Official: New VW Polo Bluemotion offers 85.5mpg, less co2 and cheaper than new Prius!

[octavia]

Originally Posted by culltec

...I'm a little disappointed with my experience of PriusChat.com so far. I understand that this is a Forum for Prius Fans however I thought you guys would have been accepting of all greener cars that offer great MPG. I also posted this in the "OTHER CAR" section of the forum, which begs the question why have an other car section if members won't have a nice word to say about them

To be fair, you did post out of the gate with a statement implying that this other car is a BETTER choice than a prius. That just invites a heated discussion and of course die hard prii fans will dispute your claim.

Personally, I'm delighted that the industry is moving full steam ahead towards greener and greener cars. There are all kinds of auto buyers, so having all kinds of better choices is the perfect way to go! I'm a bit frustrated that it has taken us this long to finally get the momentum going this way ( Who killed the electric car) but am delighted none-the-less that we finally are!

Originally Posted by Bobba

From a 'greenie' perspective I can see where you're coming from but consider a couple of points:

1. It's also a class size down from the Prius which doesn't make it a supermini bargain.

2. I'm pretty sure it won't include features such as an automatic gearbox, air conditioning and an engine that actually moves the car faster than walking pace. I've been in one of the old BlueMotion Polos and have to report they were very noisy and slow.

And on that note, hello to everyone from both myself and culltec who are united in being UK newbies.

Welcome to both of you! I look forward to non US-Centric posts and views as I'm sure many others here do too.

[usbseawolf2000]

Originally Posted by culltec

• Cheaper (by £5500/$9000)
• Offers better MPG (at least 10+)
• Greenest 4 Seater car in Europe

"Cheaper" is a tricky word. It will cost you less but if you get an inferior car, what is the saving? It doesn't necessary mean you will save money unless a car like the Polo is what you are looking for and Prius comes with extra features that you will never pay for. So then why compare it to the Prius? They are in two different classes.

Making compromises to gain fuel economy is a trade-off and the list does not stop there. As someone mentioned, a bicycle as a great alternative.

To prevent future "stepping over Prius owner's toes", I would be very careful about making statements about costing less (and getting less) and general statement about "greenest" car. CO2 is not the only gas that comes out of the exhaust.

I do agree with you that Polo Bluemotions seem to be a car that is "up to the chore" and doesn't cost a lot. The downside is that you don't get the hybrid premium features such as electric transmission that delivers jet smooth and quiet acceleration.

[Tideland Prius]

Put it this way, if you can't afford a Prius, the Polo Bluemotion is an excellent alternative. For me, I don't want to drive a subcompact (since you said it's not a supermini. I disagree and say it is a supermini because the iQ and smart are micro cars). However, I do not want to drive a midsize (D-Class) vehicle either so the Prius is the best of both worlds. I drive a small car but get big car interior comfort.

[ken1784]

Originally Posted by culltec

85.5 MPG

It is based on the 3.3 liter/100km EU test cycle, which means 85.6 mpg imperial and 71.3 mpg US.

Ken@Japan

[Tideland Prius]

culltec is in Europe (UK specifically) so I guess it applies to him. There the Gen II achieved 65.5mpg. The new one achieves 70mpg something. I forget the exact number.