Prius: Not For Road Trips?

If such a small vehicle has to share the road with Tahoe's, Suburbans, F-450's, etc, then the occupants of that small vehicle will probably die in any crash.

If every vehicle is the same size - eg the tiny car you envision - then that isn't an issue. Kinetic energy = 1/2 mass times velocity squared.

When large vehicles are involved in crashes with smaller vehicles, the large vehicle wins. However, if you have *every* vehicle a large vehicle, that "advantage" is no longer true.

Ever been to Europe? On average, the vehicles are smaller, and you just don't see our suv's and pickup's as daily drivers. Not only is gasoline more expensive, there are very restrictive taxes and insurance applied against larger vehicles. Compare the fatality rate in EU countries to the US and Canada, you will notice something different

 

%The Prius is the PERFECT road trip vehicle! My wife and I have travelled many thousands of miles on this vehicle and I could not think of a more perfect vehicle to do it in. Comfort, economy and safety........waht else is there?

 

I've had my 08 pkg 2 for five weeks now and just got back from a trip - upstate NY (northern Adirondacks) to Dayton, OH. Since I had two kids and my mother with me, we got a set of Yakima racks and the 15cuft Yakima space cadet box.

With the box on top, winds off the Great Lakes until we were well into Ohio, and four people with the associated stuff, we averaged 34mpg in NY/PA (72 mph on the thruway in cruise control) and then got 38mpg in Ohio on the highway. We were comfortable and the trip literally cost me about 25% of what if would have cost for the 99 Isuzu rodeo we just retired after seven winters. I love this car for road trips.

Now that I'm back home, the box/racks are off and the weather is getting warmer, my MPG keeps inching up. Just turned 5000 miles too - mileage has gone from @43 mpg when we first got the car, to 50 on this tank as of yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will do for my solo camping trip this summer!

 

I just cannot agree with that. Last summer we took a trip from mid-Indiana through the mountains of Tennessee. Went to the Tennessee Homecoming, and had a great vacation. WE averaged 55-55 miles per hour. Sure can't complain about that, on the given terrain. I take several trips to visit mom in Michigan. I travel up hwy 69, and just set the cruise on 72, and average around 55. I actually do better on trips than on the day to day 5-10 mile jounts taking the granddaughters here and there.

 

Rhode Island to Fredericksburg, VA on 1 tank of gas. I averaged almost 60 mpg coming home from DC once. Beats the daylights out of my wife's Focus in both room, comfort, and mpg.

 

I think anyone who thinks the Prius is noisy not comfortable for road trips has been spoiled by overweight luxury cars. I always owned small cars and I love the Prius for road trips. The wife and I have been up and down California on rented Prius and even after a five hour stretch of driving we felt the Prius was very comfortable, and the cabin noise is very quiet unless you're going up a mountain, when the ICE works harder and therefore is noisier. The Prius is no Cadillac or Lexus when it comes to comfort, but it's way better than anything at its price level.

 

The Prius is PERFECT for road trips!

Here is the ROUTE for the GREEN-PRIX starting in West Milford, NJ!

- Be at the starting point (A) at 10:00 AM.

 

Hardly.

I paid about the same for our 2009 Camry Hybrid ($1000 under invoice) as I did for my 2005 Prius (full MSRP) and there is no comparison in ride, seat comfort, and quietness. The Camry makes the Prius feel like the cheap, noisy city-car that it is.

 

I don't really get it.

The Prius is great for road trips. Just this past week I drove it constantly on the highway. I had one 300+ mile day at 61.6 mpg, and it was very comfortable.

This car is not meant for a large family taking a week-long vacation in another climate zone. It cannot hold enough luggage for the family of five on a Spring Break two-day each-way trip. This is why we took our Sienna to Florida. The Sienna is a great road car, but the mileage doesn't compare!

I think the Prius is more "fun" for a single person road trip, because I can spend more time learning more about the car's response(s), and I really don't car if I slow down to 45 mph at the crest of a hill. Even if time is the enemy, the Prius is a great car for road trips. The biggest loser is interior space for larger families with gear.

 

What the hell is this guy smoking?

The Smart is a city car - designed for zipping form here to there...

The Prius is beautiful on the HWY! I jump at the chance to drive a long distance, it's quiet (thanks to aerodynamics), it's quite comfortable (and i'm 260lbs), has a decent sound system and all sorts of cool shiat to play with along the way .

I've driven a Smart Fortwo, as we have had them for 5 years in Canada. What a piece of crap.

 

Just got back from a trip to the mountains yesterday in my Barcelona Red 07 with 9+k on the clock.
Averaged 52.8 both ways at 65 to 75 mph in the rain on a 520 mile run. Plenty of power to spare, great mileage.
Used the cruise as little as possible especially on the up and down grades.
The B mode is wonderful coming down from Asheville, hardly touched my brakes.
Running 42/40 on OEM tires, slightly skittish and prone to floating at 75+ mph, but otherwise hung on pretty good considering ( Mitchlin HyroEdge next tire change)

What's not to like about this car on a road trip? :third:

You folks never drove a rally car to know what true pain is, this rice burner is pure heaven compared to a Griffin. Looks better too.

 

Here is the ROUTE for the GREEN-PRIX!
- Be at the starting point (A) at 10:00 AM.

This is who we have signed up so far - please post if I missed you or if I got your info wrong!

Team_Name__ Car_Name______ Year Make Model Coming_From_____
Raven______ Dam_Beaver____ 2006 Toyo Prius West Milford, NJ
Tbirdhs____ Sparky________ 2008 Toyo Prius North Jersey
Kelly_Green Kar_Idea______ 2008 Toyo Prius Yonkers, NY
Boo________ Boo___________ 2007 Toyo Prius New York, NY
BIGGDOGG___ The_Gray_Ghost 2008 Toyo Prius Morristown, NJ

Please let others know about this event - it's open to other hybrids too!

 

Got back from a road trip to Ti Tree north of Alice Springs via Ayres Rock (Ularu) and Kings Canyon. That is over 4000km and the Prius was great.

I was travelling at speeds up to 170km/h although mostly 115 to 135km/h never exceeded 5.6L/100km on any leg of the trip.

I drove from Alice Springs to Coober Pedy, at more than the speed limits on 37 litres of petrol! Lesser cars would have needed a top up even with 70 litres of fuel at the start.

This was with 3 adult people and luggage stopping in motels etc and luggage under the blind in the rear of the car. Although not silent the road noise isn't excessive and there is no need to shout over the noise. I found it more comfortable than the V6 Commodores I use for work and more comfortable than the Nissan Patrol I went to Innamincka in last November.

 

We start our 2nd road-trip in the Prius in a few weeks. Last year we drove from AZ out to IL & drove Route 66 from start to finish & back to AZ. 5000 odd miles total. Averaged 55mpg for the entire trip!

May 15th, we drive another 4,800 miles from AZ, though New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia & back! We LOVE the Prius for Road-trips!!