on order and got to test drive today.. EH?

It sounds like you didn't like the Prius. It's not a car for everyone.
No way is the Mazda 3 $26K. The Mazdaspeed 3 isn't even that much. Lots of cars with more room if you have kids and need the space. Check out Hyundai if you want lots of gadgety items at a low price. I never needed a computer to turn on my wipers or my headlights for me. Guess I'm old school.

 

If you like to "drive" and like a more upmarket interior, then the mazda3 blows the pruis away. The fully loaded mazda is a fantastic car all around that almost is nipping at the BMW 3 series. You're easily pushing 30K on the prius with the same options and still aren't getting some things. If you want performance and can live with paying a bit more at the pump over 5 years, then there's no choice, just buy the mazda. And get the manual transmission!

 

Sounds like you need to look elsewhere. Don't sweat it, someone else will buy and be very happy with the Prius you don't buy.

 

I think if he has kids we should make him get the Mazda 5!

Seriously, OP may have been confused by all the raves for the improved 2010 handling. By comparison to a Gen II car, it is HUGE. By comparison to any car designed to have sporty handling, not so much. It goes where you point it and is very smooth doing it, but still has a very light, though not as numb as gen II, quality about it. However, all the jitteriness is gone at highway speed. YEAH! Plenty good enough for me.

 

Toyota's are "floaty" compared to most competitors by design, there is a big audience for quiet cushy cars. If you go drive the Honda that competes with any given Toyota, the Honda will be more sporty but less comfy. Unless you spend a small fortune, sporty and cushy involve tradeoffs that automakers have to wrestle with. I was a little underwhelmed with my test drive of a IV last week, but I want one for the fuel economy, relatively low emissions, reliability and technology - I never expected it would be the least bit sporty. Sounds like you might want something else, that's why there are so many car makers and models...

We have a Camry Hybrid, we love the mileage, but it's almost Buick-like to drive.

 

The 3 and the GTI are sports cars. Of course they're going to handle tons better. I looked at 3s.. very good price for what you get but not nearly enough backseat room. Looked at GTIs too very nice but reliability and other factors lead me another way.

Don't leave out insurance cost on those cars when you're considering the gas cost. I was shocked but it appears my insurance will go DOWN and I'm replacing a "1996 Geo Tracker" that had liability only with my 2010 Prius at full coverage! Unbelievable.

 

The Prius V would have more road feel but would cost more. The Prius Team talked about improving the steering on Prius II, III, and IV later in the year but has been silent about it lately.

Roy

 

Prior to the Prius Gen II, I drove an automatic Honda Civic Hatch, and I think the Prius handles better when it comes to going around corners, it does so without any drama or the throwing me sideways into the door like my Honda would do at the same speed.

The Gen II cargo space has a high floor, but it does have a trick where you can open the panel in the floor and prop it open with a rod - it is still not as generous as some cars. I assume the 2010 (Gen III) has a similar design?

 

You must decide your priorities: do you want to minimize use of petroleum products? Do you need a certain minimum of cargo and/or passenger space? Do you want something sporty? Minimal total cost of ownership? Maximum reliability? No one vehicle meets all of those criteria.

Snark On:
Get something else, something you'll be happy with. Life is too short. Anyway, that's what buyers of Hummers, F-150s, Escalades, and Cherokees tell themselves :_>

 

And another note on the insurance, some companies like AAA is offering special discount for green cars like the prius. Just something else to think about.

 

That seems right. my CSAA with 50k/100k/500 comp/coll is $922/year with old pickup added w/o comp/coll.

Sort of low liability coverage though.

 

I haven't driven a Camry for a long time, but the last time I drove one I was almost seasick, it was so slushy. I never felt that about the Prius!

 

My observations about luggage volume are...
Prius: 22cu-ft
Mazda3: 12cu-ft
GTI: 15cu-ft

Ken@Japan

 

Interesting, I have driven both and they both have that floaty, numb, isolated from the road feel somewhat like the old American luxo-barges. However, most Toyotas are nothing like a BMW or even most Hondas, which are tuned to handle better at the expense of ride. But they handle competently, just...

 

FWIW, I have the 2007 HyCam and the 2010 V. The Camry is a bit ponderous and floaty around town, but is a great long highway trip car. Gen II and Gen III are both great runabouts for in town driving, but the Gen III ride and handling is definitely improved, and I will have no hesitation taking it on highway trips. I suspect the HyCam will still be more comfortable and relaxing for long trips. 17' wheels are fine at the recommended pressures. I still have to try them at higher pressures. 2010 V does have road feel compared to 2004 Prius or 2007 HyCam, but it is very light and muted. Very stable around turns and goes where you point it, but you are still not going to feel like you are carving up the turns at Indy.

 

I have, but I haven't put much time in the non-V with 15" wheels. I did have a 2007, and I had 30,000 miles of driving experience in that car, so I can compare IT to the 2010 Prius V I'm driving now (just 550 miles, though!).

To me there is a night-and-day difference between the two in handling. There also is a difference in road feel, but when you try to compare it to the other cars you are considering, you will not think the feel is anything similar. The biggest differences between the smaller wheel and larger wheel Prius cars is the turning ratio and the responsiveness of the tires. The 215/45 R17 tires do make a difference, and the 2.5 lock-to-lock on the steering wheel is much better than the 3+ on the non-V Prius. The other models are supposed to get some update later in the year, and the ones released before then are supposed to be "update-able."

I don't quite understand the trunk issue, either. There hardly is a car out there with more space. Plus, the rear seats fold flat for a good-sized area. Just leaving the tonneau cover off gives considerable space. I don't want to be argumentative, but I just don't see how the Mazda 3 could offer more space. Perhaps there is a particular layout of space that makes one car better for your needs than another car, though, so I don't want to push the point.

I like this review of the handling. I am so biased toward the Prius, because of its fuel economy, the basic nature of its design (small outside, large inside), and the value for the dollar of the electronics, that I tend to "overlook" the fact that it is not a sports sedan. I'd driven Nissan Maximas for years (SE, XLE) and loved the experience. Those cars are not rough riders, but smooth cars with great engines and a very nice road feel. I haven't missed them in the least (well, OK, I've missed the moonroofs and heated seats), but I'm reminded of them a bit when I drive the Prius V through a curvey stretch of road or take a corner hard. The Prius V just doesn't roll like my 2007, and the tires bring it through corners without losing the rear end.

No Indy, but no Buick, either.

 

I think the point is the cargo space measurements--in cubic feet--assume on a hatchback car that you would load cargo up to the rear window. How many people really do that?

I can't speak to the other cars being compared, but with the rear seats in their upright position, I find the trunk floor area to be on the small side--so if you only wanted to have 1 layer of, say, luggage or grocery bags (so nothing gets crushed), you're not going to fit as much as many other cars.