Okay... so I'm new these forums. But I'm doing my early research because my next vehicle is going to be my first Hybrid. I just want to read and gather info from actual owners who drive and live with a hybrid car. I want a Prius , but my hubby is trying to pull me toward the Honda. Either way..I am going as greene as possible, and need all of your input to make a decision.
Welcome to this forum. A lot of Prius-savvy people here. I assume that when you said Honda, you meant Honda Civic Hybrid. Comparing with Civic Hybrid, Prius - is more spacious (due to hatch back) - is more fuel efficient (45mpg vs 38mpg - real world average of many) - has worse handling (due to poor suspension at the rear, and tall profile) That is a very short 3-point summary for your reference.
tell DH i was getting 53 mpg yesterday on a 120 mile highwaytrip. then check out the cost of fuel at the pump... many rental companies now have prii - go rent one for a few days and check it out.
Both the Honda Civic and the Prius are great cars. When I was looking for a Hybrid, I looked at and drove them both as well as the Camry Hybrid and I suggest that you do likewise. I chose the Prius because: 1. I loved the "in your face" technology. 2. The higher mpg that the Prius gets. 3. The extra interior room over the Civic and luggage space over both the Civic and the Camry. Don't rush, try them both and come back and let us know when you choose the Prius because it was the best
I made the mistake of taking the Civic Hybrid for a 8 month, 12,000 mile test drive that cost me about $5000. The Prius has more pep than the Honda Civic Hybrid and once you tweak a things (tires and BT Tech Plate) the Prius handles just as well. If you want to be greener, there is no comparison. Prius is a midsized car with better economy than compact Civic.
This is, after all, Priuschat, where we might just possibly a wee bit biased. What are your needs? Freight-hauling capacity? Fuel economy? Creature comforts? Killer tunes? Geek factor? Community spirit? . _H*
As best as I can tell, the biggest "advantage" of the Civic over the Prius is that the Civic looks more like a "normal" car than the Prius. Other than that, and possibly the handling (although the Prius doesn't handle all that badly, and the touring version is available for more $, or you can do some aftermarket things to improve handling somewhat), I know of no other advantage. Most people here like the styling of the Prius, feel that its "different" look is a plus rather than a minus, but that's purely a matter of personal tastes and preferences and nothing we say one way or the other is likely to change those. I suspect your husband is reacting to the look more than to other features of the Prius/Civic debate. The Prius is bigger on the inside, more comfortable, more hi-tech, and gets better mileage. I also think it is slightly less expensive than the Honda, although that certainly depends a great deal on option packages. But no matter how you slice it, both are very good cars and you probably can't go too far wrong with either.
