Best Hybrid Car Resale Value: 2020 Toyota Prius Prime with great ride quality

i need another test drive, the 2017 wasn't any better than my pip

 

After driving a Leaf for a few months the 2021 still seems like a dog. When you floor the Leaf it lifts the front wheel off the ground enough to trigger traction control warning lights on the dash and actually make steering a little iffy. You can easily beat guys with loud cars who think highly of themselves. It was fun putting some of them in their places with a "dork" car.

 

Yup, resale value is great if you can get $8k off sticker plus $4502 tax credit.

Resale value for the Leaf is horrible. I would recommend you trade it in every year so you can get the $7500 tax credit again. Same strategy goes for the Prime.

 

Nice to see an assessment that doesn't ding it simply for being a Prius.

As far as comfort, my Prime gives my previous PiP a dutch rub and then flushes its head in the boys locker room toilet. They aren't even in the same league.

My Prime also chirps the front wheels and triggers traction control when I punch it coming off the line in EV mode.

 

The Leaf's acceleration is more comparable to what I've experienced driving a Camaro with a big block and dual carburetors. It's not quite that good, but much closer to that than it is to the Prius. You're pushed back into the seat like riding the Batman ride at Six Flags.

 

Oh, I know that. I expect the Leaf to have a little more punch. Just saying that the Prime isn't the dog everyone says it is. In fact, it wasn't too many years ago when this level of performance would have been impressive. Now, it's simply enough. For "impressive" in my book, you need a Tesla or a motorcycle since I'm more used to a sport touring bike for acceleration.

 

The rebates are the only thing saving my behind (somewhat). When all is said and done, my net cost of selling the 2018, buying and then dumping the Leaf after only 5 months, and getting a 2021 LE will be in the neighborhood of $4,500. If there were no rebates it would have cost me over $17,000.

 

Me thinks you just can't give up that flying buttress! YMMV

 

i do love my pip, buttress and all. 9 years, 70k, 4k a year, mostly ev, what's not to love?

okay, a few more ev miles and a het pump

 

I actually find the Softex seats in my 2014 PiP very comfortable - I have done 10-12 hour drives in the car with no discomfort at all (Toronto to Florida over 2 days). That's not to say the Prime isn't even better - I am sure it is - but in my limited exposure to the Prime (sitting in it in the showroom a few times plus one short test drive), I don't remember it being exponentially better than the PiP as far as comfort, which I already thought was very good.... but in fairness I need a larger sample size from the Prime to properly assess.

 

My PiP problem was the shape of the seat. The seat bottom seemed to curve upward near the back. After about four hours, my PiP would make my tailbone start to hurt. The tailbone would catch fire by the end of an all-day drive. But my PiP was the base model with no power seat, so not as adjustable. I tried various cushions, none of which helped, and most of which made things worse.

The Prime with the power driver's seat is good for multiple consecutive 700-1,000 mile days. No discomfort at all. At least for me. We all seem to have different posteriors.

 

Are there any other contenders left in this category? Obviously, kbb is including PHEV in the hybrid cars, but what non-Prius contenders out there? I have to wonder if the best three hybrid cars 5 yeas resale value is only 40%, are none hybrid and BEV also lose 60% value in the first 5 years?

I know kbb calculation is based on MSRP and standard miles and condition, but in reality, my PP has done much much better by including dealer discount, Toyota rebate, other incentives, and tax credit.

2015 Gen3 Prius Two MSRP $25,250 but $22,517 actual price: after 2+ years, the resale value was 44.4%,
2017 Prius PRIME Premium MSRP $30,133 but $19,900 actual price: after 3 years, the resale value was 82.9%
2020 Prius PRIME LE MSRP $28,814 but $17,812 actual price: after 10 months, the resale value was 125.8%

 

When I traded in my 2018 Prime, I received more for it than I paid after tax incentives and rebates. And that was with ~35,000 miles on the clock. If I had directly traded for this 2021 LE, I would have come out with a new car and $325 more than I had going in to the deal.

 

Dang..I forgot about the PIP. Just took a peek at the used market and they seem to be around 11K for a 2014 with 70-80K. I'm sure I could do better with more research, of course.

 

Yeah, same here with my 2020 PP. Do you see the resale value of 125.8%? The only regret on my part is that I did not do that in 2018 and 2019. If I did, I would have had well over $15K profit by now.

 

Bravo on that. I've made money on one sale and one lease, but both of those were because of hail damage that the lease assessment company and Carvana didn't accurately assess, lol

 

For sure this is a factor. But I also have the power seat in my PiP, which could also contribute to the difference. To each their own.

 

I still find this mind blowing that this even possible. Good for you. Free car.

 

No, it was better than free. A free Car would have 100% resale value after use.
But for now, I am car-free. That's not a bad situation to be in either.