Why I gave up and bought a Prius Prime

[MXWing]

Just realized I could have FIVE Prius Primes for 1 maxed out P Model 3.

Need help deciding what will be more fun:

Driving just the one same ol same Model 3, 5 times a week

OR!!!!!

A different Prius Prime Monday-Friday?

Though a plus side of the Primes is I can get all 5 rear ended and repaired faster than the one 3.

 

[chronopc]

Just realized I could have FIVE Prius Primes for 1 maxed out P Model 3.

Need help deciding what will be more fun:

Driving just the one same ol same Model 3, 5 times a week

OR!!!!!

A different Prius Prime Monday-Friday?

Though a plus side of the Primes is I can get all 5 rear ended and repaired faster than the one 3.

Get 5 Primes and give me one. You'll still be left with 4.

 

[ebmcs03]

LoL because of this post I ended up getting a Prius Prime to accompany the model 3.

 

[insaneoctane]

LoL because of this post I ended up getting a Prius Prime to accompany the model 3.

View attachment 320702

So which do you pick to drive and why?

 

[ebmcs03]

So which do you pick to drive and why?

I alternate between the two. The Prime replaced my wife’s 2010 Prius. We carpool to work.

But If it’s a bad parking place we take the Prime. Weekend outings the model 3.

The prime actually is pretty smooth. Toyota really improved on the drive feel of the new Prime.

However it’s still slow as a snail. It can’t get out of its own way. It’s very very gas efficient. Even in hybrid mode I get around 60 miles per gallon.

I do 60 miles round trip a day and I drive 25 miles on electric mode and the rest on hybrid mode. With that type of driving I’m getting 120 mpg. Right now I’ve driven 400 miles and used 1/4 tank of gas. I’m hoping to hit 1000 miles being having to get gas lol

For a $27k car and $6k rebate it’s a good deal.

I wish I could get it for $16k like the original poster but being in expensive California. I’ll accept a $21k Prime.

 

[chronopc]

I alternate between the two. The Prime replaced my wife’s 2010 Prius. We carpool to work.

But If it’s a bad parking place we take the Prime. Weekend outings the model 3.

The prime actually is pretty smooth. Toyota really improved on the drive feel of the new Prime.

However it’s still slow as a snail. It can’t get out of its own way. It’s very very gas efficient. Even in hybrid mode I get around 60 miles per gallon.

I do 60 miles round trip a day and I drive 25 miles on electric mode and the rest on hybrid mode. With that type of driving I’m getting 120 mpg. Right now I’ve driven 400 miles and used 1/4 tank of gas. I’m hoping to hit 1000 miles being having to get gas lol

For a $27k car and $6k rebate it’s a good deal.

I wish I could get it for $16k like the original poster but being in expensive California. I’ll accept a $21k Prime.

That's a good deal. Pretty much the price of a Camry.

 

[ebmcs03]

That's a good deal. Pretty much the price of a Camry.

Ya it’s a good deal currently with the ca rebate and fed tax credit. Never know when those will be cut. Trump may try to trump it again. Plus wife’s car was getting old. 8 years. So might as well replace it with.

 

[systemBuilder]

OMG guys what is this, a love-fest among Prius owners?

REAL tesla owners LEASE a plug-in hybrid until their tesla comes in (buy american : i leased a ford fusion energi SE). In february, after waiting 2 years, BOTH our cars died, deader than doornails. We are giving up on the japan junk and buying american, now.

In many ways Prius is a poor car, harsh ride, only seats 4, and YES THE BATTERIES DO FAIL

 

[fallen888]

I just can't get behind a Prius. I'm glad it exists, and definitely better for the environment and efficiency than a standard ICE, but it's not for me for two reasons:

1. It's fugly. Every variant of it. It just looks awkward and a huge turnoff for me personally.
2. It still has an ICE inside. It's definitely a step forward from traditional ICE only vehicles, but I'm a "go big or go home" kinda guy in this respect - 100% electric please.

 

[bro1999]

I just can't get behind a Prius. I'm glad it exists, and definitely better for the environment and efficiency than a standard ICE, but it's not for me for two reasons:

1. It's fugly. Every variant of it. It just looks awkward and a huge turnoff for me personally.
2. It still has an ICE inside. It's definitely a step forward from traditional ICE only vehicles, but I'm a "go big or go home" kinda guy in this respect - 100% electric please.

The styling is horrid. And people complain about the Bolt's styling! If the Bolt is fugly, the Prime fell off the fugly tree, hit every single branch on the way down, then landed in the fugly bush.

 

[rdlink]

I can fully empathize with that and was in a similar position just after the reveal.
When we stood in line, we were thinking a $35K with no frills type of car, cloth seats etc.
But as time passed it became obvious to both of us that the car we really wanted was pushing us to the Long Range.
So we made the mental shift over a year ago so that when the invite did arrive we were ready for it.
After driving my LEAF for almost four years, I don't have it in me to buy an ICE.

I never had any illusions that I would be driving a $35K Model 3. I knew that if I did buy one it would cost at least $45K-$50K, because I knew I would get the AWD version, and I am not a "cloth seat" kind of guy.

Still, I think that the "$35K version" when it shows up will be revolutionary.

 

[silentcorp]

What happened to car designs in the last few years? That Prius is insanely ugly. Same with the new Hondas!

 

[seidinove]

I also understand OP's reasoning, but a high priority for me is to get some enjoyment out of driving my car. I like my 2001 V6 Camry because it responds to my lead foot, as I'm the type of driver who accelerates quickly to the speed limit. From a qualitative perspective (i.e,, without running any numbers), Tesla is a perfect combination of that type of driver satisfaction and environmental friendliness.

On the other hand, the Prius sounds like the automobile equivalent of castor oil. As this review points out:

The Prius remains one of my greatest automotive frustrations. I want to like the Prius...

Yet the Prius isn’t remotely fun to drive at all. It takes an epoch to accelerate, even in its most energy-hogging setting. This grates on you. Any car that gets in the way of the great distance this car needs to get up to speed automatically becomes my greatest nemesis.

Once you’re up to speed, it’s not much better. Hard eco-tires make sure you corner slower than you’d like to whether you’re deathly afraid of corners or not. It has a tendency towards safe, predictable understeer when you approach the low limits of those tires, although perhaps not as much as you’d expect. A far worse sin is the car’s suspension, which is so inexplicably springy that the car bounces along on the freeway.

 

[PhaseWhite]

Just realized I could have FIVE Prius Primes for 1 maxed out P Model 3.

Need help deciding what will be more fun:

Driving just the one same ol same Model 3, 5 times a week

OR!!!!!

A different Prius Prime Monday-Friday?

Though a plus side of the Primes is I can get all 5 rear ended and repaired faster than the one 3.

Hate to burst your bubble, but you could only get 3 Prius Primes for the Maxed out P price.

 

[jdmasters]

What happened to car designs in the last few years? That Prius is insanely ugly. Same with the new Hondas!

I know. I kinda liked the old iconic look of the prius, but they are beyond fugly at this point.

 

[Stirfelt]

As one writer wrote .... "The best thing about driving the new Prius ...... you cannot see the outside."

I feel Toyota design department has lost their way with regards to styling of their entire line-up, including (especially) the Lexus. I once dreamed of owning a Lexus ..... now, they don't even appear on my short list.

I'm a visual guy. I like to look at beautiful women, airplanes and cars. I owner a 2010 Prius. Fantastic automobile, and I thought the form followed the function, which I appreciated. I would be driving a new Prius today .... if the design had not totally and completely turned me off.

 

[SageBrush]

I owned the Prius Prime for about 15 months while waiting for our Tesla. It has a lot going for it:

• Tremendous value; probably #1
• Amazingly efficient
• Outstanding Driver Assist and safety package, even in the base trim
• Toyota reliability and Customer Support
• Regarding aesthetics, my wife LOVED the look; I loved 3 of four sides. I tried to not look at the back

 

[rdlink]

Just realized I could have FIVE Prius Primes for 1 maxed out P Model 3.

Need help deciding what will be more fun:

Driving just the one same ol same Model 3, 5 times a week

OR!!!!!

A different Prius Prime Monday-Friday?

Though a plus side of the Primes is I can get all 5 rear ended and repaired faster than the one 3.

It's like old saying goes. Giving up bacon may or may not make you live longer. But it will definitely make it seem longer...

 

[devilmountain]

The only thing uglier than a Prius is the Mirai. I really think Toyota hired the Pontiac Aztec design team. I had to move a Prius down the street once as a courtesy to the owner so it would not be towed. It was not even remotely enjoyable to drive.

 

[bro1999]

I honestly don't understand how a person not already a slave to the Prius brand can justify getting a Prime over a Volt, aside from a pure price perspective. Especially now that the Volt is getting several much awaited upgrades (faster 7.2 kW L2 charging, power driver's seat, etc...)
The Prime's styling makes the Volt look like a Corvette, the Prime has 53% less EV range, it has half a seat less (we'll count the Volt's middle rear seat as 1/2), inferior performance numbers, no Android Auto/Carplay. I mean other than price, the Prime has almost nothing on the Volt. I still remember one autorag's concluding line to a Prime vs Volt review: "The Prime owner will feel perfectly fine with their choice. Just as long as they don't ever drive a Volt".