Wondering between ford focus and Toyota Prius

From a straight TCO perspective in most situations, the Prius blows the Focus (or any other "40 mpg" C-segment car) out of the water.

Worst case scenario: Say you keep the car only 3 years/36k. Assuming a 60% residual for both cars on a purchase price difference of $4000 (Prius 2 - Focus SE hatchback automatic), you will recoup $2400 at sale, so the net increased cost of the prius is $1600. Meanwhile, your fuel savings (50 mpg vs. 32 mpg, with gas at $4.00 a gallon) will be $1620. So, that is just about the break even point.

This is a favorable comparison for the focus. The prius will save you even more $$$ with: increased residual value, higher gas prices, more miles, more years owned.

That said, the focus is a perfectly fine car. If you like the styling, if you feel the handling is a lot better, or if you want a transmission with a traditional set of gears, it's a very respectable choice.

If you want to use less fuel and save money, the prius seems like an easy choice.

 

Nope ... leess than 5% of my miles would be city miles .... thank God. My miles are all rural or highway, which means that I'm positive I could average mid to almost high 30's (35-37 most likely). I've been able to get EPA numbers from almost every car I've owned in the last 10 years except for a 2008 RAV4, which I traded on the 10 Prius. So if you compare .... say ... a 36 MPG Focus vs 48 MPG with the Prius ... it takes a helluva long time to make that up. Combine that with the fact that Focuses are pretty heavily discounted and rebated all the time, and that the Prii very rarely are ... the difference is more like $6K rather than $4K.

I've been able to get quotes of $1000 off MSRP and $1500 in rebates for 2012 Foci, which means an OTD price of about $16500 plus tax and tags for an SE Hatchback ($19,100 MSRP) ... at 2.9% financing. It'd be very difficult (but it can be done) these days to get a Prius for $22,500 + tax and tags.

$6K buys a LOT of fuel. Compare for 100,000 miles ....

Prius @ 50 MPG @ $4 per gallon = 2000 gallons or $8,000.

Focus @ 36 MPG @ $4 per gallon = 2777 gallons or $11,111 for a savings of $3,111 per 100,000 miles with the Prius.

Therefore .... it would take ALMOST 200,000 miles to save the $6K in fuel that the Prius costs extra .... at 15K miles per year ... thats .... uh ... 13.3 YEARS ....

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That's why you can own BOTH ... as I'm very close to doing. Use the appropriate car for it's best application. As much as I LOVE my Prius ... the damn thing is boring as hell to drive. If you haven't driven a 2012 Focus ... try one ... they are solid, tight, great handling cars .... trust me. The 2012's are NOT the Focus of yesteryear.

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Nobody seems to mention the truly awful automatic transmission in the Focus, if you buy it and drive it, soon enough you will hate it. Ath least my neighbor hates his, and he only has 4k miles on it, oh and he is waiting for a part for a recall. I've had no recall on my 11 Prius.

 

Ford Focus hatchback has notably less rear seat / legroom, notably less cargo room.

Focus is just another conventional car with nauseating automatic transmission to drive you nuts with 4 shifts up to speed and 4 to stop again.

Focus will have you fumbling with key, pointing it at car to lock up and counting to 15 while the oil circulates in the morning.

You get to enjoy the Focus idling away gas at stop lights, drive thru's, parking lots ,etc, etc, etc...

Focus and the like = old fashioned cars

 

all i can say, love this little prius 3. 2011. purchased it feb 7 2012. 3,400 .00 miles .mpg 53- 54 mpg. not even close to breaking in yet. honda civics are good cars but prius has them beat.have not driven ford focus cars. all i can say you get what you pay for and so far happy with prius.

 

We test drove the 12 Focus and the transmission slipped a couple times and I thought it was going to stall. I don't know if they've fixed that. We were more impressed with the Prius.

 

My wife drives a 2012 focus (it was built 7 months earlier than my 2011 prius). We took it on weekend trip (75% hwy)and I was plesently surpised to get a 38 mpg calculated on that tank.

 

My Focus will be a Race Red Hatchback with 5 Speed manual, sport package and moonroof. MSRP just above $20K equipped as above .... $17,500 +TTL with rebates and discounts included.

The auto trans, Ford Sync, and all that other technocrap is just that ... crap .... ya gotta do your due diligence and know how to buy a car guys .... you don't just take what's on the lot.

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They're BOTH great cars ... with different purposes .... they just haven't gotten the auto trans and that stupid ford sync system perfected yet. No way would I want TWO Prii liftbacks in the family. As much as I love my Prius .... after 30K miles it's driveability is starting to bore me. I can live with that though, at 48+ lifetime calculated MPG's. I still like to have a little fun behind the wheel and there's not much of that to be had with a Prius.

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OMG, 8 years later my Prius is as exciting to drive as anything on the road. YMMV. I've installed many extras and this car is 2nd to none out there. Many are completely satisfied with the Prius. But...many seem to need a different experience behind the wheel. no problems. many choices to fit many "needs". I wanted MPG and tech. others need less cost up front, "better" handling. get the car u love and everyone is happy. my concern is buyers really are not thinking future when buying gas only. MPG, efficiency, emissions, less consumption...they all seem to take a back seat to "the drive". I'm all too practical with transportation it seems...

 

Don't forget that I already DO OWN a Prius !!! Love the mileage. The Prius would get the lion's share of the mileage in my case, but the Focus is a blast to drive with a manual, and where I live there are a lot of twisty roads to enjoy at 45-60 MPH.

If you think the Prius is fun to drive .... that's great ... but I think most would agree that it's kinda frumpy at best. To me ... it's just a high MPG tool (and a great one) ... kinda like a Glock 9MM ... boring as hell, but reliable and durable as a stone.

Don't forget ... for the hybrid premium ... at 15K miles per year .... it would take almost 14 years and 200,000 miles to make up that difference.

I'm not slamming the Prius at all ... but there ARE other reasonable alternatives, and not everyone can spend $25K for a car. Saving $7500 up front, not financing that much, and living with a little less MPG's is a viable alternative for many. Me ?? I get both if I decide to go with the Focus.

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If you think the Prius handles as well as the Focus .... you need to drive them again ....


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Understand where you are coming from, had a '99 New Beetle that was a blast to drive. But at least for me, mpg's rule now. Sort of like not having to think about taking a road trip for no reason.

Frumpy? Maybe utilitarian is a better word. Know nothing about guns, but it sounds as utilitarian might fit your example of the Glock.

An old argument that has no clear winner. When I went out a couple months ago to buy a new car I used the utility value of the Prius as a base for what I was looking for in a new ride. Comfortable seating for 4 adults, hatchback/wagon utility, very good trunk space, reliability for 10 years ownership, good projected resell value after 10 years.

That left me with the 2012 Subaru Impreza Premium that I could have gotten for about $20k (if I could had gotten a base unit as I would have liked). My 2012 P2 came in at $23.5k. Though the Subaru Impreza Limited might be a closer match to the Prius, and that would have been $22k.

Using my old annual mileage of 8k a year at 80k over ten years and reported 27mpg for the Impreza vs using 47mpg for the Prius on Fuelly at $4 a gallon the savings in gas is about $5k. So based on my old base mileage I will be $1.5k ahead.

There are alternatives for all comfort level of affordability. At $25k MSRP the Prius is not for every one. And with current gas prices it is hard to get a good deal for some.

But looking at MSRP, you are saying that folks can find a car that offers the same equipement that the Prius does at $25k MSRP for $17.5k. Wish it could be done. Even taking $25k for the Prius at MSRP, I don't know of any car that offers the same standard features and size at $17.5k at a discount that most would be able to get.

Add to that one has to look at how they use the car day to day. I know that with my old Subaru Baja that my work commute gave me 20mpg; and 28mpg on the highway. Most of my miles were commuting, so I know that the 23mpg for the Baja is high for my old style of driving.

Just this past weekend my fiancé and I took about a 100 r/t mile road trip to Berryville Va from the home base here in Reston Va. Posted limits were between 45 and 55mph. Trip computer said 63mpg with an average speed of 40mph at 63mpg (even with a 5% error that was 59mpg! ).

Guess the point I am making is that my fiancé and I are folks that are comfortable with our lot in life. Not rich, or poor. Pennies here and there count up. It was after a road trip to Rehoboth Beach De a couple of weeks ago, he commented that taking road trips will be more in the future with our Prius.

 

We have a 2012 Focus and a 2011 Prius in the family. To summarize:

1. Do you drive on twisty roads (I grew up in Santa Barbara so I assume the answer is yes)? Y Focus N Prius
2. Do you spend a lot of time in traffic/straightaways? Y Prius N Focus
3. Do you expect to have the car longer than four years? Y Prius N Focus
4. Will you be able to afford an older sports car for fun weekend drives? Y Prius N Focus

Prius Pros:
-Great mileage
-Long term reliability
-Interior fit
-Silky-smooth CVT

Focus Pros:
-Sheetmetal (gorgeous styling), though the new Ford design language will render the Focus "obsolete" next year (see Ford Fusion 2013)
-Handling (especially on the Titanium with the Euro suspension)
-Low road noise at high speeds

The Prius is more practical but if you want a nice compromise between practical and fun as your only car, the Focus is great.

I wish I'd organized this post better but I'm pressed for time. Hope you can make something out of it.

 

I still think many of you are over complicating this.

I still think it simply boils down to, or first and foremost should be, a question of "How Much Do You Want a Hybrid?".

It's similar to any Hybrid/ICE comparison. It's what I'd say about Prius c / Honda Fit.

If you want a HYBRID, and value the weekly/monthly gas savings of a 50+ MPG vehicle. If you value the efficiency of a vehicle that produces less emissions? Then there is no choice...get the Hybrid.

If you those things aren't DEAL MAKERS...then make a different deal.

If you are not sold on the benefits of owning a Hybrid? Then just expand your horizons, might as well look at Focus, or anything else. Go to an Auto Show.

If the vehicle being a Hybrid isn't a deal maker? Then you are always going to be able to find vehicles that cost less, about equal, or more, that have advantages and disavantages in comparison.

On one hand, The (regular) Prius, is one of the most engineered, amazing vehicles I think you can buy for less than $30,000.

On the other hand? The Prius, is one of the most expensive Hatchbacks you can purchase.

So to me the only question the OP has to answer, is how much do they want a Hybrid?

If it's NOT enough to make you stop desiring a Ford Focus? Then IMO buy the Focus. You're probably not ready to commit to owning a Hybrid.



To me the comparison itself becomes it's own answer.

 

Well said... I made my choice

 

Did not see this post before mine to yours.

On the surface it sounds like you got a great deal. Care to share the sticker details on the model and ALL the options so we can see how you scored your new ride at $17.5k? Ford and Edmunds screw things up with all the options that can be had...

 

Not for me .... for ME, the fact that the best MPG vehicle was a hybrid was SECONDARY to the fact that it was the highest MPG vehicle available at the time ... and they were blowing them out in Jan of 2011. $1500 rebate and $1990 discount with 0.0% financing. Cost me $21K from an MSRP of $24,490 if I remember correctly. If there had been a Focus or Elantra that could get close to 50 MPG as the Prius does ... for $5k LESS ... I would have bought it. I wanted at least one car in the family that got around 50 MPG. Truth be told ... as bad as VW reliability is ... I probably would have bought the TDI if it got near 50 MPG. You know the old saying ... I'd rather DRIVE a VW TDI, but I'd rather OWN a Toyota Prius.

I went into the market looking for high MPG's ... I looked at the TDI's, the Elantras, and the Foci. I ENDED UP with the Prius hybrid ... for MPG's ... I didn't start out looking for a hybrid and buy the Prius.

The whole green thing means zero to me ... I bought it for max MPG's ... not for 'image' ... not 'to make a statement' .... not 'to show I was 'green' ... I never looked at a car as a statement about myself ... I can do that myself with actions and words and don't need a car to do it.

It's just a car. A great car ... but it's still a CAR ... not a statement ... as far as I'm concerned.

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I haven't bought it yet ... those are rough numbers.

2012 Focus SE Hatch ... $18,300 (manual trans)
Moonroof .................... 795
Sport Pkg ................... 695
Destination ................. 795

Total ......................... 20,585

Less Nat'l incentive ...... 250

MSRP ........................ 20,335

Less ... dealer discount .. 1,100 (minimum)

Less ... ..... Ford rebate ....... 750

Less .... Ford trade-in assist .... 750

Selling price ............... 17,735

They also have 0.9/1.9/2.9 financing depending on term.


These prices are no big deal ... any Ford dealer will do the above deal. They were just preliminary prices that my dealer told me about ... they're a Ford/Toyota/Scion dealer. I haven't even started negotiating yet.

Granted ... the Prius has a few more electronic doo dads than the Focus SE, but the Focus does have the important stuff like power everything, and keyless fobs and all that stuff. The interior of the Focus flat out blows the Prius away as well ... lots of soft touch materials (the Prius interior is absolutely horrendous ... hard, milk carton type plastic everywhere ... it's almost embarassing), quality switchgear, and when equipped with the Sport package ... absolutely excellent seats, which the Prius does NOT have. The Focus is a hatch too, is quite fast and fun to drive with the manual, and will do mid to semi-high 30's with my driving environment ... plus ... in red, with the sport package ... it's really a GREAT looking car.

Best thing is if you're lucky enough to have both. The utilitarian Prius for the long haul driver and trips, and the sporty, fun-to-drive Focus for local driving, which for me is mostly rural, curvy, fun roads. I would never trade my Prius for a Focus alone ... the Prius is in the family for the long-haul. A Focus may be too.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAiB2wu-jvs"]2012 FORD FOCUS HATCHBACK SE RACE RED FULL FLAT REAR SEATS SYNC 38MPG WWW.NHCARMAN.COM.MOD - YouTube[/ame]


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