1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Does a parrot sit on your Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Oxo, Oct 16, 2005.

  1. Oxo

    Oxo New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2005
    533
    3
    0
    Location:
    Oxfordshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Today’s London Observer has a large display ad for the Prius ( the first I’ve seen in the UK). It shows a black Prius against a solid black background. The car has a colourful parrot standing on the wing mirror. Anyone like to suggest the thinking behind that? (There are no wild parrots in the UK - in fact no very colourful birds other than those in zoos)

    The short text is optimistic, if not misleading. For example: “an amazing 65.7 mpgâ€
    “at low speeds it uses no petrol...â€

    Translated to American gallons I make that 54.7 mpg. Do USA owners consider these to be fair statements in the ad? (For others it’s 4.3 litres/100kms)
     
  2. Vincent

    Vincent Don't Wait Until Tomorrow

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2005
    641
    31
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Nothing is "fair" in Advertising"

    The general rule in the States is "buyer beware" and expect all advertisers to exaggerate their claims. But, saying it uses "no petrol" at low speeds is a little beyond exaggeration, especially for Toyota.

    We have colorful parrots here; I'd love to see the ad!
     
  3. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,039
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    55 MPG (US) might be achieved driving a half-hour or more at 40 MPH. Driving gently in warm weather I can maintain 48+MPG in the city even on short trips.
     
  4. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2005
    991
    3
    0
    Location:
    Duluth Georgia
    My last 3 tanks have been above 55 MPG. 2 times a week, I drive 75 miles (mostly highway) to a clients site and then 75 miles back, going around 62-65 MPH. Not sure exactly, but am getting 58-60+ MPG during this trip. Around the burbs on short trips, I am getting in the low 40's. It all averages out to the 55 figure.

    I think I need a parrot. Maybe I'll take a photo of the car and photoshop one in.
     
  5. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2005
    991
    3
    0
    Location:
    Duluth Georgia
    I have a new delivery job....


    [attachmentid=627]
     
  6. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2004
    1,544
    429
    0
    Location:
    Finland
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    65.7mpg is the official combined fuel economy under the EU testing regime. Like the US official figure, it's rather higher than you might actually get in real life - my lifetime average is 52mpg.
     
  7. Vespasian

    Vespasian New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    126
    0
    0
    Location:
    Illinois
    Fuel Consumption - Metric [l/100 km]
    Metric Urban (cold) 5.0
    Metric Extra Urban 4.2
    Metric Combined 4.3

    Fuel Consumption - Imperial
    Imperial Urban (cold) 56.5 (47.0mpg)
    Imperial Extra Urban 67.3 (56.0mpg)
    Imperial Combined 65.7 (54.7mpg)


    http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/ve...ls.asp?id=10982

    Cars with better combined fuel economy than the Prius include the diesel Citroen C1 and C2 and the diesel Renault Clio.
     
  8. roach52osu

    roach52osu New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2005
    200
    1
    0
    Location:
    Dublin, Oh
    Post deleted by user - sorry accidental reply
     
  9. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2004
    15,140
    611
    0
    Location:
    South Puget Sound, WA
    Vehicle:
    2013 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    Persona
    yep like herewith the EPA, its probably the only figure they can advertise legally

    is it possible? oh ya, can be done.

    this past summer, every tank i had exceeded that figure. in fact 7of 8 tanks were at 58 mpg or higher
     
  10. Seaside Harry

    Seaside Harry Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2005
    78
    17
    0
    Location:
    Chesapeake, VA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    We just filled up yesterday and then drove to a restaurant about 40 minutes from our house--half Interstate, half surface roads. Upon returning home, MFD showed 55.4 MPG. After driving to my office this morning (3.5 miles), it has crept back down to 55.0.

    I certainly think mileage quoted in the UK ad serves consumers at least as fairly as our EPA "estimates" do in the US.
     
  11. ScubaX

    ScubaX Member

    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2005
    484
    1
    0
    Location:
    Redding, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A

    Don't they get the EV switch? That would make the statemet more true. But eventually it would still have to use fuel to charge up.
     
  12. Oxo

    Oxo New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2005
    533
    3
    0
    Location:
    Oxfordshire, UK
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    I agree that “Let the buyer beware†applies always. “Caveat emptor†is an ancient principle but here in the UK we have the Advertising Standards Authority trying to keep things from being too misleading. More on:
    http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/

    Yes, I have an EV switch, but it’s soon cancelled by the car. This morning I switched on EV as I drove out of my drive into a traffic flow of 20MPH. The ICE took over before I had gone half a mile.

    Vincent can see the parrot picture by going to
    http://www.toyota.co.uk/prius
     
  13. Vincent

    Vincent Don't Wait Until Tomorrow

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2005
    641
    31
    0
    Location:
    South Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    OXO

    Great ad; thanks.
     
  14. trenapt

    trenapt New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2005
    37
    0
    0
    Location:
    Evansville, Indiana USA
    My only guess about the parrot is to suggest the environmental friendliness of the car. I suppose for the UK, a hedgehog sitting on the hood would have been more appropriate...LOL!!
     
  15. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

    Joined:
    May 3, 2005
    4,096
    82
    13
    Location:
    USA | Oregon | Portland area | 97004 |
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    That's a Military Macaw.
     
  16. Rattiemama

    Rattiemama New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2005
    69
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Acutally it's a Blue and Gold Macaw.

    If you look at the two pictures below, the one on the right, that looks like the parrot in the advertizement is a Blue and Gold Macaw. I ought to know, I used to have one.

    The one on the left, that is all green with blue and red, is a Military Macaw.

    Sorry folks, I'm an animal person (in case you couldn't tell by my name) and I used to work at the San Francico Zoo. I know my animals, and it's hard for me to resist correcting folks when they confuse one for the other.

    Anyway, that advertizment seems pretty on par with something we'd have here in the states. Misleading, but not technically fasle, and eye catching.
     
  17. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

    Joined:
    May 3, 2005
    4,096
    82
    13
    Location:
    USA | Oregon | Portland area | 97004 |
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Thanks for correcting my misidentification, Rattiemama! I've only looked at them, never owned one, like you have.
     
  18. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,947
    16,165
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    At least Europe's testing is a bit more realistic. Canada's official figures are 4.0/4.2 L/100km (city/hwy). Japanese 10-15 cycles run into the 3L/100km range.

    Over the summer I've averaged around 4.4-4.5L/100km (got close to 4.30L/100km once).