Thinking about buying a 2015 Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon)due (primarily) to high mileage driving (25k+ / yr). Most of this mileage is with 2-3 people in the van (work and travel hockey). Occasionally haul more passengers which is very convenient, but only a few times per year. Have dogs so would need the larger Prius. I just can't decide. I have a 2013 Odyssey with 55k miles, many luxury options such as extremely comfortable leather seats, easy to adjust (electronic) driver seat, heated front seats, nav, roof rack for kayaks, towing (which we do not use any longer). On paper, I will save significant $ over the next 3-4 years commuting to work and hauling kids and dogs around if I go with the Prius Three - even after buying a new roof rack. The driver seat seems (at first try) to be fairly rigid and not all that comfortable. No real leather, so fabric seats which I can handle but is more maintenance to keep clean. Do not want to upgrade to non-breathable eco-softec (hot!). Getting kayaks off a shorter car vs. the van is a plus as well. Really want to save gas on the high mileage, but think the potentially less comfortable seating with manual adjustment only is a negative. Honda electronics seem to be more reliable than the touch screen in the Prius (according to user comments)? Any other thoughts on comparing these two vehicles for someone who drives 25k+ a year and only uses extra seats occasionally.
There really isn't any comparison. If you want the space and comfort of your van, then get a van. Although a better choice is the Sienna. There are compromises to be made for the high MPG. Its up to you whether its worth it to you.
How much do you think you will save in mpg? From what I can deduce, 25k miles a year means mostly highway driving at 28mpg in the Honda versus maybe 42mpg in the Prius v. Quick calcs shows 300 gallons a year saved at $3 gallon is $900 a year. Unless you are also saving on car payments, dollars alone may not be the deciding factor.
I cannot get over 21 mpg combined on my Odyssey. I will drive 50/50 - back roads to work and highways for sports / weekends. I calculate gas savings more like $1800 per year. Have already taken a big hit on Odyssey depreciation, so trying to compare all angles.
Then you are getting the 21mpg combined that the Honda is rated for. Still the Honda is an expensive vehicle to start with so the ride and luxury (and sound system) is likely to be much better. The Prius MFD screen is fine, some complain about the navigation but my "standard" model 3 nav works when I need it and the voice commands on it and the phone interface work as well. Prius models sell like hot cakes when gasoline hits $4 and typically don't get much discounting at the dealer. Right now it's opposite. Finally you can't tow with a Prius v (at least with Toyota's blessing).
Actually, the stated purpose for this purchase does not really call for a van. But I'll repeat my suggestion that the Sienna is a better drive than the Honda, and might improve on the MPG just a bit. That said, there are a number of small wagons that will meet your needs, even a RAV4 would do that. And any of them will improve on MPG.
I live in NC where it has been in the hundreds several times in the last few weeks. I don't find Softec particularly hot. I do have a white car and light grey seats but I drive in shorts most of the time in the summer and have never experienced anything odd, in fact I paid extra to have the Softec put into a v three. I have a v, son's family has a Sienna. But he has a 6 person family and occasionally 8 in the van so the added room helps. That said he also puts 25k plus miles a year on his Prius hatchback. My suggestion: run the Odyssey until your family changes or it gets unreliable. Depreciation is usually lots more than fuel cost differences. And fuel costs are only going lower according to the pundits. You also speak fondly of Odyssey options/features you aren't going to get on the v.
Our solution is a minivan (VW Routan) and a Prius. Sienna or Odyssey are better but that's another story. We put many more miles on our Prius. I like the minivan for quickly putting my Kayak inside the van, and then I drive off to my favorite fishing spot. If you put a Kayak on top of the the van, man that's high up there so you need a stool and such, which I have done. A roof top box on a Prius can rival minivan carrying capacity, did that for a couple years. But I do not know.
A Prius v will never have the people hauling or cargo room that a minivan has.. And a minivan will never get over 30 mpg. So it's a toss up. Do you need 3 rows of seats?? If so then you need a minivan. If the answer is that you can get by with 5 seats and you want better mpg then go for it. The cargo room in a Prius v is pretty impressive... last week my family and I went to ikea and bought my daughter a new daybed. We got all 3 boxes to fit into the hatch with the front passenger seat fully forward, wife was not thrilled with her knees into the dash but we got the bed home without having to rent/borrow a pick up truck.
Somewhat of a tangent but thought it was cool. About time machine - The Kiinote - Motor Trend A pretty short article comparing the 2012 Prius v to a 1995 Honda Odyssey. (For those that don't remember, the original Odyssey in the US was a 4-door wagon/van thing like the Prius v)
actually, that's a great article, and spot on to the conversation. if she were looking at buying one or the other, in my mind, the only question is, does the v have the necessary volume for your personal needs.
That Motor Trend article was fun if only because the comparison of the two cars had already struck me as interesting. Here is a working link to it: https://www.motortrend.com/features/about-time-machine-prius-v-takes-me-past-and-present-16551#google_vignette Ultimately though I found the article disappointing. Obviously the fuel economy (which is precisely why I bought a Prius v) is much better, but the takeaway for me isn't how incredible the Prius v's fuel economy is but how terrible the 1995 Honda Odyssey's was. The other thing the article didn't address which I find intriguing is that while the exterior dimensions of the two cars are pretty similar (The '95 Odyssey is 3.8" longer, 2.7" taller and 0.6" wider than the v) the cargo volume and interior volume of the two are dramatically different at least in the EPA ratings I could find: Cargo volume, max: Prius v = 67.3cf; Odyssey 93.5cf (+39%) Interior volume: Prius v = 131.5cf; Odyssey 152.8cf (+16%)
I'm also not clear why one is (was) classified as a minivan, and the other as a wagon, when their exterior dimensions and form factors are so close.
A lot of water has flowed under the bridge in 30 years. And a lot has changed in the ten years since the review. The modern Honda Odyssey uses hybrid technology and is probably more correctly compared to the Toyota Sienna.
The comparison I was making and that the Motor Trend authors were making was between the '95 Odyssey and the Prius v. I am well aware that over time (like many/most/all?) vehicles the Odyssey has become bloated beyond recognition, but that has no bearing on the comparison we were discussing.
We replaced a ‘96 Dodge Grand Caravan at 16 mpg with a ‘12 Prius v Five at 42 mpg and had the same ability to haul kids and their stuff to and from universities. Of course it depends on what and how much is being carried, but we found the replacement to be (mostly) plug and play.
