I like the Focus, I used to drive an Escort, but this is like just about every other comparison I've seen. So, here's the drill.

First, get the actual mileages, per the EPA, from Fuel Economy. They are 28 and 46. Accepting the $7K price difference, that's a bit over 8 years to recoup. What that tells you is that, all other things equal, the Prius is probably the cheaper car to own and operate over its lifetime.

Second, a brief economics less for those who say "well, I'm going to sell it in 3 (N) years, so that argument doesn't matter to me." Well, yes it does. The value at resale will reflect the costs and benefits to the next owner. At time of resale, all other things equal, you get back the value of the future gas cost savings remaining at that time.

Third, actually compare the cars. Per the EPA site above, the Prius is listed as midsize, the Ford as compact. The listings show that the Prius has modestly more interior passenger volume and luggage volume. So, the Prius is a larger car.

Fourth, compare the features. My 2005 Package 4 has electronic stability control, which the research says is a huge plus as a safety feature on a passenger sedan. Far as I can tell even the top Ford trim line doesn't have that.

Finally, for those who are planning to sell the car at some point, we'd talk about likely depreciation. Which in percentage terms is almost certainly higher on the Ford, but in dollar terms, it's not clear due to the higher purchase price in the Prius.

The Focus is a nice car, smaller than a Prius, with fewer available features than a Prius, and, over the life of the car, costing more than the Prius (for the average US driver getting the EPA mileage).

The cost of gas is not the only issue to consider. To me, it's just as important to reduce gasoline consumption and CO2 emissions.

Well we are still new Prius owners but, we get between 53-56MPG and the Prius is just plain out a nicer car. The Prius is a cool car Hybrid or not the Focus is just a dinky little car. IMHO

Right now the Focus is Ford's only claim to fame in the FE arena. They are
definately playing catch up, as are GM and Chrysler.

In comparing the Prius and Focus, did the commercial use the words,
"comparably equipped?" It is not unheard of for the PR crowd to use their
least costly, base model for comparison.

Nontheless, even if you could cut the purchase price differential in half,
you'd still have a 9 year recuperation, based solely on cost of fuel.

There are of course other features that the commercial didn't discuss. I for
one have been very impressed on the Prius' crash survivability based on the
pictures in recent threads here.

That's worth a whole lot more than $7K to me.

The downside is that you'd have to drive a Focus. I liked the original design but the redesign is fugly and cheap looking.

Ford Festiva gets better economy than the Focus but I'm guessing they don't sell that in gas guzzler USA.

My Prius lost $12,000 from new till I bought it at 3 years old but over the last 12 months the book price hasn't dropped. That's $3000 per year over 4 years.

We sell our holden Commodores at work with the same miles (60,000km) and age, they cost $34,000 retail new but sell for about $18,000 to $20,000 when we sell them so at best lose $14,000 over 3 years or $2,000 more lost than a Prius at 4 years.

Get a Prius.

Hi Rybold,

The Focus will need brakes around 40 K miles (turn front rotors, new pads), 80K (replace front rotors, new pads) and 100K (rear drums and shoes, or turn rear rotors and pads). Besides the Focus will need a starter and couple alternators over its lifetime. That all adds up to say $1900 dollars over the life of the Focus. Or in other words the Focus costs $228/15K year in maintenance more than a Prius.

Additionally, the Prius outdoes the EPA, and the Focus will be a little less than the EPA HWY (most standard cars do less than the EPA) in typical commuting (20 mile, 40 min morning, 1 hr drive home). Realworld performance in suburban combined driving is more like 30 mpg for the Focus and 55 for the Prius. The true differential in the 15K year is then 227 gallons, or $909 at $4/ga.

So even if you do the average price differential (probably close to a Base MT Focus, to a midlevel Prius) at $7K, the break even is around 6 years ($7000/(909+228) ). Not 18. And this does not consider the shorter service life of a Clutch for the MT Focus (pro for Prius) or the cost of money (con for Prius). But the cost of money right now is below 3 % (cash purchase) (pro for Prius).

A Pontiac G6 is closer to the Prius in size, but not versatility. In comparison the Prius breaks even less than 3 years, and resale or continued ownership after that makes money, and this was figured with including the cost of money, and comparable trim levels, and the 2.4 liter I 4 engine / Automatic Transmission) in the G6.

I find this very refreshing - it's great to know that, somehow, as a result of me buying a Prius, the industry is trending towards better MPG and smaller cars. I can only consider this a positive thing. I wish that in a few years my Prius will be the gas guzzler out there, compared to the rest (somehow I don't see it happening).

As for the $$$ comparison - the Prius was recently listed #1 or #2 (search Yahoo! Auto) in terms of keeping its resale value - something like 76% after 5 years, if memory serves me right, 2nd only to the Mini.

And Consumer Reports has the Prius listed (again) as the top car in its class (midsize) in terms of total cost of ownership (incl. fuel, maintenance, etc.). And with gas prices going up, the gap between the Prius and the rest of the pack has only widened.

I applaud those who buy a Focus instead of an SUV - good for you, it's a step in the right direction. Obviously I believe the Prius to be the superior choice, and well worth the price difference (pure $ comparison doesn't really capture the difference, which has also to do with image, branding, "feel good", etc. - just as an Acura costs more than a Honda for no apparent "real world" reason).

I have done the numbers on various vehicles and for us the Prius is worth the extra expense every time. Smaller cars like the Civic, Focus, and the Corolla are good to compare when you are talking price but when you get down to it they really are not in the same class size or feature wise.

I reviewed a Focus earlier this year and I think folks have covered things pretty well in this forum. I found it to be crude in many ways, had no handholds in the entire car and you had to pay $380 to get ABS. This really is an apples and oranges comparison.

Of the Big 3, though, at least Ford does have a passable small car.

at the moment, yahoo autos has a 2007 prius with 25,000 miles selling for $25,000. mine is a 2007, also with 25000 miles - if that can be believed, my prius has depreciated zero $ in 18 months.

i'd like to see a ford hold its value like that

Everyone else has covered all the flaws with that commercial, so I'm just going to say this:
Ford is jealous of the Prius

Well also have to consider, not everybody can afford the up front cost of buying Prius compared to a less expensive less fuel efficient compact car.

A friend of mine has his heart set on a Prius, but will have to settle for a Fit for now (and get the next gen Prius in a few years).


Another thing that needs to be looked at in the calcs is the price of gas. That's calculated at $4. I'm in Los Angeles, where the average is like $4.50. I expect pretty soon $6 wouldn't be unreasonable (within the 7 years recoup). That can change the equation a bit.

Just say NO! to a Ford Fucus. (fugly cheap car wannabe)

The car manufacturers have been caught with their pants down, so they have to make some arguments to sell their cars. The problem with conventional small cars is they get inadequate city mileage vs a hybrid. That's because electric power makes much more sense in low speed/short trip driving. The ICE is very inefficient until heated up.
But the dealers are stuck with these cars, so they have to sell them. Plus all those dinosaur gas guzzlers. In the Sunday paper today, there was not even a hint of a hybrid in the car dealer ads.

Having said that, you do have to look at price and how many miles you drive. You can buy a new Nissan Sentra for $14K and a new Honda Civic LX for $16K right now. That's 10 grand or more less than a Prius. At $4 a gallon, you have to drive a lot to justify the Prius based on gas alone. That, of course, would change at $8 a gallon. I think it's more likely gas will come down in price--near term.

Ford's main job nowadays is to make GM look good by comparison.

CNN did a little comparison of the top fuel effecient cars (link below). I doudt you will see this in any Ford Commercials.


Fuel-Sipper-Smackdown: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

So ford makes an ultra compact car similar to the civic hatchback, and it STILL can't get the mileage of a Prius? Way to go Ford.

This is like comparing apples to oranges. I test drove the new Focus and let me tell you...it's total crap. The build quality is several steps below any Toyota including the Echo.