Prius V & Lexus CT200h= Same vehicle?

So, to make sure, the intent of your question was to ask about the recently announced Prius v (for versatility) w/unknown price and not the Gen III Prius model five (formerly known as V)?

 

Is that really, really, what it is supposed to be? Versatility? Jeez. Isn't part of the appeal that it's not an SUV?

I'll be calling the top of the line Gen III, the Gen III V. The new one I'll be calling the Prius\/, 'cause it's bigger. So there.

 

Toyota Vehicles : Toyota Reveals Prius Family of Vehicles at the North American International Auto Show / Toyota says

 

they cant be further apart as cars

 

I'm refering to the 2010 Gen. 3 Prius v, which has become the 2011 Prius liftback model Five....verbally as The Prius -v-...and I say it very quickly in staccato fashion....-v-...need to say it in less than a second....

The new 2011 Prius \/ (good idea)...I refer to auditorially as The Prius VEEEEEAAAA....and I make sure I spend at least 2-3 seconds on the EEEEE-AAAA part.....

Having worked with, and also having family members that are hearing impaired or deaf, I also have come to designate the Prius liftback as Prius (peace symbol)...and the new Prius \/ as Prius...vulcan symbol for live long and prosper....

This isn't complicated at all....

 

I will admit after looking at the CT200H I like it better then the Prius V. The Lexus site says the CT200H is available in March, the Toyota site says summer 2011 for the Prius V and the Lexus site gives you interior pictures and pricing information in the showroom section.

Last week I would have settled for a 2010 Prius, but now looking at the interior of the 2012 CT200H (I'll assume the Prius is the same or close) I prefer them to the current Prius interior. For one, the seat heater switches are on the top of the console and variable, VS in the lower console and either on or off only.

My 08 Highlander Hybrid only has 25K on it so I can wait a little longer .

 

I gotta tell ya .... I think as gas approaches $5 a gallon .... the vast majority of people are going to be shopping the BOTTOM end of the scale rather than the TOP end.

By that I mean Prius II's and the new Prius C (I think that's what it's called).

The average person isn't going to want to be putting out $1000 a month between car payment, gasoline and insurance. They're going to want to be putting out $600. Of course there will ALWAYS be high end buyers with matching high end incomes ... but do they really care about the price of gasoline anyway ?

I have a few friends in the car business, and they tell me that the overall trend in buyers (of ALL ages) is towards the $18-20K price range. Where people prior to this round of gas price increases were buying Mazda 6's, Accords, and Camrys, they're now looking at Ford Fiestas, Focuses, 3's, Civics, Corollas, and Yaris's.

I believe that this recent round of gas price increases has FINALLY convinced people that $5 gas is a given in the very near future, and that those prices are going to be here to stay.

20MPG and even 30 MPG is not going to be palatable anymore. He tells me that people are looking at 40 MPG as what they want. Enter the new 2012 Focus and the current 2011 Elantra. He also said that 75% of current Prius Shoppers want the Prius II at around $24K (discounted to around $22K). They're getting harder to find. That's why I think if the new Prius vee is priced at $28K .... it'll sit on the lots after the first wave of early adopters.

This is not the economy to be introducing $30-35K economy cars .... even if they DO have an 'L' on the grill .... especially with mediocre MPG ratings. You can get a new Elantra with every option in the book for $20K, and STILL get 40MPG.

My prediction is that the new C will be a huge hit especially with younger buyers and that the V (if priced stupdly) and the 200H will sit still.

REV

 

I can't imagine someone with an LS or who could afford an LS settling for the econobox smallness/slowness/'Matrixness' of a CT200H .... ESPECIALLY for commuting, which is probably the most time someone spends in their car.

REV

 

I drive a 2008 Prius. I have seen both the CT200h which is smaller than my car! There is less room in it. As the back seat looks cramped, I did not get to sit on the CT200h. The Prius V is slightly longer and taller than my car. I think it is bigger than the CT200h.

 

I'm a brand new (since 3/26/11) Gen III owner after seven and a half years with my beloved 04 Gen II. When I was looking at the Lexus CT200h last week, I was flabbergasted to see very poor fit and finish on the rear seats (specifically, the trim around where the shoulder harness exits the top of the seats). I'm talking about major misalignment of the trim. The salesperson didn't notice it (or ignored it) while giving me the spiel about the hatchback, but man, that biased me against it from the start.

It drove just like a Prius. (My GF has a Lexus ES350 so I know what Lexus drivers expect. This ain't it.) Road noise no different than the Prius. Then, I looked at the "toys" available. No LKA. No Precollision system. No dynamic cruise control. Top end toys to top end toys, about $8K price differential. And to add insult to it all, the back seats are cramped. Feh.

With less fuel economy than the Prius, it was a no brainer to stay in the Prius family with the Prius five. I've never looked back. (OK, I do like the Lexus Enform, which is Safety Connect on steroids.)

Cheers,
Bob.

 

if you think Prius and CT200h drive the same and that CT200h has worse build quality than Prius, then Prius is definetly a lot better car for you.

Comparing CT200h and Prius is like comparing LS to Avalon... Did you know that Avalon has more rear space? .

Vastly better drive, vastly better seats, vastly better trim, vastly better materials everywhere making it a Lexus. Most annoying thing about Prius is cost cutting that was applied to make it affordable. CT200h is small hatchback built on Lexus principles - expensive materials, expensive seats, expensive suspension, details, details everywhere.

 

You might be interested in the CT200h review in todays Los Angeles Times. According to that review, road and engine noise are definitely un-Lexus-like. I won't quibble about the quality of the materials between the Prius and CT200h, but seeing (admittedly one example) fit-and-finish issues in the CT200h that wouldn't be acceptable in a Prius, I'll stand by my assessment above. It's a far cry from merely comparing seats.

And you didn't mention the higher tech options available on the Prius that don't exist on the Lexus.

 

What's not available, other than LKA and self parking (neither of which I like)?
I will note that the build your own options suddenly went way down last night, presumably due to earthquake problems.