So, for example, someone driving a crew cab lifted pick up truck with a bed that has never even seen a bag of mulch is not somehow unnecessarily equipped as a commuter car? Or a gigantic SUV with one driver, no passengers, SUV after pick up after SUV commuting into Washington DC, and no hate for them? I won't even get in to all the luxury Lexus, BMW, Cadillac, etc. And no hate for them either? Point of fact, my car, which cost $30K, is on the low-median end for most of the cars I drive to work with. And they would hate me for what reason?
They do get hate, plenty of it from the other side. But I think the answer to that is power. Sadly, most people measure a car's worth based on how many horses it can pull. All those cars you mentioned, including the SUV and truck, generally have more power than a Prius. So to the average uninformed individual, a Prius is a poor choice of a car. Sad I know, but that's what many car "enthusiasts" think. Minivans and wagons are typically exempt from this label. Which I'm starting to think is why "enthusiasts" let the Prius v pass. I think this is lame. Why can't the Prius get just as much street cred as the v just because they're aimed at different consumers?
I think it's because it doesn't look like a Prius and it has size and apparently size still matters in the US. Toyota knows that and building the v is a wise decision and can only lead to better things when the 2nd generation comes around. Can you imagine trying to market this thing if the Prius family was not given the green light? It probably would not get the glowing reviews it's getting. It's easier to say "you lose 8mpg but WOW look at the space you're getting compared to the Prius). Also the longer wheelbase allows for better ride comfort if the suspension is setup right. I think the extra weight might've helped too with stability.
You're preaching to the choir. I won't rehash the tired talking points, because I'm sure that you've heard a lot of them. I think the hate is ultimately rooted in the assumed "smugness" of hybrid/Prius drivers and a completely different view when it comes to vehicles. IME, the fallacious reasoning and misinformation used to knock the cars is often spread by people who are the antithesis of the Prius driver stereotype.
I think we know attitudes about Prius are polarized. But Toyota has sold over a million of them. They are loved. The fact that what I think is a vocal minority are somehow "threatened" or intimidated by their existence doesn't take away from the fact that I think Prius is a success and well loved by those that support Prius...and this is a large number of people.
And bringing this back to the v and the love... I think it's a good sign that there are current Prius owners and enthusiasts around here who do not care for it or do not "get" it. That means that the current Prius suits their needs well, and the v will suit someone else's needs. That's what Toyota's shooting for: getting new, different customers to buy this wagon. People who like the current Prius but see the v as a pointless, even detrimental, enlargement are unintentionally demonstrating how the v is going to appeal to different people and bring in new customers. If you're shedding a tear about going from 50 MPG to "only" 42 MPG rolleyes, your priorities clearly do not point towards the v and probably are more aligned with the upcoming C. I'm not one of those naysayers because my family will always own at least two vehicles and can easily see how the v would be better at hauling us all around than the current Prius would.
cmon it will get some hate, Toyota just hasn't sold any yet, so those that will spread the hate haven't seen enough to form a negative opinion. The prius wasn't hated until gen II, before that it just was a curiousity.
Well, I will be getting a v. I will test drive one and if the drive is quieter, I am trading my Gen III IV in. um, yeah. As I am sure you all know already. I was looking at the CT, but it is too small.
