Interesting review on the Toyota Prius.

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Ouch. My dad drives a Prius and I don't mind it...

In any case, it has a 4-5 star crash rating. My dad averages mileage in the mid-50s (I guess it depends on how/where you drive it), and my friend that keeps raving about turbo-diesel says it isn't in the US yet (but will be soon).
 
Top Gear rocks - and have been in one of these I have to agree with him on all accounts.

Except the bullet proof thing. No one shot at us when I was in it, so I can't agree with him on that one.
 
One of my favorite Prius Moments was when Larry David (who drove a Prius on the show at the time) was getting chased down the street on foot by a big german shepherd, and someone drives by in a Prius and he waves and yells 'hey, Prius!' Effing priceless...such a biting satire on ye olde Smug Alert.
 
I've have said that a turbo diesel will get better MPG then that POS. My family had a little diesel gulf when we lived in Germany, and it was getting ~50 MPG, and that was in a beater.

Does anyone also realize the amount of pollution that is cause by them simply making the battery for a hybrid? When I get to work I'll pull up what I can to back that up, but I remember it being said that for what it takes to make one of those batteries, its equal to driving a car for its whole lifetime.
 
Ok I found this, it isn't the article that I had read before but it does give good insight. This is from the UCBerkley


Vehicle Production Pollution:
The production process for the hybrid vehicle is very different than the production process of a gasoline vehicle. There are similarities especially in regards to the production of the gasoline powered engine. Thus the production of the gasoline powered engine in the hybrid is similar to that of a gasoline powered vehicle however the addition of the electric engine increases the environmental impact of the production of the hybrid vehicle. The greatest environmental impact comes from the pollution caused by the elaborate battery system that powers the electric engine. The battery pollution is substantial because the creation of the batteries requires destructive mining to produce the batteries and the caustic substances that power the batteries must later be disposed of. The caustic substances that power the batteries are very poisonous and when released into the environment leech into the waterways and poison groundwater.

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~coreyp/hybridenvimp.html
 
I hate top gear, but that was pretty good. When they reviewed the new Vett, I was about to go crazy.
 
In many foreign countries you can buy diesel equivalents of vehicles sold as gas only here. Like the Nissan Frontier for example.
 
Turbo diesels are they way to go. Why they don't produce turbo diesel hybrids, I don't know. That would be the best of both worlds IMO.

I've got a Passat TDI and love it! It's a shame they stopped importing them. Driven normally I get ~30 in town and 40 on the hwy. If I'm in a hurry, I can drive 80 and still average 36 mpg. It's not as good as the golf/jetta/bug TDIs, but it's much bigger and more powerful. I once drove from CO Springs to Santa Rosa, NM and back to CO Springs on a single tank of gas. I had logged 690 miles before I filled up. :D
 
I love Top Gear, hate the Prius, and make a point of cutting them off in traffic every chance I get.

The British review of the prius(the newer body style, that takes place in England) is pretty funny too.
 
Lil' Sparky said:
Turbo diesels are they way to go. Why they don't produce turbo diesel hybrids, I don't know. That would be the best of both worlds IMO.

I've got a Passat TDI and love it! It's a shame they stopped importing them. Driven normally I get ~30 in town and 40 on the hwy. If I'm in a hurry, I can drive 80 and still average 36 mpg. It's not as good as the golf/jetta/bug TDIs, but it's much bigger and more powerful. I once drove from CO Springs to Santa Rosa, NM and back to CO Springs on a single tank of gas. I had logged 690 miles before I filled up. :D
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Diesel engines don't like starting and stopping very much. Their higher compression ratios and dependence on heat for proper detonation means they require more energy to start. I believe this is why they haven't been paired with hybrids. They also cost more than an equivalent gasser, which would make a hybrid cost premium even tougher to justify.

We're slowly getting new-tech diesels back in the States, but blame Cali and NY for killing the old diesel VWs off here. They just weren't clean enough and still coughed out a lot of particulate pollutants. Clean diesels are on the way, though. I'm personally looking forward to a 2010 boxer-diesel Subaru Forester.
 
I drove a Prius for one day, one very sucky day. I got it as a rental when my old car was in the shop. It accelerated like a slug, the brakes were very grabby, and I just don't trust a car that only has forward and reverse. Even normal automatics usually have at least 1, 2, D, and R or at very least low, drive, and reverse. Golf carts have forward and reverse....

My sister and BIL recently bought a toyota highlander. They looked at the hybrid version but it was nearly 8k more expensive. Any money saved on gas is eaten up by the higher car payment:(:confused:
 
Laurel said:
I love Top Gear, hate the Prius, and make a point of cutting them off in traffic every chance I get.
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So you actually make a conscious choice to drive in a dangerous manner, and be rude to other drivers, based on the kind of car they drive?

Or did you forget the little ;) so people know you're kidding?
 
Laurel said:
I love Top Gear, hate the Prius, and make a point of cutting them off in traffic every chance I get.

The British review of the prius(the newer body style, that takes place in England) is pretty funny too.
Click to expand...

I love this episode of South Park.

 
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My '89 Civic Wagon got 43 averaged over 204,000 miles. I'm not even slightly impressed by the Prius. 20 years newer, 1/3 the room and only 20% better mpg? How about a diesel Polo?
 
MrFebtober said:
They also cost more than an equivalent gasser, which would make a hybrid cost premium even tougher to justify.
Click to expand...
They don't have to. My Passat TDI cost a whopping $200 more than the 4 cyl gas version.

MrFebtober said:
Clean diesels are on the way, though. I'm personally looking forward to a 2010 boxer-diesel Subaru Forester.
Click to expand...
Yes, hopefully we'll have a wider range of clean diesels to choose from soon. The diesel Forrester would be a nice option!
 
Now that i'm home and had a chance to watch the youtube vid, I see that this is not actually from a Top Gear episode, but actually from Jeremy's UK DVD release: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly". It's a pretty entertaining review of American-market auto industry through the eyes of Clarkson...as long as your skin is thick enough.
 
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well there are few cars which i WILL buy in my life. one being the Caterham 7, another being a new triumph( if it ever happens) and the other being a lotus of some hind. that being said i dont care for gas millage if i like the car. however i wouldnt mind a cheap economical car for trips and the such or at least one that is slightly more comfortable then a caterham. so a small diesel car would be great and i could totally see myself driving one, just wish they would bring them over already.
 
I've ridden in a couple Prius' (or is it Priui?) and I didn't get the same impression that Clarkson did. Seemed like pretty typical Toyota quality to me. Acceleration, comfort and handling all seems about what I'd expect out of a car that size. As for the 'look'--- *shrug* they don't look that different to me than any number of other cars out there. It's got the same pointy nose as the Ford Focus and the same weirdly flattened back end as the Honda CRX-- I have no strong feelings either way.

And all 3 of the Prius owners I've met haven't been in the least bit smug, self righteous or trying to convert anyone to their choices.

Now that's not to say I haven't seen news bits or read articles with smug owners of the Prius, but let's be honest: the kinds of people who the press interview are going to be the most extreme examples of owners and the are going to use the most dramatic quotes from those people. One shouldn't think of those people as being representative of all owners any more than you should think that all homebrewers are like that Marine that was in the forums some time back telling everyone the *right* way to do things and making threats.

It's a car. It's a purchase that is of questionable fiscal intelligence. Getting angry at those people is no different than getting angry at people who don't pull their pants up all the way or people who wear a bluetooth headset on their ear: what the fark difference does it make to your life? None-- so why are you letting some other guy's decision bother you?

Getting angry at people who make different choices than you do is just silly.


And engaging in dangerous driving behavior and putting people's lives at risk because you don't like their car is irresponsible and criminal.
 
Yea but kornkob, I hate people that wear those stupid bluetooth headsets in their ears all the time! They look stupid and pretentious. I mean really, who's so important that they get phone calls ALL the day at random unless you're a realtor or a lawyer?

So people don't like the Prius. Big deal. They aren't ever advertized like a vette or an SUV. They're newfangled economy cars. That is all.
 
EvilTOJ said:
Yea but kornkob, I hate people that wear those stupid bluetooth headsets in their ears all the time! They look stupid and pretentious. I mean really, who's so important that they get phone calls ALL the day at random unless you're a realtor or a lawyer?
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*shrug* it isn't MY ear so what do I care. I think that facial piercing looks stupid but that doesn't make me 'hate' anyone who has it. Again--- not my face so why would it bother me.


Some people dislike men with long hair-- I still get that from people from time to time. Some people think facial hair makes a man look 'dishonest'. Nonetheless I'll keep my facial hair and ponytail and anyone who 'hates' me for it can kiss my shiny metal ass.
 
EvilTOJ said:
I hate people that wear those stupid bluetooth headsets in their ears all the time!
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If they're in their car, they damn well better be wearing one! In Los Angeles, EVERY driver has got a phone in their hand, swerving all over the place and paying no attention to the road. Starting next month, they will start ticketing people not using a headset or hands-free system, and not a minute too soon.

For people walking around, I agree...it looks stupid. Still, people have every right to look stupid. Why should it bother you?

They aren't ever advertized like a vette or an SUV. They're newfangled economy cars. That is all.
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They don't have to advertise them. In SoCal, there is a six month wait to purchase a new Honda or Toyota hybrid, and a $5000 "dealer charge" on top of the sticker price. They can't make them fast enough.
 
When 90% of people who own priui drive around at 10 under the speed limit and come to a stop before making a right hand turn when they have the right of way, and can't be bothered to accelerate at a normal rate, it affects me. It seems that MOST people who drive them(at least around here) don't give a **** when they get wherever they're going, nor do they pay attention to anything around them.

Perhaps I should have been more clear. I don't cut in front of them and then slam on my brakes(I'd win), I merely get in front of them(which isn't difficult considering how slowly they're driving) using the generous gap between them and the car in front of them that they've provided.

I honestly don't see the point of "playing the gas mileage game" in accelerating super slowly and other things. It takes the joy out of driving and really doesn't make that much difference.
 
BlindLemonLars said:
They don't have to advertise them. In SoCal, there is a six month wait to purchase a new Honda or Toyota hybrid, and a $5000 "dealer charge" on top of the sticker price. They can't make them fast enough.
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They can make them fast enough. This is marketing. If there's less supply than there is demand, then the product gets hyped and people think it's special. GM's doing the same thing with the Buick Enclave. Intentionally stifling production is one of the best things you can do for interest of a car and sales.
 
Frankly, the few minutes people save zipping through traffic never made much sense to me. In fact, on more than one occasion I've actually beaten or arrived at the same time as someone when I drove the 'slow and steady' method I always use and they used the 'zip in and out of traffic and always try to get going faster' method. Yeah-- that's anecdotal and thus not really a 'fact' but I personally have no problem taking my time getting where I'm going. Honestly, I find it hard to believe people's lives are made richer by filling it so full that the extra 7 minutes makes a difference.

Laurel said:
I honestly don't see the point of "playing the gas mileage game" in accelerating super slowly and other things. It takes the joy out of driving and really doesn't make that much difference.
Click to expand...

there are 2 points to be made with this:

a) the 'joy' of driving is something many people don't experience most of the time. For example: once in a while on back country roads I like to pull out the stops and roar around in the Passat we have or even in my little Mazda. But most of the time driving is a convenient conveyance. If I could afford to have someone drive me, I would.

b) There is a big difference in gas mileage when you do slow acceleration and avoid deceleration, especially in hybrids that scavenge energy from braking. It is well documented and nigh indisputable that how you drive has a significant impact on fuel consumption (and wear and tear).
 

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