Prius Tops TopGear's 2006 User Survey for Compact Car Class

I thought the Prius wasn't a Compact; I thought it was a Mid-size.

Maybe it's classified as a Compact in the UK?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Warwind @ Feb 15 2007, 07:26 PM) [snapback]390967[/snapback]</div>

I don't understand the classification either. EuroNCAP classified it as a "large family car" for their crash test. A Prius can be considered "large" in Europe, I imagine not in the US. But the UK? Strange.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Warwind @ Feb 15 2007, 01:26 PM) [snapback]390967[/snapback]</div>

WHICH? Ltd is the main independent UK consumer organisation and this classifies the Prius as a "Large Car". Above it (in price) are "Luxury Cars". These include Audi A6, BMW 5 & 7 series, Volvo V70 and Mercedes E class. None of these seem larger to me but they certainly have larger prices. Next are "MPVs" such as Chrysler PT Cruiser, then "Off-roaders".

The Prius didn't seem a "large car" to me when I bought it but I admit now that it does seem a bit bigger than most of the cheaper cars on the road. When I had a Volvo 240 in the 1970s/1980s it seemed large but now when I compare it with the Prius they don't seem much different.

Perception of size in cars is a very subjective thing depending on what you've been used to rather than on actual dimensions.