WSJ: Toyota's Prius Pays Price for Cheap Gasoline

Thanks for taking the time to give the details on your vehicle selection process. I agree that the Prius makes sense as a commuter car.

I am sure that gas prices will gradually increase, making the car an even better choice.

I am waiting, not so patiently, for the Prime. It would replace the 2002 Ford Focus we now drive. It's capabilities are an excellent fit with our needs.

 

If only I could get a better grasp of needs vs wants.... "ford focus?! where do you put your grill and big screen tv for tailgating!?!!"

Serious question though.... Why the Prime instead of say the Chrysler Pacifica plugin? Mainly I'm curious as to why it seems the pacifica gets no love anywhere. I suspect the reason is that it is a minivan but I'm wondering if there's more to it. I think it should be a winner if Chrysler can meet their promise of 30 miles on electric.

 

I really liked the Pacifica. It would have covered all of my needs quite nicely. I had a Plymouth minivan for nine years and loved it. It could haul all my astronomy gear, pull my small trailers, carry plywood, and all the other truck stuff I needed. But the Pacifica was a great deal more expensive than the Prius. The Prius covers 100 percent of my daily needs (95 percent of what I want) with less driving and maintenance costs down the road. I have to drive at least 40 miles to rent a truck, perhaps more. But if I need one, that's what I'll do. I may sell my little trailers. I'm on a retirement income now so I think conserving what I have is very important. I won't get a salary increase like I used to.

 

one is toyota, the other is chrysler. 'nuff said. however, bob wilson has been a big promoter.

 

This is my first Toyota. I've always had GM cars. The minivan was my first deviation from that course. In 2007, I wanted to look at a Prius as a replacement for the minivan. We had a truck and I thought it would be a good move. My hubby at the time threw a fit because it isn't made in the US by US labor. In any case, he left me for someone else. And now I can get whatever I want.

I've heard a lot of good things about Toyota cars. I've had pretty good luck for the past twenty years or so with my cars. I take care of them and don't get behind on the maintenance. I wish I had taken a better look at the factory sticker on the Prius. I wonder if it was made in Japan? It doesn't matter to me either way. I want to the best I can with my money and so far I'm thinking I have done that.

 

Yes, all the Prius models for the entire globe are manufactured in Japan.

 

That used to mean something good. I hope it still does.

 

It does still to me...

 

before it meant something good, it meant something bad.

 

Far, far worse!

 

I guess I am among the few here that does NEED a Truck?
I tow a lot and I work with a lot of tools and materials and there is no real getting around that.
The Sprinter is truly an almost ideal vehicle for me aside from the fact that I don't like to drive it when I don't need to.
It is huge,pulls well and gets 30 mpg pretty much regardless of what I am doing with it.
But it is hardly a satisfying runabout that I can't wait to drive again either.
It is just another tool for me and perfect for what it is.

I got the Fit as more of a Service vehicle and it works amazingly well for that even though it appears tiny it is huge inside,Tardis Huge!
But it is also tough on long trips and tends to rattle my brains out so.......

I was hoping the Prius could take that up a notch and be more comfy and practical for just getting around town and also decent on the longer trips I take several times a year but so far I can not figure out how to make the stuff fit in it that goes easily into the fit?

I do not Commute and am all over the place all the time and as alluring as the Prius is on one level I am not sure it will end up that practical for me right now.

So I resist the notion that to choose big and less efficient is somehow contrary to caring about the Planet when I need something big to contribute to the Planet too.

It is tough to stereotype ones needs.

 

@The Electric Me owned a fit before buying a prius. perhaps he can shed some light.

 

Now, it very much does mean something good, IMO this Prius is a (ahem) prime example. I can feel it every time I get behind the wheel, this thing was designed and built with pride.

 

Thanks to the Airbag Recall fiasco I still own the Fit AND the Prius!
What a pain in the butt.

 

got that on my prius and dakota. agreed. and dodge recalled the driver airbag, then after wasting that day, a few months later, they recall the passenger airbag.

 

I hear you,I used to drive the Previa and went through 4 of them.Each went to 300K with little issue and were all all wheel drive too.
All made in Japan and just a strange and great vehicle for me.
It is really tough to find any decent ones though anymore so I had to move on sadly.
Sadly I can tell a pretty obvious difference between vehicles produced over here vs. over there for sure.

 

First, just to set the record straight, the Ford Focus is an interim vehicle that I inherited from my elderly in laws. I got rid of my '84 BMW and am waiting until the right time to get a new car. I would never have bought The ford. It is gold and 10 years is added to my age as soon as I get behind the wheel.

I really hadn't considered the Pacifica, but after reading about the vehicle I can see why you see it as a potential competition for the Prime. I have no use for a van. And feel more comfortable driving a compact vehicle. It is just my wife and I driving 99% of the time. I like small vehicles ever since my '57 VW I bought in 1964. It replaced my one and only Chrysler vehicle, a 1951 DeSoto (boy that was substantial). I too like to be independent, but have always tried to get the smallest and most efficient vehicle I could. I took many long road trips in the VW and enjoyed the challenge. I was always concerned about mileage, I got the VW at a time when gas cost .25 a gallon. I liked the idea of fitting what I needed into a small vehicle rather than the idea of having "ample space". I also liked the engineering and quality of manufacturing that went into the VW. That was at a time when American vehicles were mostly stylish gas guzzlers and little else. I am sure that Chrysler has made great improvements in their products, but they have never appealed to me. Recently they have made a number of cars I find kind of creepy looking, although some must find then sexy because I see a fair number of them around.

I guess the loyalty you feel toward Chrysler, is similar to my preference for Toyota products. I am new to owning a Toyota product, but have always had a lot of respect for the philosophy of the company. I got a 2000 Tacoma three years ago and in working on the vehicle I have been very impresses with the build quality and robust engineering. I have followed the gen4's development as well as that of the gen3 and really like Toyota's design philosophy. The approach they have taken in the refinement of the car is a delight. This also applies to the Prime.

I know that my attitude toward a car is somewhat different from yours, but the fact that you hope to keep your Prius for 15 years shows we have somethings in common.

There are those who feel they are morally superior because they drive a Prius. They are very zealous in their environmental concerns. When they make hostile pronouncements about other people's vehicle choices, they become obnoxious to me. I feel that all carbon dioxide we put into the atmosphere is a a yoke around the neck of the next generation. I do what I think is best to mitigate global warming in my own life and try hard not to be judgmental of other's choices. This is a constant battle.

 

What am I suppose to shed light on?
I really liked my Honda Fit. And if anyone was in the market for an amazingly versatile non-hybrid vehicle option, I would NOT hesitate to recommend a Honda Fit.

I can attest to the feeling of roominess. Mostly created by the amount of glass and size of the front windshield. But for a compact vehicle it had an amazingly open and roomy feel.

Mine was a previous generation 2010, but I thought Honda did a LOT right in the design of the vehicle and the interior.

People riding in my Prius are amazed by the gas mileage, and the "quiteness" of the ride.
People that rode in my Honda Fit were impressed by the roominess...or the feeling of roominess created.
As well as the versatility of a flat load floor, and the "magic" seats.

When I folded down the back-seats, it was nearly like having a small truck.
Add that to the versatility of being able to fold UP the back seats and create an open floor to ceiling space? And The Honda Fit was amazingly versatile for it's size.

 

i think you did it. poster #71 cannot understand why he can't fit things into the prius, that fit into the fit. that's too much fitting.