I've had my Prius (III) for about three months now and I don't have to tell you twice about how much this vehicle making a huge impact in my life. But wanted to share you the impact I've had owning this vehicle. Before the Prius, I owned a pretty decent fuel-efficient vehicle, 2003 Honda Civic LX (32/38 city/highway). With a daily trip of 32-34 miles per day to work and back, I was filling the Civic up once a week. So how does my Prius compare? Here are some stats... Work Commute - 14.75 mile commute each way - Morning with very little stop-and-go traffic - Afternoon with a moderate stop-and-go traffic 2003 Honda Civic LX - 12.4 Gallon Tank (I filled up when there was roughly 1-1.5 gallon(s) left in the tank) - I filled up every 6-7 days @ $30±$1/fill (at current rate of $3.05/gal) Cost per month (4 week months): $120/month 2010 Toyota Prius III - 11.9 Gallon Tank (I fill up when there's 1 bar left in the gas-meter) - Filled up every 11-12 days @ $27±$1/fill (at current rate of $3.05/gal) Cost per month (4 week months): $81/month Plus the maintenance costs (oil changes) have made an impact as well. By the end of the third month, I would have already made an appointment to service the Civic, but now with Prius' 10K mile oil-change I can wait close to 7 months before I have get it serviced. So already I'll have an approximate of 50% reduction in oil service fees. With all of these changes financially and also doing a good deed to mother Earth of using less fuel, I see a HUGE positive impact on the environment. I've also noticed my driving behavior has changed and even others. Always set to the eco-mode, the slow-to-start Prius has classically conditioned me to accelerate slowly and drive at a constant speed rather than at high/low speeds. I catch myself sometimes going at the speed limit or if not lower by 2-3 mph. This has helped the vehicle to travel in greater distance using the battery more than fuel. When commuting to work on the freeway, I sometimes see the same people follow behind me going from the suburbs to downtown. At first I felt a little stalked, but have learned that these individuals regardless of other passing vehicles are learning to be fuel-efficient by "following" fuel-efficient cars. Have you followed other hybrids? So... in conclusion, I wanted to share some short-term stats of what I'm experiencing in savings and how much of an impact the Prius has had on me with my driving behavior and commute. Share your story.
Yea and you got a more refined, better equipped car with more interior room. Prius defies the conventional wisdom that said you need to downsize (and compromise) to gain efficiency.
