Hybrid premium for the Prius - $97?

[timwalsh300]

Has anyone else seen this? I just noticed it on the Wikipedia page for the Prius...

TOYOTA OPEN ROAD BLOG: Irv’s Sheet: The Hybrid Premium Payoff

In the Prius’s case, we used a four-cylinder Camry SE, which in our line is the car closest to it in overall size... The price premium for the Prius is $97, and at $4.00 per gallon, according to our calculations you’d get annual fuel savings of $1,096 and achieve payback in 0.1 year, or a little more than one month.

This is an interesting take from the manufacturer itself. When everyone else has been citing a $3000-4000 premium over a Corolla or Matrix, they consider the Camry to be the best match?

I guess this really highlights how silly the "payback period" debate is for the Prius.

I've decided now to simply look at it this way... of all the cars for which I could have paid $21,000 this one is by far the cheapest for me to operate. And if I drive it long enough (I'd like to see at least 250,000 miles) it will eventually be cheaper than any new car I could have purchased at any price.

Tim

[autoxic]

And if I drive my Prius enough, say 1 million miles, it will actually be paying me to drive it! Okay, I'm joking here. Obviously, the payback period on a Prius makes little sense or difference to most of us. I wanted a Prius! I did not want a Civic or a Camry, a Kia or a Tahoe. Actually, I did kind of want a Subaru WRX, but I'm glad I bought the Prius anyway.

BTW, this is the dumbest comment I saw under that blog:
"The Prius (according to consumer reports) is 175 inches long. The Corolla is 179 inches long. The Camry is 189 inches long. OBVIOUSLY, the Prius, size-wise, would be fairly compared in size to the Corolla."

Poor Steve C has a lot to learn about the Prius.

[zaxinc]

These guys aren't very bright. The Prius is not comparable to the Corolla. It's MUCH nicer.

For the Camry, how can you compare a sedan to a hatchback?

[Barcelona Red Lass]

The Prius is considered by the manufacturer, insurance agencies, etc. to be a "mid-sized" vehicle. That means (hatchback or no) it's comparable to a Camry, or Nissan Altima, or even to my Infiniti I30 at least for size. It also is offered with options not available on the Yaris, Corolla, and other compact cars- Navigation, satellite, bluetooth connection built in.

[joe1347]

What about using the Toyota Matrix instead of a Camry?

[phoskins]

Another benefit -- This is the only new car I have ever owned that actually APPRECIATED in value.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by timwalsh300

Has anyone else seen this? I just noticed it on the Wikipedia page for the Prius...

TOYOTA OPEN ROAD BLOG: Irv’s Sheet: The Hybrid Premium Payoff



This is an interesting take from the manufacturer itself. When everyone else has been citing a $3000-4000 premium over a Corolla or Matrix, they consider the Camry to be the best match?

I guess this really highlights how silly the "payback period" debate is for the Prius.

I've decided now to simply look at it this way... of all the cars for which I could have paid $21,000 this one is by far the cheapest for me to operate. And if I drive it long enough (I'd like to see at least 250,000 miles) it will eventually be cheaper than any new car I could have purchased at any price.

Tim

I'm with You Tim.
When I go car shopping I have a budget and a kind of open mind. I get the best car I can for the money I have, so of course it must be a Toyota.
Car prices here a a smidge higher than the USA, a base Prius is $37,400 brand new plus on road costs. I had $25,000 to spend on a car, I could have a pretty basic Corolla new or what I bought, a used, 3 year old Prius for $24900 on the road.

I wasn't about to buy a more expensive car and I was unlikely to buy a much cheaper one. I'm happy I have a Prius, much happier than I would have been with a Corolla which is a great car, just not as great.

I suspect if I was shopping in the $38,000 to $40,000 bracket I would have been looking at a Camry or Prius and I would still have picked a Prius.

There was no premium and there is no payback, it's just a very nice, very economical car to run which looks like no other and is just fun to drive.

[The Tramp]

Geez....

All this comparison.....

The real question is: if there was NO Prius, what would you have bought?

Me personally, I have no idea. I probably would have kept the old banger.

[Ichabod]

The "hybrid premium" argument is always flawed for the Prius because there's no non-hybrid Prius. But I've always maintained that the Camry is the closest comparison in Toyota's lineup.

The Matrix really is not as roomy as the Prius. My brother owns a Matrix, and I feel a little cramped in it. I also drive a Camry, and between the 3, Camry and Prius are most similar. But the Prius is more flexible with cargo/passenger space, so I wouldn't even pick a less expensive Camry.

[essaunders]

Originally Posted by The Tramp

Geez....

All this comparison.....

The real question is: if there was NO Prius, what would you have bought?

Me personally, I have no idea. I probably would have kept the old banger.

I had to figure that out. When the transmission went on my Subaru, I couldn't think of any car to get (Getting two Prii wasn't an option) so I repaired the Subaru. Overall, I figured that I'd just get a few more years out the Subaru and then see what is available.