2013 Toyota Prius C doesn't get much love from Consumer Reports

These are the same people who said the iPhone 4 was the best smartphone, but they couldn't recommend it.

 

I guess the bottom line is, consumer reports can't be recommended.

 

Interestingly, a salesman we spoke to on Saturday was saying similar things: basically a Yaris hybrid and it is better value to get a regular Prius hatchback. Funny thing, there was only one on the lot because they've been selling so well.

 

Peeps still take consumer report seriously? They've lost all credibility to me when they published their iPhone 4 report. They're the some douche bags that made this video, comparing the Insight to the Prius. Not the comparison, but how they ended the video:

 

This is another hatchet job by CR. Just look up what they did to Suzuki concerning the Samurai. I don't respect their opinions because they seem sprung from agenda not science or accurate reporting.

 

It's the automatic climate control comment that clearly gives away the reviewer's intention to belittle the car at any cost, IMO.

 

His point is that the car is too expensive for what it offers. The Prius only pays off if you keep it long enough. That's the concept behind the high initial price, low maintenance philosophy Prius has been built upon. For $21,000 I agree with his point assuming that most people will not keep this car long enough to reap the rewards from its low consumption and high reliability.

I'm in year 5 of my '07 Prius and, owing to the relatively good secondary market for a Prius, its high mpg and its low maintenance, I feel that I'm breaking even with comparable cars of that era. CR doesn't do a good job explaining this, but they are suggesting to look at used Prius instead.

Obviously there are better reviews out there, but I do think that Toyota is overpricing all Prius at this point, mostly because there are other competitors with lower prices, 0% APR, 8 year warranty, and ~35 mpg that may make more sense to the small car buyer.

 

People who don't drive a lot aren't going to make any money by choosing a Prius. For me, though, I will save around $1,800 a year and will definitely keep the car for at least 5 years. If you finance those savings are immediate, too. That's something I don't think people understand.

 

yep, they missed the point... they seem to rate if plastics are hard or soft a lot more than MPG. Which is weird.

 

Some people fixate on specific things. Given a car is going to be something you will be sitting in and riding around in with passengers, if you are that nitpicky about how the interior looks, there is validation to it. I will admit, for me, the Prius v interior wasn't 'great' for the seats, at least my desire for the non-Softex (faux-leather) as I am not much of a leather/vinyl fan, but overall the interior wasn't going to be the 'failing' point.

The CR review, to be honest, focused on the silliest aspects and the wrong expectations in general.

 

people do, but CR being what they are, saying something like "interior design looks stylish but when you knock on it it is hard plastics".

To me it makes no sense.

 

Maybe this review had been posted before on this forum. But that's what I would call a real quality report:
Prius C has unexciting ride, thrilling mileage