Couple Questions Before Buying??

Even without the gear you probably wouldn't want to be looking to pass that semi going 70 on a two-lane highway, but that said, my freeway driving experience in the C is actually pretty positive. Gas mileage is still very good and the ride quality (noise, mainly) is apparently much better than what you'd find with the Fit. My next Prius challenge is to see how well the C handles the haul up the local mountain passes @ 70mph.

Lots of good comparisons between the Fit and the C if you check through the forums; I think only one person liked their Fit better than the C with a ton more making the switch from the Honda to the Toyota.

 

I never drove or owned a Fit, so i cannot comment between the two.


How much does your gear weigh?
You talking about 100lbs or 2,000lbs? big difference.

The C has a 4 cylinder engine, which will power the C as fast as you need to go.
Unless you are trying to pass on the autobahn, I am not sure how much more one would require.
It is not going to spin out or burn rubber (actually I really dont think it could even if you tried)
But it is as fast as any other style 4 banger

 

No, no.

You would need 4 large passengers and a large atm machine in the trunk until you start feeling boggish.

 

Could you go back to the dealer to test drive it on the highway? Bring your friend along. With the salesperson in the back seat, this should give you an idea of how the car would drive with your gear in the back

 

I don't see any cause for concern in the facts of your situation you've raised- the Prius c can give you all the power you need on the highway as long as you're willing to sacrifice mpg for it.

Now that my c is broken in (2K+ miles), it can easily get 60-65 mpg around town, which sounds like it will be a good portion, if not most, of your driving. It can also get 60+ mpg on the highway keeping it between 50-55 mph if not heading into the wind. I've gotten as much as 72 mpg average indicated over a 90-mile highway trip with the wind at my back in the c. Air drag is a big deal in this light car.

Basically, it all depends on what your priorities are. If you like the idea of freakishly good gas mileage in a fairly cute car with decent amenities, the Prius c is for you. I'm sure the Fit has it's strengths, too, though, I'm just not as familiar with them.

 

I don't have any stick time in the "C", so I can't say.
I've read some Fit owners who have done a stare and compare between the two.
Read around in this sub-forum a little and you'll get some idea, but remember. We're a "little" biased here in PC. I'm sure that there's a FIT Forum out there that will give you their version of the "truth."

No....the "C" isn't going to be a tire smoking monster, but it should be OK for interstate duty---even hauling 2 pax or some gear. As stated above, your gear weighs about as much as 1 pax, so.....take a friend on your next test drive!!!
The Fit gets glorious reviews in the automotive press! IIRC, it's been a C&D top ten model, so it's no slouch.
MY recommendation would be to drive both and then follow your gut. You'll pretty much know after a few test flights which car would fit YOU best.

Good Luck!

 

I imagine the mileage will drop into the lower to mid 40's loaded with two peeps and gear at 75 to 80mph, 65mph is better.

 

You are in Nashville? I went to Beaman Toyota and they were really helpful. If you decide to go talk to someone over there, ask for Jeremiah. He answered my million questions and was prompt in calling me back if I needed something.

 

I been driving my Prius around in Texas were some not all of are speedlimits are 70mph. I can tell you that in my experience, the Prius C might be slow (longer acceleration time), than traditional cars, but the Prius C can easily catch up and beat them in the 5-10 second difference it takes you to speed up (when driving eco, not power).

 

Well I know you didn't talk to Jeremiah then lol! He doesn't have an office. He really bent over backwards to keep me in the loop and if he didn't know the answer to something, he would tell me he didn't know and would find out the answer. If you go back in there, just ask for him. You can tell him that the moonroof Summer Rain Prius C sent you.. he will know exactly who you are talking about.. he did everything he could to try and find it for me.. As far as the full size Prius vs the Prius C- I liked some of the new stuff that came with the C, it got better gas milage, looked a little "sportier" and had the warranty. I also hated where the shifter thing is on the regular Prii.. but that is just me! Good luck searching!!

 

I looked into buying a used regular Prius myself. The good ones have 10-30K miles on them and end up in the $21K range. That price is lower than a c3, but higher than a c2. The main difference between the c3 and c2 (other than $3K) is the nav stuff, which I did not need. I went with the least expensive option, the c2, with no mileage on it.

As far as driving 70-80 mph on the freeway, if you plan to continue driving that fast you won't be driving to this car's strengths. It will be ABLE to do it, and you'll still get better mileage than most other cars- low to mid 40's mpg, as others have noted, maybe a little better if you draft- but it may not be worth the extra money. This is just a light car. If that's a priority for you, maybe consider something bigger with a stronger engine.

On the other hand, if you're open to changing your driving habits and techniques- and driving a Prius is much different than driving regular cars- it has some amazing benefits.

60+ overall mpg, dude.