Best Gen Prius to Buy?

I wouldn't consider a Corolla a "gas hog" in any sense. But a Prius will improve your miles per gallon. Your best bet to closest match the technological feel of your current vehicle would be a recent model 3rd Gen Prius (2012-2015). A 2nd Gen Prius would cost less, but it might feel like a step back coming from a 2016 vehicle.

 

Two important questions: What is the most that you can pay and how many years/miles do you expect to put on it?

If you can afford $12,000 to $15,000, a 2013 or 2014 with 50,000 to 60,000 miles is a great value that will be a reliable long term ride with low fuel and maintenance costs.

 

EPA for '16 Corolla was 28 city/37 highway. Fuelly real world drivers get ~31 mpg combined.

I would anticipate getting between 43-46 mpg on your future gen 3 Prius. Most drivers don't reach the 50's- just to make sure your expectations are realistic.

 

the newest, lowest mile you can afford, will be the most reliable with least amount of problems.
there isn't a 'good' or 'bad' year, so to speak, but the older and more miles will be more trouble.
common sense, really.

 

If you already own a 2016 Corolla now, you won't see any savings in getting rid of it for a late model Prius that'll cost you $15k. Both cars are just A to B cars, nothing fancy....even with the Prius pleather interior and fancier wheels. You'll have the same 1.8L engine, just with the hybrid function added. So basically on the freeway, it's giving you similar MPG. If you drive a lot of city driving, then you might see a little benefit going to a Prius.

Unless you are a DIY type of person, you won't end up saving much because hybrid cars are much more expensive to maintain/fix. Go to a dealer for a diagnostic and you'll know what I mean.

 

does corolla get 50 mpg at 55mph?

 

What maintenance costs? In 8 years and 80,000 miles I haven't spent a penny except for oil and filter changes and one set of tires. Our other vehicle, a Nissan Murano with fewer miles has needed brakes and shocks. The Toyota dealer doesn't find anything to do and says I have plenty of brake pads left. So, I don't know what you mean.

Sure, at high mileage there is a risk of the extra expense of a traction battery replacement and, infrequently, other hybrid system problems. But a blanket statement that hybrids have higher maintenance /repair costs, I don't agree.

 

No, but even if it gave you 40mpg, it would not amount to much with fuel costing $2.50 gallon.

$100 to $200 per year difference on 15k miles average. Trading away a 2016 and buying another would piss away any savings you would see the next 10 years of driving a prius. And that's assuming you don't get any expensive prius repairs

 

In 8 years and 80k miles, he would spend the same on his Corolla, maybe with an extra set of brakes.

Consider yourself lucky, as you'll only have an upcoming hv battery to replace and that'll equal the amount of fuel savings you had since buying the car.

You buy a prius because you like the car. Don't buy it because it saves gas/money, it really doesn't.

 

I agree that it doesn't make pure economic sense to trade the Corolla unless he gets close to the same amount of money as he pays for a Prius with not too many more miles on it (and that is unlikely). In fact, if he bought the Corolla new, he would be taking a big hit on it. But if he hates the Corolla for other reasons, it might make emotional sense.

I don't disagree that a Prius may need a new hybrid battery, but I wouldn't consider it a sure thing until you're talking more miles than most people keep a car. Let's leave it at that.