Prius to buy or not to buy

[irish2171]

So, actively considering dumping my Honda Ridgeline for a used hybrid and/or used 30+mpg (city) gas vehicle. I have pretty well narrowed options down to Prius, HCH, Hyundai Accent/Elantra. I really like the Prius, but the purchase price is a stretch for my taste. I have always been a fan of Honda, owned several, but have seen several posts about various issues with the HCH especially not getting the 40/45 mpg. Really starting to give serious consideration to the Hyundai options. Never been a fan, but they are starting to entice me.....great ratings, warranty, price. Looking for some advice from Prius owners on their personal thoughts.

[ALS]

Well I went from a 20 mpg on average Volvo to my Prius and never looked back. The idea of saving almost $1000 a year in gas made the change well worth it. When you look at the purchase price you have to also figure in the fuel savings.

If you decide on the Prius I'd suggest going with a third generation 2010 and newer.

[Harold]

I have to agree with ALS. Go for the Prius even thou it is a stretch as you will save much more in the end in gas savings. H

[all_about_the_glide]

If you spend a lot of time on the highway the HCH is a viable option...imo the used price reflects the battery problems. Driving in the city, suburban roads filled with chain stores and stop lights, or rush hour crush the Prius hands down.

[RedylC94]

Irish2171, please keep us informed what you decide and how you like the results. Your plans, budget, and concerns mirror mine almost exactly, except that I have a much older vehicle almost due for replacement, and that I will not consider any sedan. Maybe an Accent hatch, or used Prius or ___?___ .

[WriConsult]

Used Priuses have been fetching very steep prices since last spring. The combination of high fuel prices, low new-car sales 3 years ago (reducing today's supply of 3 year old ex-lease vehicles on the market) and cash to clunkers has driven used car prices sky high, and the more fuel efficient the car, the worse (for buyers) the price is. Exactly a year ago I was in the market, and I found decent used cars to be so overpriced and hard to get that I ended up buying new instead. I ended up with a Hyundai ... I'll respond to that one on your Hyundai thread.

What I really wanted was a used Prius. If I had bought in summer 2010 I could have had a 3 year old one for $11-13k. Now a Prius 3 years old or newer goes for not much less than new. After you've shopped the market for a while you may end up deciding a new Prius with 0 miles on it is a better value than a used Prius, especially when you consider resale value.

However, you may decide (as I did) that a new Prius is just way out of your price range. In non-hybrids, I don't think there's anything out there that beats the value of an Accent if it works for you (again, more on that in the Hyundai thread).

If you're already considering a car the size of the Accent, you really also should take a look at the Prius C. It's considerably less expensive than the regular Prius, should be capable of slightly better mileage in most driving situations, has more normal-car controls and has rear blind spots that aren't nearly as bad. Pretty much my dream car for everyday driving.

[EVuser]

My son bought a Prius last week and it was the relative lack of depreciation that made the numbers work for him.

[ksstathead]

OP, you didn't describe the amount and mix of driving that you need the car for.

We love our 2010. Used ones do seem expensive, but then again, it is a testament to toyota's hybrid system compared to IMA. I still own the only 2 honda's we've had, the '00 CR-V and the '08 Fit. They do their thing fine with honda reliability. But I've never been thrilled with their hybrids.

Prius is good for 50 to low 60's for me on the freeway, 70+ in longer town trips, and maybe 40 on our 1.5 mile commute, no advanced techniques required. Our lifetime average is 50 mpg (actual) or about 52.5 per the trip meter. Prius c seems to do noticeably better than this from early reports, though not at high speed freeway.

Oil change every 10,000 miles, no belts of any kind, essentially no brake service needed.

We plan to trade for a PiP next year, most likely, to eliminate the short trip penalty.

I favor Prius for city driving, high mileage (HCH good if mostly highway).
I like Hyundai/Kia if my budget was too tight or mileage too low for Prius, based on mpg, value, reviews.

[xcel]

Hi Irish:

Did you end up buying anything?

Wayne

[Graeme]

I bought a new Prius c a few weeks ago. Love it. 50.4mpg average. 68mpg some trips.