believe is a safe assumption because it uses the same powertrain as the Escape hybrid (4 cyl + 94hp elec) and that gets 38mpg and should weigh a bit more (and not to mention isn't nearly as aerodynamic as the sedan will be). So lower milage than the Prius but from the pictures it has a much nicer interior. And I can't believe any car will ever top the Prius in the department of "hard and cheap plastic", so that's another plus. A more powerful engine and handling that doesn't remind you of a bar of wet soap, plusses. So if it costs as much as the Escape hybrid (27K-30K), it's a decent car. If it costs less, it's a fantastic deal.

Same goes for the upcoming Altima hybrid. If you've been in an Altima you know it's got loads of plastic, but it's not the hard brittle stuff that's in the Prius.

So a year ago, the Prius was the best deal in Hybrid cars, hands down. This time next year, I don't think it will be anymore.

Well that's how things go. Something will always be better than another. It's a good thing. Competition helps everyone grow faster. Saying the Prius will be the best car, hands down despite what the competition throws at it is a bit of an overstatement. Each will have its pros and cons but the best thing is seeing the take on the hybrid drivetrain and packaging/pricing from each manufacturer.

[flareak]

how the HELL are 35k cars nicer, or even 20k cars nicer? How can you compare an accord when the Prius has that much more features. Unless you are talking about hrmmm LEATHER? which is stinky and becomes ugly when its old. Or maybe the conventional transmissions, or Stupid Key Systems, etc. An Acura TL has everything the Prius has except it has leather and a sunroof BUT it lacks smart entry and is at 35k. I've even driven an 80k car and I still think my Prius which isnt package 6, is still better. price means nothing. the only reason Toyota made it so cheap is because they also sell it in Japan where cars are normally 20-25k. Otherwise they wouldnt be able to sell it because the cost of living in Japan is so high.

[Paul R. Haller]

I think that the abundant use of cheap plastic on the Prius is functional. It is used because it weighs less then steel.
All the details which we constantly discuss like the thermos style coolant bottle and the variable drive planetary gear tranny are all designed to allow the conventional gas engine to be as efficient as possible. All the electric stuff is just icing on the cake. Without it, the car would still get very good milage anyway and produce less emissions too. These improvements, if added to conventional cars, would improve their milage and emissions also.
A conventional piston driven motor is 100+ year old technology. If we began designing a car today with modern materials and current technology it certainly would not be gas powered. Hydrogen would probably be the fuel of choice because of it's abundance and it's emissions would be water. There are no hydrogen fueling stations built yet and it would be costly to introduce them. So, we use old tech and fuse it with new tech so we can still use existing infastructure. The whole idea of using fossil fuels is archaic and until we stop supporting oil companies, will real progress be made. This is but a first step.
So, The real story here is not what is a better car, but how can we make more technologically advanced cars to improve milage and emissions and still use our infastructure.
The prius is a small step in improvements that will continue to develop. I suspect that in my lifetime we will have access to autos that routinely get 50 miles to the gallon and require less maintainance and have all the creature comforts one desires. Too bad we didn't do it first!
-Paul R. Haller-

[Tideland Prius]

I have a question. Won't 20 million cars emitting water do something to the water cycle and the atmosphere?

[Paul R. Haller]

We would probably get more rain.
-Paul R. Haller-

[popsrcr]

We are each entitled to our opinion but...

Unless you are talking about hrmmm LEATHER? which is stinky and becomes ugly when its old.

My 30 yr old car with leather is neither.

Or maybe the conventional transmissions,

They work

or Stupid Key Systems,

They work

An Acura TL has everything the Prius has except it has leather and a sunroof BUT it lacks smart entry and is at 35k.

If you like the toy that is sks, great...but I assure you that was not a selling point in my house, it was a detterent.

I've even driven an 80k car and I still think my Prius which isnt package 6, is still better. price means nothing.

Again, you are entitled to your own opinion. I just spent 17 on a car that I will take anyday over the Prius, so I guess I agree price means nothing. But my 17k car has nicer plastic than a prius.

the only reason Toyota made it so cheap is because they also sell it in Japan where cars are normally 20-25k. Otherwise they wouldnt be able to sell it because the cost of living in Japan is so high.

You're right. The Nissan Skyline doesn't sell very well in Japan. They can't sell an expensive car their to save their life.
In summary, I'm darn glad you love your prius, and you should, you spent hard earned money on it. I'm glad we have ours too, but I'd rather have my bimmer back.

[bookrats]

I have a question. Won't 20 million cars emitting water do something to the water cycle and the atmosphere?

The amount of water I've seen emitted from prototype hydrogen fuel cell cars is really a very, very small trickle.

I don't know if things will change with a "production" hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (whatever that is), but at the current rate, I can't picture it have environmental changes to that degree.

What I could imagine is something another PriusChat poster brought up -- wouldn't that make wet highways the default condition?

[Jonnycat26]

For Johnycat 26:

The Civic hybrid does not shut down at stop lights; the Insight shuts down at stop lights. The redesigned 06 Cvic hybrid will close the valves and shut off fuel flow but, the eingine will continue to spin at stop lights.

Dude, have you been in a Civic hybrid? It ABSOLUTELY shutsdown at stop lights, as will the '06. The only time it will not is if you have the A/C on, and the '06 isn't affected by that.

[Jonnycat26]

how the HELL are 35k cars nicer, or even 20k cars nicer? How can you compare an accord when the Prius has that much more features.

The Accord is built a bit more solidly than the Prius. The Accord won't do the squeaky-squeaky over uneven pavement like my Prius does. It also has features the Prius doesn't have, like... dunno... soft touch materials.

I think that the abundant use of cheap plastic on the Prius is functional. It is used because it weighs less then steel.

You're kidding right? I never noticed that all those nice cars out there with the nice interiors (VW, Honda, Volvo, etc.) used STEEL interiors! Holy crap! That's how they do it!

Seriously tho, do you really think that there is a huge difference in weight between soft and hard plastic? The only difference is cost. Toyota went on the cheap with the Prius interior.