2015 Prius - "It’s the most intelligently-executed basic transportation since the Model T"

Finally some kind words about the Prius from the media reviewers.

 

wow. guy was pretty funny for a gear head writer, and he's mostly spot on, though ymmv.

#5) apparently, he couldn't hear the noisemaker.

 

The speeds he cites were revealing of his character.

The article was more about him than it was about the car.

 

i suppose, but at least he was brutally honest, about the car, and himself.

 

Priceless! He was also brutally honest about Prius owners

Mostly, he got the good things and the bad things dead spot on. Far better than reviewers that either miss the idea altogether and make it into something else, or those reviewers that try to beat you over the head with an mpg is god mentality.

 

What surprised me the most about that review were the comments following the review.. I read through a lot/most of them and there was no crap in there at all.. just a whole bunch of fairly intelligent conversation.. it was almost.. strange.

 

Indeed, I can write a script for Edmunds and other mag comments without reading them first.

 

not sure i agree with the:

“From Columbus to Manhattan, the Prius returned about 51 mpg despite being asked to cruise at 80-90 mph.”

45 mpg is the best i get at those speeds.

 

Could there be a bit of hyperbole in this part? -

"Exiting the Holland tunnel, I pressed the “EV mode” button. The engine didn’t turn on until we arrived at the hotel and had to wait for the valet. No fuss. No drama. Half an hour on the battery, stopping, starting, listening to Father John Misty on the crank-up. It would have been two gallons’ worth of gas in anything else."

 

I've driven from the Manhattan exit of the Holland Tunnel to Chinatown and it's just over a mile. Driving at a moderate pace I could see doing it on EV fairly easily, but if It took half an hour I'd be surprised if the engine didn't start up at least occasionally to charge the traction battery.
However, if he'd just finished a long drive at a reasonable speed the battery would have been at full charge, and I suppose he could then have managed that stretch entirely on EV.

 

What are drl's?

 

Daytime Running Lights. Some U.S. vehicles have them, some don't, but it is very unusual to have switchable DRLs.

 

i've spent half a day in the holland tunnel, to go one mile.

 

I'm guessing he bought in to the dash displayed mpg.

 

yep. beautiful thing, i finally understand toyota's logic.

 

A disply inflated 51mpg is still better than a display inflated 30mpg.

 

or even deflated.

 

You caught it on a good day!

 

Even though Prius liftback combines maximum interior space with maximum efficiency and minimum aero drag, countless buyers will not consider the car because of its looks. Some people don't mind driving a car that others say looks like a computer mouse, but most people want contemporary, attractive looks.
Prius liftback would not sell very well as a 33 MPG $19k conventional IMO.

Look how the Acura TSX sportwagon flopped in sales. Why? Because I think certain wagons remind people of a hearse.