Thinking buying a Prius Prime

Not many contributors will "help [you] with the decision." But you are doing the right thing in asking for opinions, and driving examples. I completely agree with you regarding GM and their products. I've owned more Toyota products than any other vehicle, and have yet to experience a problem with any.

I have driven Toyota hybrids since 2009 .... again, absolutely no problem. I too have been following the Prime with interest. Personally, I like the looks of it more than the lift back hybrid. I'm not yet ready to purchase (spring is my date) and it will all come down to price. I've read that the Prime starts at the upper end of the lift back. Keep us posted on your purchase and driving experience.

 

It depends upon what your priorities are.

If you don't need more EV range, why bother with a car offering a larger battery-pack, especially if the tradeoff is less headroom for rear seating? Prius Prime will deliver much better MPG after depletion too.

There's also the electricity consumption to take into consideration. Your location in the Midwest would mean a greater benefit from the vapor-injected heat-pump Prius Prime will include, rather than the less efficient resistance type heater.

Having 82,000 miles on my Prius PHV, which has been averaging 72 MPG over the past 4.5 years, the decision to upgrade to a Prius Prime right away is a no-brainer. I can recharge at work using solar electricity, which will bump my 19-mile commute average from around 110 MPG to possibly 999 MPG. Since I take long trips routinely, the improved efficiency of the gas-engine will be a nice benefit too.

I'm also looking forward to the variety of goodies Prius Prime will offer that have nothing to do with being clean & efficient. The LED lighting will be sweet, the color head-up-display and new screens will be fantastic, and the dual-wave rear window will be the boom. Carrying my kayaks on top will be interesting, where high-tech and the outdoors collide.

For some perspective, here's a video of a commute to work I filmed last month:

 

What is your commute like? For example, approximately what percent of your commuting/shopping/errands will be less than 22 miles (or less than 44 miles if you can destination charge)?

How often do you take road trips such as the one you are about to embark on and what is a typical road trip distance for you?

 

welcome! if gm quality is your only hang up, reports have been favorable and the car has been on the road for a few years now. i would test drive both (when the prime is available) look at my typical driving to see which ev mileage works best, and see what kind of deal i can get on each, before making my decision.
one complication that may arise is deciding whether it's better to have not quite enough ev miles and better mpg's, or too many ev miles, worse mpg's and lugging a huge battery around unnecessarily for the few times you might use it. all the best with your decision!

 

yes, cabin heating. the volt will eat up some ev miles with electric heat, if you're not using the engine. but you have plenty of battery to play with.
prime's new heat pump is supposed to be much more efficient, and i'll be interested to see the specs as well, if they are out yet. also, is there a lower temp limit where it won't be effective?
with the pip, i just don't use the heat, unless i'm traveling beyond my ev range.

another consideration is interior space, head and legroom, front and back, primes 4 seats and raised battery in the hatch.

 

The Prime would be a great car. Just keep in mind, if you can't charge at work and use up your EV range, you would probably stay all electric in a Volt or battery electric vehicle. Understand, however, if a non-Toyota vehicle is a no go.

 

The Volt has been well received from quality perspective. The Prime I think has a lot more room in the back seat, but we were surprised when they went with just 2 seats back there. But I think we can say those will be nice roomy seats. Cargo space has not been quoted for Prime yet, but even when they do quote it is hard to get good comparative figures. Worse case scenario Prime about the same as Volt but could be a little bigger. So if you want 4 adults or bigger kids I think Prime wins. If its just one or two passengers such as a solo commuter then Volt has no issue.

Both Volt and Prime sacrifice a lot of cargo space vs. Prius hybrid, so renting the Prius is OK but most people getting plug-ins want to experience the pep of electric drive, which the hybrid version does not really do. If you want a plug-in lite more like a hybrid that would be the orig plugin Prius which you would need to get a used one.

 

makes sense to rent one. prime won't be much different. understand your feelings on gm, you are not alone. but i have read enough, that if it were the right car for me, (it's not) i would purchase one.

 

Some differences between the driving experience of a Prius and Prime:

The Prime is heavier with a more balanced weight distribution, front to back. The suspension has been tuned to take advantage of that. It is supposed to handle better.

The Prime's acceleration in EV is supposed to make it a bit faster than the liftback.

It has more sound proofing and so road noise is reduced.

Looking out the rear window is more fun (can you tell I like the design).

 

Here are my thoughts on the choice as they apply to me. Prime's 22 miles isn't enough for me with a 53 mile or so 1-way commute. But it will cover the stop and go rush hour traffic and city driving portion of the trip. Possible plug-in at work and repeat home. I figure half my drive could be electric, greatly decreasing my gas consumption and reserving that for use on the highway portion.

I also dislike Chevy in general, though the Volt would more fit my needs with it's range. The Bolt seems like it will be way too small. I've survived two totalled Priuses and a tiny car no longer interests me.

What concerns me is how to plan for the future. I would like to go full electric, but the infrastructure isn't there yet. Especially in rural areas. How long will it take? Will Prime be obsolete in 1 year, 3 years, 10, or longer? If that infrastructure gets built quickly, Prime or any PHEV will have no resale value as full electric will be the rage.

One more thing to consider is battery degradation. My understanding is the batteries will degrade over time and use, leaving less miles available per charge. If the range closely matches the commute, degradation could be a factor. Throw in snow and cold, and how many EV miles would be available for a commute?

So for me at this time, it boils down to Prime, Tesla M 3, Volt, or Bolt, in that order, though Model 3 is at least a year or two out. I may wait for the 2018 Prime to see what adjustments they make and maybe for a better comparison to Tesla 3 if they become available for the general public in a reasonable time.

I hope my ramblings regarding my issues help with your decision.

 

Many new advanced and exciting plug-ins on their way over the next 2-3 years. Like getting the next iPhone/smartphone, but with 1-2 more zeros at the end of the price tag.

 

Wow sorry about experience ... I am pleased the Prii hopefully kept you safe.

 

The Volt's back seat is cramped. I would call it a 2 + 2. The driver's seat was more comfortable than the Prius. Every hybrid and EV will need the battery replaced some day. Maybe it happens while under warranty, maybe not.

The instrument cluster in Mom's 2012 Malibu is acting up. GM's quality may have improved but then again, maybe not. They did use substandard and/or defective parts and tried their best to get away with it.

You'll have to figure out average fuel usage based on the length of your trips and how much external charging you expect to do. My guess is that the old PiP will still beat a new Volt.

From an outsider's point of view, the concern over the number of EV miles is misplaced. Cold weather tanks everyone's fuel economy.

Right now in NJ it is cheaper to run my Prius on gas than it is to charge an EV.