2010 Toyota Prius Review (Auto123)

Not too bad of an article. Seems like he got the facts mostly straight... but he seems a bit more biased towards the Golf. I don't understand why these reviewers have to compare vehicles... there is just nothing that really compares to the Prius.

 

Just now they're getting around to reviewing the 2010? What, they had a pile of old car magazines sitting in the lobby and threw this together from those? That's how it reads to me!

 

It was hard to read beyond:

Journalistic hubris.

At best a gratis claim, 'style' is the same, backhanded nonsense hybrid skeptics have claimed for years. "Fashion" reveals journalistic blindness to the 4.7 l/100 km Prius versus the 6.1 l/100 km of a Ford Fusion hybrid (source: www. fueleconomy. gov user reported mileage.) I'm sensitive to this claim because in about 30 minutes I'll go to work in my 4.7 l/100 km, 2003 Prius that looks like a non-hybrid, Ford Focus.

I did finish the article and noticed citing Toyota for "3.5 l/100 km" and on the next page, the reference to "3.7 l/100 km," the urban mileage, before the author takes his high-speed, 1,000 km route and got "5.24 l/100 km." Next to this paragraph is the border text showing "4.0" l/100 km" highway mileage. Now citing below 'urban' mileage instead of 'highway' may seem like a difference without a distinction but it reveals the writer is not above quoting mileage one source in contrast to the official milage facts and data sit side-by-side on the next page. Curious, he doesn't mention the Golf performance over his 1,000 km route.

Bob Wilson

 

Interesting, they picked up my comment:

Bob Wilson

 

Notice how the author has completely the wrong idea about electric mode and it's relation to fuel economy. Accelerating on electric mode is one of the most inefficient ways possible to drive a Prius. Yet he doesn't even mention the ability to use the ICE to get up to speed and then glide for considerable distance in electric only mode given suitable terrain, which is where the electric mode really can save fuel.

I know it's expecting too much to think that the reviewer would know these things. After all many prius newbies do come here with exactly the same misunderstandings. So maybe it's a bit unfair but when reading the above I couldn't help think that he was deliberately downplaying where the electric ability is actually useful.

A couple of other complaints re the usual Prius Golf-TDI comparisons. They always play down the size difference (prius has more leg room front and back but they never mention that) and they always want to compare the fuel economy over a course that favours the Golf

Also, like many reviewers, he really does genuinely seem to think that figures like 4L/100k are completely impossible. As we know however, many people here routinely get figures around that value. I’m regularly getting 4.2 to 4.3 L/100k on a 2005 model.

 

Does the article mention the Golf Tdi Co2 emissions of between 132 and 156g/km compared to the Prius' 89g/km? Reviewers and Prius critics often forget this as it is a less quantifiable and glamorous statistic than raw economy or power figures...

Besides, I know which dealer network I'd rather have to resort to as does JD Power

 

I'm with Bob on this one.

I get tired of reviewers telling me "why" people buy Prius. No, I've hung around here, and done enough hands on research and connecting with Prius Owners that I know that there is a very diverse base of ownership and reasons people buy Prius. And my opinion is that the tired cliche stereotype that Prius Owners are just egomaniacal enviromentalist wanna be's....is almost (I'm sure there are a few) but almost totally unfounded.

Yes, The Prius is a unique looking vehicle. But speaking for myself that was never a reason I considered buying it. In other words I didn't want it because it DID look different. Form follows function with a Prius, and annoyingly IMO while it is unique, I don't think The Prius is that extremely different looking than a lot of vehicles on the road. Nobody criticizes a Kia Soul Owner, or a Nissan Cube Owner...or attaches reasons they bought the vehicle, assuming they wanted to stick out...and even if they do or did, so what?

No it was an indepth look, but the author brought in a lot of the stereotypes about Prius Ownership I think are unfair and unfounded. And that contaminated what could of been a decent review.

As far as comparing to a Golf TDI? No comparison of a Prius to anything else is going to be perfect. I think it's alright. The comparison isn't being made for those that already own a Prius or a Golf TDI, the comparison is concievably being made for those in the market. They are different vehicles, but they share the common goal of offering the owner lower fuel consumption...through different approaches. When I was in the market I considered Prius and investigated the TDI's....so I'm not going to criticize the comparison.

 

To be fair, if you mention g/km to just about anyone in Canada/ USA the person would like look at deer caught in the headlights:shocked:

 

Well, perhaps in the USA, but I'm sure the Canadians grasp it as they use the metric system.

 

Yes, the combustion of Diesel yields about 15% more CO2 than does the same volume of petrol (gasoline). It also yields about 15% more energy per litre compared to E10 (and about 11% more compared to regular gas).

The relative price of diesel varies a lot depending upon location, but in many places it also costs about 10% more than regular gas.

So taking all these things together we see that the simple cost of the fuel (for a given distance travelled) is quite a good indicator of the relative CO2 emissions as well. Now given that the author does not believe the Prius fuel economy figures to be true then he probably doesn't believe the CO2 figures either. Those two things are inexorably related.

 

I have live in Canada 53 year , my whole life, and I have never used CO2 g/km in refereance to cars

It is not a term used in North America yet

Beside all Americans know about grams :eyebrows:

 

OK, as you know it's a European way of measuring the CO2 output of a car over a given distance and is a much easier way of comparing fuel economy between different cars.

It's also proving quite popular here as it is so simple for people to grasp and understand.

I'm sure there are pros n cons to it, but it does seem to work.

 

As an American, I don't see it is that big of a problem once it is 'fixed:'

	Column 1	Column 2
0	non-USA	USA mile/lb
1	132 g/km	5.50
2	156g/km	4.65
3	89g/km	8.15

Ready for the USA.

Bob Wilson

 

Hi All,

This review is your basic Igoramous car writer (can't call them journalist, due to the large ignorance factor) comments on the Prius. Suprising how things still remain the same after 10 years. Clotaire Rapaile would love this.