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How do you feel about your Prius C acceleration abilities?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by priowner?, Aug 19, 2014.

  1. priowner?

    priowner? Junior Member

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    I am looking to buy a prius C, I have test drove two different ones, once on a back road and the other on an interstate, the acceleration was fine on the back roads but on the interstate ...lets just say it would take some getting used to. I m not buying this for the daytona 500 but I want to be able to keep up with the pack on a long road trip. How do you guys feel about the acceleration compaired to your previous car? What are your favorite features or dislikes about the car?
     
  2. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    Once you get up to highway speeds the Prius C is fine, it really goes well once I'm up to speed. I love a lot of things about this car. Of course the gas mileage and the fact that these cars rarely break down. I love my Prius C and I put 10,000 miles on it since March 1st with no complaints. I think it's a very fun car to drive and to me it seems to handle well and I do a lot of highway driving and I have no problem doing 75 or even 85. I find it comfortable but some people don't. I'm 5'5" so it's fine for me. Did I mention how much money I save on gas now :)
     
  3. robertmaria

    robertmaria Member

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    for me, zero to 30mph itz a rocket, then it becomes a slug. the electric motor gives it instant torque like an on/off switch. but you only have a 25watt bulb in there to light up. theres some tricks to accelerating that i am surprised the car review magazines either dont use or maybe really dont work. and therefore the c is as slow as they say it really is.
    itz small. itz ride can be punishing.
    and a LOT of chicks think itz sexy.
    it saves gas.
    and way way way overpriced,,, but the high price keeps the riff-raff from ever ruining it like some cars like the <~€£¥ or ^%*+£€> got ruined.
    it gets parked in the good neighborhoods.
     
  4. Fuu

    Fuu New Member

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    If you only had a couple of short test drives like I did, then your freeway experience probably consisted of entering, frantically trying to get to 65, and then leaving at the first exit. I found that the car doesn't shine in that artificial situation, and overall, acceleration is definitely its weakest point. Coming from a 2005 Toyota Matrix, which was hardly a rocket, this is noticeably slower in accelerating.

    But in general use on the freeway it's still just fine; once you're at about 65 you can keep up with the pack and maneuver easily. I've only had the car since Saturday, but I took a ~125 mile round trip on Sunday, 95% freeway, and it was good. I overtook my fair share of the ordinary traffic. You can't just zoom past anyone you like, but maybe that's not the safest driving practice anyway! Oh, and I still got more than 50MPG.
     
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  5. NR427

    NR427 Member

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    I've owned mine since January and have probably floored it two or three times ever. But I drive like an old man anyway.
     
  6. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    One more thing, if the car is in ECO mode it will be sluggish make sure the ECO mode is off. Granted it isn't a hot rod but it's not that bad either. I guess each person has their own opinion about this car but I think it's comfortable and I just love it. Just remember it's an economy car not a hot rod
     
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  7. priowner?

    priowner? Junior Member

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    great feed back you guys, thank you! I think when I was on the freeway I WAS in ECO mode, so maybe i need to test drive again with the ECO off. I want something with IMPRESSIVE not just good gas mileage and this IS the car. I would love to spend the same price on a used BMW, but I just can't justify keeping with the smae( or less ) MPG of the car I already have- A pontiac GT coupe. It gets 25 mpg on GOOD day!!!
     
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  8. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    I drive 120 miles a day round trip to work everyday and I get between 52-65 mpg and I drive between 65-75 mph on the expressway
     
  9. Frank Valdivia

    Frank Valdivia New Member

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    If you like fast acceleration this is not the car for you. However, if you are conservative and safe the car is woth every penny. I like that it gives me 55 avg and in just the gas savings alone, this car pays for it self in 12 years. Can't beat that. I used to drive a Tacoma Pre-runner 4 cyl and gave me 18 mpg, and had no more acceleration than this little piece of machinery.
     
  10. priowner?

    priowner? Junior Member

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    thank you all for your comments, I am planning on buying used, so I am hoping it wont take 12 years for the car to pay for itself, but either way i need a new car and no matter what ill be making payments so as long as Im getting great MPG, I think that will take the sting out of making payments again lol
     
  11. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

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    Keep in mind that the ECO Mode is mostly a mental thing - it remaps the accelerator pedal input but the total power available is just the same - if you pushed it to the floor it literally does not matter which mode you were in. If you're test driving the car you probably should turn ECO Mode off, but if you own the car it's worth getting a better understanding of what ECO Mode really is before rejecting it.

    To me one of the biggest advantages of ECO Mode is that it makes it easier to pulse and glide (a Prius driving technique that can increase your mileage significantly) and if you can get your head around the fact that all the car's power is still available, there are no real disadvantages. In my climate the difference it makes to the air conditioning's hit on fuel economy is also invaluable.
     
  12. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    You are probably right but who wants to be flooring the gas at all times?
     
  13. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    You missed the point - you don't *have* to floor the gas, but if you do, you'll get exactly the same acceleration no matter what mode you're in. Both Eco and Normal modes do exactly the same thing, but at different positions on the gas pedal. The total power available is the same in both modes.

    Take a look at this graph - it's for the standard Prius so also includes Power mode, but it shows that all that happens when you change modes is what I describe above:

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    Ok, I thought it was totally different but I get it now
     
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  15. Super Mario

    Super Mario Member

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    Ok, now I'm looking at this the power mode gives better acceleration at mid range than regular mode right? I see that all modes have the same power at full throttle. The Prius C doesn't have the power mode but I see that Eco and regular are at the a me level when floored. I need that power mode for merging in New York City traffic so that is why I'm going to buy a throttle control. I made a whole other thread about that but otherwise I understand the graph now. I need as much power I can get and it seems that power mode has more throttle at mid range than at full throttle. Anyway I guess this post was more like me just thinking out loud, lol
     
  16. ftl

    ftl Explicator

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    I think you've got it!

    I've driven my C extensively in both modes, and I prefer Normal; as you say, it gives a better feel when you have to deal with the traffic (and short on-ramps) around here.

    I'll be interested to see if you think the throttle control makes any difference.
     
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  17. citroenjohn

    citroenjohn Active Member

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    The C is a capable car and its acceleration is completely acceptable. Think of the other vehicles that use on ramps and their acceleration capabilities. I drove a tractor trailer for 50 years. If you want to see slow get in one of them. My other car is a Citroen 2CV, I love French cars. They used to advertise their zero to sixty acceleration time as "the same day". I use my 2CV on the interstates all the time. My Prius C2 is a rocket compared to it. Don't worry, you'll rarely if ever use the C's full acceleration abilities while going onto an interstate. Just look and merge, you'll soon realize the C is a fully capable and modern car.
     
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  18. xraydoug

    xraydoug Active Member

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    The car has enough power for me. If however I was going to load down the car and use it for hwy driving most of the time, I would buy something with more power and better ride. We have a 12 camry hybrid and it drives great. just over 40 mpg average with about 40,000 miles.

    For in town driving the prius c is the best car with out a plug in. my average for my c is over 60 mpg calculated at the pump.
     
  19. mahout

    mahout Active Member

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    hhhhhh
    The C is as capable as you need; I have 4 vehicles, an electric for daily use, the Prissy for weekend trips, a track car and a NASCAR prepped truck. The Prissy is pretty close to the slowest accelerating car I have but more than capable if you lose the frantic mpg attitude and just drive it.
    I have never had a problem not just keeping up with but exceeding traffic on weekend jaunts to and in the mountains, averaging 45 to 50 mpg. No,I have no intent to maximize mpg, just be efficient. I can climb the steep I40 mount to Asheville regularly at 65 mph tho the limit is 55. I run the WV turnpike at at 70 mph easily. Prissy is not the fastest car I have but its more than adequate for trips on interstates and mountain sideroads. Yes the suspension is upgraded but thats only good for track duty And outcornering mom's minivan thats always in the way.Do not refuse to buy a Prius C (prissy) because its not a Mustang GT.
     
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  20. Raidin

    Raidin Active Member

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    As someone who put many, many miles on my CT, in 75% highway driving, I can tell you that passing power is definitely available. While you have only about 99 total horsepower, you are also driving a car that only weighs around 2500 lbs. You will have to plan passing maneuvers in advance, just a tad, but if you floor it, you should feel like you have lots of power to get around people. I've done it many times and have never been disappointed.