HEhe, well we wanted these babies popular. So the old saying "be careful what you ask for" goes. Well, I too have felt good and bad. I'm glad for mother earth, but sad because being a Prius driver, you used to wave at each other and everyone wanted to see the car in parking lots and asked questions. None of that happens any more.

Hi All,

Not sad about the Prius becoming popular at all. Means less chance somebody with a burr up their bottom will single out me driving a Prius as the font of all evil in the universe. The attitude this guy ooses in the mind of a marginally unstable person leads to difficulty on the roadways.

I do not think I am special driving a Prius, its just a car. But, I wont shy away from telling people how effective the Prius is in the suburban driving enviorment either. I do think that getting the Prius when I did, was one of the few times I had been able to establish a strategy, then act on it tactically in a timely manner for my great personal benefit.

Camry is also considered a bore. It's just a family car that you see everywhere and pretty much all the "performance" magazines frown upon.

Prius moving into the same category is great!
.

Turn about is fair play. How many Hummer and monster-truck displays did we have to tolerate?

There is a happy middle. It's where we're heading.

After all, a majority of our population now fits into the definition of "nerd" by how much technology they carry around and interact with routinely.

Change happens!
.

I still have people ask me questions about my car wherever I go.

Tim

Critics need to understand Vanilla is the best selling flavor. What the hell is wrong with Vanilla?
I bet his life is a "bore". lol

And the only reason vanilla sells so well is that people can then cover that bland tasting ice cream with various toppings and sauces.

Yaaaaaaaaawn! Sorry for being such a boring Prius driver...I only fill my tank twice a month...sometimes once a month. Would filling it more make me less boring to you?

I hope he is not paid to write. Why so much false information about the battery? It is recyclable and its environmental cost is made up within the first year of average driving.

Then to end with this BS:
Chrysler Sebring: no joke, this mass produced rental car wannabee is actually a clean burner (yes but its the AMOUNT that it burns that is the problem!)

Volvo S60: classic style and forest friendliness
(What???? 1/2 the mpg of the Prius how is that green)

BMW diesels: BMW has so refined its diesel engine that it practically grows leaves (asthma rates grow around its driving path too)

great post

when are you getting your prius or ev car?

Classic case of writer taking a point of view to satisfy the masses (and his boss). Who goes to a Folk Festival to write about what cars you see in the parking lot...must have been a thrilling Folk Festival if that's all you walked away with!

Other in-depth articles on this site include:

1. Sex in Cars - gripping expose on how people break into cars in Thailand to have sex.
2. Monaco Grad Prix is in town (must see).
3. Jon and Kate plus 8 have excellent taste in cars.

And the writer's qualifications for bringing his "expertise" to the site..."Marc has lived on four continents and taken nearly every form of public transport imaginable. He has a Masters in International Relations and has written extensively on his two loves; culture and cars."

I'm sure you're a good guy and were just providing your POV...but why not mention you drive a Prius and a Smart car in the article before giggling at people that drive a Prius...haha a Smart Car...now that's funny!

Toyota Yaris: lighter and greener with a partial near zero emissions (PZEV) designation
Mazda 3: also a PZEV and looks quite sporty
Honda Civic: gasoline powered version very green and also a hybrid available
Honda Insight: the newest hybrid on the block and tons more interesting looking than the Prius although smaller
Chrysler Sebring: no joke, this mass produced rental car wannabee is actually a clean burner
Volvo S60: classic style and forest friendliness
BMW diesels: BMW has so refined its diesel engine that it practically grows leaves
------------------------

O.K. and the line goes around the block to get a 2010 Prius no matter what authors like this say.

I think that comparisons to the classic VW Beetle are apt. It is a vehicle that has spawned a subculture by being just iconoclastic enough without being too much of an outlier for the market to bear. I think this is a temporary state of affairs, though. The market has been maturing for quite some time now, and variety will only keep going up as the market expands. Before, we had only to decide whether or not to buy a hybrid. Now there is actually a choice of different hybrids from different companies, and even from the same company where before they might only have one in their lineup. The overall trend is positive, granola overload notwithstanding.

When it comes to service and reliability, I LOVE being bored by my Prius Different strokes for different folks. An expression that I sometimes recall in such situations is a quote from Rev Ike, one of the first flamboyant street preachers in LA who was asked about driving a grotesquely expensive car while tending to his very poor flock. He replied, "I cannot help the poor by becoming one of them."
I feel the same way about the misinformed and the misguided. Better them than me.

I was surprised to learn that my ex wife, with whom I am on very good terms, is awaiting the delivery of her 2010 Prius. Her sister bought one about a year ago. I like to think that I am selling more Prii than some small town Toyota dealers. Very satisfying

None of the cars listed in the article are very exciting performance-wise, except for the BMW. I agree with felton. I didn't buy the Prius for its 0-60 or slalom performance. I wanted a reliable, safe, fuel-efficient car, and as a plus, I got all the advanced hybrid technology plus huge amounts of space in the Prius. Being able to roll silently is a thrill in itself -- just a little different than that of 400+ lb-ft of torque.

People who love BMWs either have never owned one or are rich. The cost of ownership is unbelievable - one service probably costs more than we spend in maintenance in 100K miles. Plus my experience, through friends and relatives that have owned them indicates they're not very reliable. Finally, we should shut the writer in a garage for a few hours with an idling Prius, then with an idling BMW diesel and let him decide for himself which is harder on the environment

I second this most enlightened proposal. :rofl:

Hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!

I pretty much agree. I was given one for the day while the mechanic was working on my '09 Pri, and I didn't have much to be surprised about with the interior, features, etc. About the only thing it had over my Pri was the acceleration from a stop. My guess is that although the Camry is Toyota's largest selling auto, its buyers are return folks.