2012 Toyota Prius c Review - The Affordable 60 MPG* Monster

I've learned something from this thread and my other thread..."Yaris Beware"..and that is ....people get defensive when you say...this vehicle "A" will compete with this vehicle "B".

I see no need to compare exact prices...or justify that the product is exactly like..or not exactly like the other product. Since Prius C is the only subcompact full HSD hybrid to be available in the USA, that's nearly impossible.

Just seems to me, that I would define the Prius C, outside of being a full Hybrid, as an upper end subcompact hatch. Then simply the leap that it will compete with other subcompact hatchbacks seems almost inevitable at some level.

Products compete with products. To imagine that somehow the Prius C will not?

By the way, I paid (too much I admit) but I paid $19,000 for my Honda Fit Sport and it does not have the NAV.

The price inched up piece by piece when I added basics like rear hatch cover, 3M clearbra...and other extra's I wanted.

I think also, when you compare, you should realize some people don't care as much about the price. For some people a $1000-$3000 dollar price swing won't mean much. Some people just want the product they most want.

The Hybrid aspect is a HUGE addition, that I think instantly makes the Prius C an upper end subcompact choice.

It is Apples to Oranges....but there is a configuration of Prius C that I think meets or exceeds the Honda Fit in any configuration. BUT conversely, in the USA, there is no Honda Fit configuration that gives me Hybrid Synergy Drive and 53 mpg in the city. That truth...allows me to at least entertain the idea that Prius C will compete well within the entire class.

 

Hey, I'm not being defensive, just trying to gt the facts out there. If you added a lot of extra's to your fit, why would you price the prius c wthout those extras. I actually bought a prius, and using less gas to me was more important that the dollars of gas I didn't use With the prius c the hybrid premium is lower.

 

as I said, you pay for more, and you get more. After all you will be getting 50% better mpg, you will still get some cool features like 3.5" color screen, digital air, that you cant pay any money to get in Honda.

there is certainly an hybrid premium and there will always be an hybrid premium, but again, you can point out where they money went.

edit: you also get bluetooth, better audio system, projector lights.

Prius c III with optional wheels compares better to Fit with Navigation, difference is pretty small, and III adds Entune and Smart entry that Fit can never get.

 

Not quite sure what you are arguing about. I said I added in prices for extras, you can do it yourself.

The fit sport adds 16" tires, stabilizer bar, and fog lights these don't come on the III package of the prius. Yes you get more or less. You don't get the magic seat, my guess is worse handling. Option to not have smart key is one of those hybrid premium things toyota eliminated.

You are getting something for the extra money, a hybrid system which should be quieter and have better gas mileage. Trying to pretend the premium isn't there is just silly. If you want a stick the premium gets bigger If you really want smart key you need to get a ford or toyota in this price class, not a honda.

 

I guess it all depends on what one considers to be "more car".

The Prius c One may prove tough to find on dealer lots, and it has the downgraded seats. I think realistically the car starts at $20k, and that probably the majority of these will sell for between $20k and $22k.

I'd like to consider the Prius c a premium subcompact with premium features, but I can't quite get over the Yaris underpinnings. I keep looking at this and thinking that Toyota just took a Yaris, slapped in a hybrid drivetrain, added some nice looking electronic gizmos to the dash, and raised the price by $5k. Maybe overtime you'll save enough in fuel and maintenance costs to offset that. And that's cool. But in the meantime, you're driving a subcompact with car payments that look more like those for a larger car.

 

lol, I also couldn't help but think how Yaris-like its appearance resembles. Might as well call it a Yaris Hybrid. ;-)

 

Yep, a Yaris hybrid. My wife and I have looked forward to this car for years.

 

I previously owned the 2009 two-door model...not such a bad vehicle given its tiny stature. Recently took a drive in a 2011 4-door rental, which was even more impressive, so the best bits of Prius and Yaris being rolled into one can't really be a bad thing.

 

uhm, nobody is pretending there is no hybrid premium - obviously you are getting a lot more advanced powertrain, and you are paying for it.

what i am saying that overall you get more equipped car, and you do... not sure what are you arguing actually when you start mentioning handling and magic seats, lol.

You might pay $3k for c III than Fit with Nav, but you get a lot of extra stuff, except for magic seats and fog lights...

 

I have not heard "Magic seats" mentioned since the last gen. Yaris came out and Honda fanboys compared it to the Fit/Jazz.
It was similar when when the iQ came out and Smart owners tried to argue against it because it didn't have a "Tridium Cell". They completely ignored the increased weight, size, better tires, brakes, power, active as well as passive safety features which would make its safety overwhelmingly superior to the Smart, planting it among cars in the B-segment.

I expect the interior light in Yaris Verso was "magic" as well since you could take it out and use it as a flash light.

 

Magic seats are the rear seats in the Fit. They are so-called because the seat cushions can flip up and create a large vertical space.

 

cool, we can agree to that. I actually didn't pay for the more advanced, I paid for the higher fuel economy. I prefer the more conventional feel to a car to the eCVT, but that was lower on the priority list. Or rather I took the prius because of using less gas and applied a higher conversion. I think many will buy the prius c because the hybrid premium of paying for stuff they don't want is lower on the prius c than on the prius liftback. I hope this moves more people to hybrids.

Well if you don't want the extra stuff - fog lights, handling package (16s and upgraded suspension) which honda charges much more for, you can get the base model, as I said to electricme. That extra stuff in the 3 - smart key and entune and a eco display is normally worth a lot less. Its about choices. So you see my pricing comparison of the base fit to the prius c II above. You seem to think the difference is much less than the $2500 I stated, and that's a little far fetched unless you got ta have smart key. In which case take the fit off and compare it to a ford. You can look at the Camry and it has a slightly higher hybrid premium of $3,400 for the hybrid and smart key at the minimum level. This is a big drop from the previous generation and again should expand hybrid sales.

I was comparing it, because the thread was comparing it. You got to blame the person that brought it up, but if you look at toyota they are trying to steal a few of the fit customers with the prius c. Fit was the leading honda in japan.

They are cool if you try them. That little fit can swallow many items my prius can't
+1

Or fold flat.

Here is a snapshot of small car sales
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/search/label/US Compact Car Sales?max-results=5
prius c may be shooting to get a portion of the civic, matrix, cruze market not the yaris.

 

I'm referring to the Honda fanboys back then. Unless you were one of those who compared the MPV (fit) to the hatch (Yaris... no, it was not a liftback Toyota USA), then you are all clear.
Comparing the Fit to Yaris Verso, Ractis, Verso S or Prius C (like you do) is a totally fair comparison as they are all small MPVs or "B+½" segment cars.

The benefit of a B-segment MPV. The Yaris Verso can also swallow more versatile objects than a Prius - it is the simple effect of a taller cargo area. If you go for utility, though, the "I-have-given-up-life" cars like Renault Kangoo, Peugeot Partner the many clones are the way to go.

 

Reading your post I am reminded of how great the selection of cars with hatch or wagon configuration is in Europe vs. how pitiful it is in the USA. Americans don't like practical cars I guess. Thankfully the Prius line breaks with that and offers ONLY hatchbacks.

 

Thanks for that. I really wish they would break out the Matrix numbers separate from Corolla.

 

cool, I can agree to all of that.

In texas we call them all hatch backs. We don't get any of those new choices imported here. I have seen a lot of fiat 500 lately, so maybe they would sell to some folks here. Prius c form factor is more austin than the prius liftback (I hate toyota's naming of the prius family) as most of the prii here don't need the added space. They would do even better here with more hp and better handling, but austin is a very different market than most of america. Lots of b segments and trucks

 

I have wondered about that. If people go by EPA numbers it can be $2k in cost savings to downsize to subcompact, but apparently without much mpg gain for the loss of space. The Prius c is $2k more than very typical $18k compact prices, but with an EPA mileage gain that more than covers the difference. Any potential compact driver who's doing a reasonable number of miles might ask themselves whether a c would be worth downsizing for.

 

smart key, entune, 3.5" color display, digital air, projector headlights, etc are "normally worth a lot less" than "handling package". I dont think handling package costs more to manufacture at all - Prius c IV charges $400 for theirs... you cant pay to get digital air and cool multimedia into Fit.

Buying Fit for handling package is pretty ridiculous idea on its own. FWD econobox with small 4cly engine. Fit Sport doesnt really handle well, it doesnt brake well, it doesnt accelerate well.

You certainly paid more in your Prius for advanced engine technology, and higher MPG is product of that.

Something better always costs more. Question is if it is worth the differences? I am pretty sure sales numbers will show one big YES. Well they already do in Japan, and it will be their biggest market, where pricing is similar to the US when comparing vs Yaris and Fit.

 

This is one way to look at it.

Another way is that you already have 1-2 family cars/SUV/minivan and just need a commuter. And Prius C is more likely to yield better overall MPG in congested daily commute.

 

However:
4000/(5*(1/25-1/50)) = 40000
40000/(260*10) ~= 15.38