Hyundai Has Prius-Killer in the Works

Actually, yes... because they are so ugly. Its almost like seeing an old VW beetle, they stick out so much.

 

True that. But every other part of my '94 GMC Safari has about disintegrated. Can't hardly even open the hood without a crowbar and 20 minutes of fiddling and swearing. But that simple engine is bulletproof I tell you.

The van before that, the rusting '87 Astro, was dead in the driveway for 3 years before one of my ex-co-workers was prepared to tow it away (for $1). Every problem in the Safari had happened earlier, and in the same order, on that '87. So for some reason he decided to super charge jump the battery, and with little additional magic, the old thing started up. Dang, how could GM have produced such a dog as these pigs and still have engines that worked like that?

 

Toyota has always been very conservative, and it has served them well. The Prius has enjoyed having no significant competitor for over a decade, so it's wonderful to finally see others taking them on! Kill the Prius? Nope. Push Toyota to take it's pride and joy to the next level? Yes!

 

I would not call Toyota lazy and sloppy with the 2010 Prius. I rented one for the 5th time yesterday, drove it at speed limit on Skyline Blvd - it is a very good car. It goes, stops and turns very well. I heard no rattles, no funky brakes, and it is very comfortable too. Not very powerful, but that's to be expected in a 50 MPG car.

I went 107 miles and pumped in 1.84 gallons to refill.

 

dupe.

 

dupe

 

I must be the exception then . Mine hit 135k before I sold it after 10 years of ownership. The only reason mine went was for better mileage, and having lived in the rust belt, it was getting to be time to replace exhaust parts. Still on original shocks/springs, rear drums, etc. I replaced a coil pack in 2005, and plugs/wires every other year. Comparing that to the two hondas, one ford, two dodges that I've owned, it was FAR less expensive to keep and maintain to past 100k miles.

 

"...EXCEED the Prius MPG..."

No, just do a more sensible implementation. For instance the GT3 "hybrid" as a model. Rear engine/RWD, with electric drive/regeneration at the front.

Personally I'm looking forward to the new 2012 styling of the F/awd Mercury Mariner hybrid and the fact that it can be readily converted to RWD with part-time 4WD.For that I'd willing give up my Prius.

 

I look forward to anything that drives competition.
But a vehicle that will, in the near future, 'kill the Prius' is kind of like finding an invention that will 'kill' a computer model from 5 years ago.
By the time it comes out, I expect to be driving a pure EV.

 

It only takes, typically, about a year to "kill" that computer model, make it OBSOLETE anyway.

 

toyota pays a license fee to paice llc for hsd patent infringement for every prius that comes into the u.s., and there is now a case before the itc to ban other toyota hybrid models from being imported.

 

Could you provide a link for that one about Toyota paying a fee for that patent?

Ford and GM seem to be on similar footing with patents with Toyota as they are able to produce designs without being stopped. Honda seems to be at a real disadvantage and companies like Chrysler and and Volkswagen are not even on the radar.

 

Volkswagen may not be but Bosch most certainly is.

 

A few contributors to this thread make it sound like Toyota has stopped R&D. The G3 certainly demonstrates that Toyota is NOT sitting around waiting for the competition to overtake them .... I would suggest just the opposite ... Toyota is "lengthening their lead" in the hybrid class. And not just with respect to the HSI system .... creature comforts, quality, interior volume, no-belt ICE, electric A/C and water pump and etc.

The greatest challenge facing Toyota is the American media and congress.

Unrelated to that statement, but very much on my mind. All the excitement about EV's ....... using no gasoline, being independent of foreign oil and etc .... how long will it before the states realize they are loosing revenue (state taxes collected from gasoline sales) and start finding revenue from EV owners ... where? licences? registrations? Personal Property taxes? ... not sure .. but they will get it from somewhere!!

 

not hard to believe when u consider that the auto industry spent 8 years before they even recognized the fact that Americans actually wanted better gas mileage, another 5 years trying to tell everyone how hybrid technology would not work then realizing it was "get with the program" or get left behind so the last 2 years was to figure out how the Prius worked.

so in reality, it only took 2 years for the competition to arise...but then again, we only have talk right now

 

don't know how to link but google paice LLC and toyota. it's all over the news and has been for years. there must be many here who are aware of this, it's a pretty big deal. paice is trying to get the international trade commision to ban toyota from importing new hybrid models into the u.s. so they can cut a sweeter licensing deal.

 

and what has gm produced other than mild hybrid?

 

Utility power tax, all that have to do is raise the rate.

 

They have to get the revenue from someplace to build and maintain roads. So we who use them must pay for that use. Somehow mileage used should be the FAIR criteria. BUT, how to do that ??

 

wwest40 and nwprius - Exactly.

As I read many writers on PC, most EV enthusiast are excited about cutting emissions, and rightly so ... but there are some that cannot wait for low cost commuting .... many comment about how little a charge will cost at off peak rates, and calculate the cost per mile compaired to the Prius. As more and more EV take to the road, the states, already in dire financial trouble, will find a way to collect taxes from EV's. To date, there are not enough EV's on the road to elevate the issue ... but in time ..... a way to tax will be found.