Trading in 2012 ford focus for a prius?

I have driven a 12 Focus before. A Prius will be worse in just about every way in terms of straightline stability, handling and satisfaction. I would look elsewhere.

MB860 ?

 

No I understand that. I am just saying 50mpg+ is not the norm. I think mid 40s is closer to the average that most people get. There is rated fuel economy, really trying to save fuel economy and normal people fuel economy.

You can do a lot of mods to the car, but you are still dressing up an econobox (a nice one). I have put 17s, slicks and a bunch of combo on the car. Car is still sloppy to drive, too much roll and center of gravity is too high.

 

Then you bought the wrong car to start with .... the Prius is a cheap, light, econobox at it's engineering roots ... no matter how much you pay, or how many gee-whiz techno-gadgets you add to it. It's just a small step above a Corolla ... class wise.

I absolutely love mine, but I see it for what it is ... a great little car that gets awesome mileage, and has a lot of versatility because of it's hatchback design. It's not a sports car, and it most certainly isn't a luxury car ... no matter how much you pay or mod it. I certainly understand the desire and fun of modding ANY car, but if you go overboard with a Prius ... you're just gilding the lily. I've been tempted a few times to buy wheels, and a few other things ... then I thought more about it and said ... nah ... it'll STILL be a Prius ... and that's a real good thing !!!

REV

 

That's what I was saying to the OP. No matter what you do, you are still dressing up an econobox. Just use it and run with it. Let's think of it this way. What other car in its price range would you have celebrities and millionaires driving? It's unheard of to see guys with networths of many zeros driving the same $30K car as you.

 

LOL !!! Mine was $21K brand new (and even today I wouldn't spend more than that) ... if I was spending $30K ... I definitely would have bought a different car. Come to think of it ... if I was spending $25K ... I would have bought a different car.

That doesn't mean I don't love my Prius. I just love it for what it is, at a pricepoint ($20K) where I thought it was a good (if not the BEST) overall value.

For $25K I would definitely have bought a loaded to the max Sonata and lived with 35 MPG, and at $30K, I would have probably bought an Acura TSX or something else, and lived with 30 MPG. Truth be told though ... I'd never spend $30K on ANY car. Cars are one of the world's worst investments.

REV

 

Like the guys who put mods on the car or OP who is willing to trade in a car at one month, you just buy what you want whenever you want. That's the American way.

 

Well ... I agree with you on that ... but that's every individual's choice ... and none of my business. If it catches up with them, then they are the ones that have to live with it.

If you're OK with a $500-600 a month car payment and you get approved for it ... go for it if you want to. Many people have convinced themselves that they're always going to have a car payment, so if that's the case ... why not have whatever you want whenever you want.

Just not my style ... to me a car is a necessary evil, and a HUGE money losing proposition ... not a social statement, not a personal statement, and not a political statement.

REV

 

Not true, I have 3rd gen, my car is on highway commute 95% of the time and daily commute is 80 miles round trip. My average speed on highway is 70-75 mph and my consumption rate is actually 50 to 51. I'm a very heavy footed person, on occasion I would really accelerate up to 85 mph on I-70 (and mix that with bottlenecked traffic). Now if I actually go slower, say the speed limit 65, then I would get around 53 mpg, the lowest mpg that I got was 46 mpg but after a while of getting worked in by the Prius I get the hang of driving it. BTW Prius can go 110mph I did that (once or twice...) .

 

didnt bother to read any of the replies here.

i got a 2010 prius after my 2011 focus SES decided to do a flip on 95. i can tell ya that the prius has almost as much power and is only a little bit less responsive than the focus.

add in the HUGE cargo area and MPGs and I am a happy camper.

 

I have a friend who has an 11 Focus Titanium with all the toys. I asked him how he liked it. He said he parks it at work and leaves it unlocked. (He works in a tough neighborhood!).