Prius Owner Survey: Motivation

[reemo]

For my Innovation Management class, I am doing a paper on the Hybrid Car innovation. I am trying to get an idea from Prius owners about their motivation in deciding to buy the Prius (as the leader in hybrid cars).

I would really appreciate it if you would concisely answer a few questions about what value it provides you (as opposed to a regular gasoline car), and what has turned the hybrid car into a true innovation.
Feel free to answer as many or as few of the questions as you like. If you have any other thoughts/questions on the topic, I would be interested in that as well, but please keep as concise as possible while still providing good insight. Thank you very much!!!

<blockquote>1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?

3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?</blockquote>

[zenMachine]

1)
a. Low emission
b. High efficiency
c. Room for five

2) 1/2 year. No.

3)
a. Fuel efficiency
b. Room for five
c. Geeky electronics

4)
a. Yes. The Prius allows our family to lower our carbon footprint without making transportation sacrifices.
b. Yes and No. I knew about the fuel efficiency part, but not about the many other cool details.

[nerfer]

Okay, I'll start. I was going to suggest a poll format, but that only works for multiple-choice questions. Of course, you can search around and people have asked questions like this before, perhaps not this exact way however.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curious @ Oct 10 2007, 09:43 AM) [snapback]523575[/snapback]</div>

For my Innovation Management class, I am doing a paper on the Hybrid Car innovation. I am trying to get an idea from Prius owners about their motivation in deciding to buy the Prius (as the leader in hybrid cars).
<blockquote>1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)
[/b]

I've been driving for 20+ years, starting with a Mazda GLC that got good gas mileage, and always had an eye on fuel economy. I've been waiting a long time for a car, any car that got >40mpg. I'm an engineer, I don't like waste, and nature-oriented so I don't like pollution. That was before global warming and peak oil were immediate concerns. Other reasons: versatile design, can still haul big stuff, comfortable for family of four and it's not unusual enough for people to ask questions at stoplights (I like being incognito for the most part, so the "unique design" showing off the the fact that it's a hybrid was not a draw, nor was the styling itself).

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?
[/b]

18 months. No. Looked into it in late 2003/early 2004 when my wife needed a new car, but the waiting list was over 1 year.

3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)
[/b]

fuel economy, reliability, interior space

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?</blockquote>
[/b]

Pretty much answered that in question 1. I don't really care that it's a hybrid, just that it gets relatively great fuel economy without sacrifice. Of course, that requires a hybrid system in order to not be run over by other big-engined cars in the road. We all need to live lightly, or as the saying goes, "live simply, so that others can simply live". I replaced the windows in my house, put in an efficient furnace, got a job close to home, ride a bike to work a couple times a week, etc. I think you'll find a sizable population here on PriusChat that have taken other green steps, usually years before buying a Prius. Then there's another population here that bought the Prius simply because they have a long commute and it makes economical sense when comparing the Prius to other 4-door cars in the $20K-$30K range.

[kohnen]

1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)[/b]

i) I considered it to be a technological tour de force. It is a pleasure to be driving such a well thought out system.

ii) I like the mileage - I believe that the only way to deal with the mid-east oil situation is to get away from importing oil. Changing from a car that gets ~25 mpg to one that gets ~50 mpg lets me do my part, even with a 75 mile per day commute.

iii) My kid needed a car and the car I was driving was in good shape. So, rather than buying her a new car, I bought ME a new car!

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?[/b]

I've owned it since April 30 2007. I didn't buy one earlier because I want to make sure that the design is debugged first. NEVER buy version 1.0 of anything!

3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)[/b]

It's a good, reliable, high mileage car that is fun to drive and fun to use. Comfortable, roomy enough for me, and an all around smoothly functioning efficient car.

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?[/b]

Nope. I did not need to have a hybrid. But, it is nice to be able to conveniently save gas without having to resort to using the (really poor) public transportation system in Southern California.

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curious @ Oct 10 2007, 09:43 AM) [snapback]523575[/snapback]</div>

1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)[/b]

1) Save gas (not money, but to burn less gas)

2) Support the advance technology

3) Lower emissions

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?[/b]

Since Oct. 21, 2003...almost 4 years. I didn't jump on the train until this second generation.

3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)
[/b]

1) Fun to drive, 2) saves a lot of gas thus reducing foreign oil dependence and use, 3) Feel better about doing my part to reduce emissions and support technology that does that.

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?[/b]

A "need"...nah, but that's not to say it hasn't enhanced my life in many ways both personal and interpersonal and increased my awareness of environmental and political issues around energy and such.

[Prius101]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curious @ Oct 10 2007, 07:43 AM) [snapback]523575[/snapback]</div>

<blockquote>1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?

3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?</blockquote>
[/b]

1. Gas prices, gadgets, 6' 2" husband comfortable driving as well as 5' 3" me.
2. Owned it for about 5 months. 2007 model.
3. Fuel Efficiency, gadgets, comfortable.
4. Save money on gas, decrease carbon footprint. (Never heard of carbon footprint until a few years ago)

M. Falk
2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius
Port Orchard, WA

[hycamguy07]

Owned 04 Prius, #7, driftwood pearl
1. Gas prices, gadgets, comfortable to drive
2. Owned it for 3yrs 04 model.
3. Fuel Efficiency, looked cool
4. Save money on gas, decrease carbon footprint.

Now own 07 Hycam (traded-in 04 prius)
1. economy.
2. plush comfort for five.
3. luxury car feel / looks cool.
4. save money on gas, lower emissions

[pryb@r]

1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid?
a) Reduced carbon footprint
b) Mileage (like filling up half as much)
c) known Toyota quality

2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?
My 2006 Prius was delivered in August 2006.

3) What do you like best about your hybrid
a) Mileage
b) Comfort
c) Transparency (don't have to think/act differently to drive it)

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet?
Contribute to CO2 reduction, obtain better gas mileage/lower operational costs

Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?
No.

[patsparks]

1) Reasons I purchased a Prius: -
1/ Size, it is the size car I wanted
2/ Fuel consumption, It will save me money on fuel although I paid more for the car.
3/ Pose value, I hate owning an ordinary car. I want my car to be out of the ordinary, my Camry was an exception for me.

2) How long have I had a Hybrid: -
I bought my Prius second hand a few months ago. It's recycled!
It is a 2004 model so much the same as the current model in operating system and style.

3) What do I like most about the Prius: -
1/ It is fun to drive, watching the fuel consumption provides a challenge to enhance my driving smoothness.
2/ I love the feeling of doing less harm than I would in a conventional car.
3/ I love being part of the Prius community.

4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet?: -
Oh yes, I need this car, it's an adiction. The problem will be when I have to replace it I'll have to buy another hybrid or full electric. It's the cool gadgets that do it for me.

4 Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?
For sure I was, my Toyota Crown was a special car, so was the Humber Super Snipe and the Toyota Tercel and the Mazda Rotary and the Fiat 850 coupe. Not into ordinary cars at all. I consider myself a petrol head.

[TonyPSchaefer]

1) What were the most compelling reasons for you to buy a hybrid? (1-3 would be nice)
2) How long have you owned your hybrid? Did you buy one of the first prius models?
3) What do you like best about your hybrid (1-3 is enough)
4) Does the hybrid fulfill a particular need in your life that non-hybrids have left unmet? Were you aware of this before hybrids came on the market?[/b]

1a) Reduction in the consumption of foriegn oil.
1b) Increased national security through the reduction in the consumption of foriegn oil.
1c) Reduction in the amount of money directly paid or funneled to anti-American dictators and terrorist organizations through the reduction in the consumption of foriegn oil.

2) 3 years, 2 months.

3a) It consumes less gasoline.
3b) It has lower emissions.
3c) It costs less in gasoline costs.

4) A vehicle is an appliance for me to use. I travel from point A to points B and C ocassionally carrying people and/or cargo. As long as I need a vehicle, I will purchase one based on my answers to questions 1 and 3.