How much MPG would you give up for Luxury

We wouldn't just be giving up mileage, though. I'm sure the pricetag on the Lexus will be $10000 more than a Prius.

 

I would not want to give up any mpg. There are very few things I would want that are not already in the Prius. A sun roof maybe. Better sound system. My only request would be plug-in capability which would offset any added weight such as bigger tires. I guess I don't need bigger anything really.

 

NONE!

What is luxury except junk we don't need, have to pay for, and in the end leave the car with as little value as any other.

We now have a car that is (reasonably) comfortable to sit in and drive, heats the air, cools the air, opens the window, lets us listen to the radio, keep the rain off the wind screen! What the hell else do you need? heated seats are nice I guess. Self parking?? rear camera? All stuff I don't want or need!

What I want is Toyota to make a light weight Prius based Pick Up. With an removable aerodynamic canopy it would be perfect. Drive in any lumber yard and look at the rigs. F-350's hauling 12 2x4. If I need more than I can carry, I have it delivered for free!

I drive a 82 VW rabbit pick up that gets 35 mpg and totes me and my stuff just fine.

Icarus

 

I second the cry for a Pri-ckup

The Prius is already more comfortable than our other "luxury" car... okay, it's a Buick Regal, but that's pretty plush.

I realize that there are a lot of people that really don't think you can get a good car for under 50K, but there's more of us that think 25K was pretty steep for a vehicle. Fortunately, the Prius is well worth it, in our minds.

 

I also think of my Prius as a luxury car already. But Luxury comes in so many differnt quanities same as MPG. I would stick with the light weight luxury items and forget the heavy ones like Granite dashboard, Slate floors, Jacuzzi.

 

I'll give-up 1 MPG for a Better Driver Seat!

Just kidding - the seat should be better and it should come standard, not as a "luxury" item. As it is, I'm cramped with my knees up-higher than they should be. But I'm 6'4" so I'm at least thankful that my size 15 (US) shoes do not get stuck under the dash b/w brake and gas pedal (like they do on so many other cars).

I would also give a mile or two for improved braking. May be the '04+ are better, but the '01-03 leave a lot to be desired under heavier braking (brake fade overall, vibration/noise due to rear drums, skinny tires don't help with a good braking distance either).

I've been contemplating also letting some air go out my tires lately - as they wear down, they ride has become harsher than it should be with ~40 PSI on balding Potenzas... That comes at a few MPG penalty as well and rewards me with a smoother and more luxurious ride...

 

We bought a Lexus 400h hybrid last June, and I drove it every day until a couple of weeks ago. My husband actually chose the Lexus (more for luxury, size, good pick-up than gas mileage), but then the next day decided he wanted the Porsche Boxster instead. So, we traded in my Honda CR-V for the Boxster, and I took the Lexus. It was an interesting weekend.

However, last month he hurt his knee and ended up having knee surgery. That made getting in and out of the Boxster very difficult for him. (It was always difficult, IMO, but it became truly dangerous for him at that point.) So, he took the Lexus, and I started driving the Boxster. Although the Boxster has appeal (incredible acceleration, for one), I'm not the sports car type, and I don't ever drive/ride with the top down, so much of what the Boxster offers is lost on me. Also, I think only members of Cirque du Soleil should attempt getting in and out of it.

So, four days ago, we traded in our seldom used Toyota Tacoma (not a good commuter vehicle) for a 2008 Prius Pkg #6. I chose this car, and I'm very happy with the choice.

Friends/co-workers have made fun of my switch from a Lexus to a Prius, because they see the Prius as an economy car. I think they are just uninformed. I find that the Prius has every feature that I need and many beyond those that I enjoy. It even has some features that would improve the Lexus, like the outlet inside the center console, so I can charge my phone inside the console rather than having the charger and the phone hanging down from the cigarette lighter.) The Prius has a really fun high-tech look and feel, which I like better than the traditional look and feel of the Lexus. Yes, the Lexus has a few more bells and whistles, but it also cost $22,000 more. That's serious money, and I'd rather keep it than have headlights that move with the road or automatic windshield wipers.

As for gas mileage, I've just started driving the Prius and therefore have not perfected my technique or broken in the vehicle. Also, I have a short commute. Neverthless, I'm getting about 42 mpg. I got 22 mpg in the hybrid Lexus.

So, to sort-of answer your question--I would not choose luxury over gas mileage, or over having an extra $22,000 in my pocket. However, I don't think you have to make that choice when you buy the Prius, because, for a moderate price, it comes very nicely equipped.

 

6-cd changer, satellite navigation, climate control, power windows/mirrors/everything, reverse camera..
It's already a luxury car; with a price-tag to match!

Of course, my last car was a 1.5L 5-speed manual which might have had power steering.

I like my Prius because it's shiny and geeky; I don't think I need any more luxury (except maybe a better stereo), and would probably be happier with less luxury and more mpg.

The reverse beeper in particular is one piece of "luxury" I would love to be able to disable - but on the non-US model; you just can't.

There, that should place my vote firmly in the 'less is more' check-box

 

The only thing I would like to have on the Prius that isn't available is a power seat. Actually, I don't even care if it's powered. I just want to be able to adjust the height and pitch of the seat cushion. I'd also like if the cushion were a bit longer for more thigh support.

 

One would think that with a higher price tag they could also improve efficiency, awd with an electric drive for each wheel, super capacitors to increase regen recovery (as in the toyota supra hybrid in 24 hour race), lighter weight materials, etc.

 

What luxury features does the Hybrid Camry have that the Prius does not? IMHO, the Camry is a step down. One of the best 'luxury' features in the Prius is the 'joystick' transmission shifter. The Camry still has a console mounted 'move right, move down, move left, move down, now you are in Drive' shifter. Same transmission, there is no mechanical linkage. And it the Prius gets 33% better mileage for a car that is almost the same size plus it has 40% more cargo space.

 

How long, 8', 10' 12' The only common 'lumber' you can put in the back of an F-350 that I can't get in my Prius is 4' x 8' sheet goods.

AND I can put it IN the car with the hatch shut, not out in the weather like the pickups. Most only have 6' beds, cap or no cap, some is hanging out in the rain. You can get dozens of 8' 2x4s in the car just by folding the right side seats. 10 footers go up on the dash so you can't get as many in unless they hang out the back with the hatch tied down. 10' 1/2" PVC pipe can bend down to the floor on the passenger side.

And like you said, if you need a LOT, have them deliver it and save yourself the load and unload work

 

Somebody's been reading too much RiceTrend. First, the interior isn't stripped out. The only thing it's missing relative to some other cars in its class (but not all) is power seats. And since when are the wheels itty-bitty? Maybe compared to the 24" chrome wheels on some of the trucks (and Caprice Classics for some reason) around here, sure. But those things are driven by jackasses.

And the answer is none, because leather and a little more comfort wouldn't cost fuel economy on the same car. (More power, maybe, but I wouldn't buy it.) It would just cost more money. Power seats and a tilt/telsecopic wheel? I'd pay a few hundred $US. But I won't give up the possibility of 60MPG.