Prius haters, i have questions for you.

[Snowolf2]

First off: The Prius is just so ugly. So, so, so, so ugly. It makes a hot pink Beetle look like a 911 GT3. It's astonishingly hideous.

Second: It's not THAT fuel efficient. The Honda CRX HF and Civic VX got the same MPG's (or better!) and were pure gasoline engines.

Unfortunately the Prius is one of the only "fuel efficient" vehicle options for the average U.S. consumer. Our dearest friends G. W. Bush and crew has helped make that a reality. I want more small/fuel efficient commuter car options like Europe!!!!

The Prius is not fast, it does not handle well, and its brakes are average at best. It seems that the Prius is marketed as kind of an "ultimate commuter". But I don't think it gets enough MPG's to warrant that title. Please Toyota. I think you've tried too hard to gain any performance out of it and make it comparable to other mid-size cars. The fact is though, the Prius is not like other cars, its a hybrid and should be marketed towards hippies, not the average citizen. Yes were a bunch of stupid American consumers that love our horsepower, but go ahead and find one person who bought a Prius because it was fast. I suggest you get it over 50 MPG combined city/highway driving. That will really get America started on the fuel efficent road. Also, screw the 0-60 time (not that it had a decent 0-60 to begin with). The people buying Prius' right now only buy it because they think its the Environmental Messiah coming to bring them to the holy land. People will buy it whether it does 0-60 in 10.5 or 13 seconds.

I understand the idea behind it and what the Prius stands for. It's low emissions are nice as well, but I wouldn't take it brand new for $1,000 US.

I just thought of this: Toyota, why don't you make two Prius models? You can keep the one you have now that people think is "comparable" to other cars, and then make one that does what the Prius is supposed to do: high MPG pure commuter car.

My vote: Hurry up with the hydrogen fuel cell cars already!!! SAVE US FROM THIS PRIUS HELL!!!

[Madman]

All I want is to know why you guys hate it so much?

Is it the lack of power? the company? the fact that it saves the environment? the fact that you guys want the environment destroyed faster? seriously tell us

EDIT:I'll admit that the first gen was ugly but the second prius is bloody beautiful.

No, it's the hyper-inflated fuel economy claims (no Pious owner has ever got anywhere near the claimed MPG), the lacklustre performance, the battery pack which costs thousands to replace when it goes kaput (and it will, eventually) and the energy-intensive manufacturing process which more than wipes out any environmental advantage Toyota claims this car has. Add to that the sanctimonious, self-satisfied snot rags who drive these things with their "I'm saving the world and you're not" attitude.

Oh, and it's STILL butt-ugly!


Is that enough reason for you?


Cheers,
Madman of the People

[wwgkd]

No, it's the hyper-inflated fuel economy claims (no Pious owner has ever got anywhere near the claimed MPG), the lacklustre performance, the battery pack which costs thousands to replace when it goes kaput (and it will, eventually) and the energy-intensive manufacturing process which more than wipes out any environmental advantage Toyota claims this car has. Add to that the sanctimonious, self-satisfied snot rags who drive these things with their "I'm saving the world and you're not" attitude.

Oh, and it's STILL butt-ugly!

That.

[DBR9]

The Prius isn't all that bad in terms of looks etc. But thats not but the thing that turns me against the whole concept of the prius, it's the people who endorse and own them and preach about them. They automatically assume they bought the miracle answer to global warming and seem to assume everyone else has made the wrong choice and therefore everyone else is satan in disguise and inconsiderate etc etc.

But the thing is the Prius isn't all that, we recently brought a BMW 520d touring that has achieved 55mpg on the motorway with air con, radio and satnav running and it has achieved 46mpg around town with the same circumstances. So if BMW can get a 2+ tonne estate to put out economy figures to rival all these eco hybrids yet still retain amazing performance well it just makes the prius look simple and highly over-rated to me.

[Zytek_Fan]

People in the US go bonkers about a hybrid, because we can't hardly get diesels.

But that's about to change.

[wwgkd]

People in the US go bonkers about a hybrid, because we can't hardly get diesels.

But that's about to change.

Well, with the price of gas where it is, having diesel cost $1.00 more is a pretty big difference. I don't think diesels in econo cars are going to make more headway until the price difference narrows somewhat so that the mileage is able to take effect. Plus so many people here still see the diesel engine as a dirty polluter.

[DBR9]

People in the US go bonkers about a hybrid, because we can't hardly get diesels.

But that's about to change.

That is one thing i have never got about america. you all have rather powerful cars with crap fuel consumption but why?

Your national speed limit is lower than ours and if we can survive with 2l diesels why are you all running around with 5L v8's under the hood. Our 2L kicks out 180bhp and i cant remember the torque, but it does 0-60 in sub 8 has a top speed of 165mph and does as i mentioned 50mpg with ease if america could just convert to diesel your co2 emisiions and oil use would plummet overnight.

[wwgkd]

That is one thing i have never got about america. you all have rather powerful cars with crap fuel consumption but why?

Your national speed limit is lower than ours and if we can survive with 2l diesels why are you all running around with 5L v8's under the hood. Our 2L kicks out 180bhp and i cant remember the torque, but it does 0-60 in sub 8 has a top speed of 165mph and does as i mentioned 50mpg with ease if america could just convert to diesel your co2 emisiions and oil use would plummet overnight.

We have them because we still stoplight (and barstool) drag-race.

Our diesel fuel was to lower standards until very recently and is currently much more expensive because we can't get enough, for various reasons, and because we don't have as many taxes on gas as most european countries do. Plus diesels have largely been seen as extremely slow and polluting in the past. But the current record holders for fastest (top speed) pickup in the world, and quickest (1/4 mile) pickups both streetlegal and otherwise are all diesels, so maybe the slowness perception will change soon along with the better image of it's environmental friendliness.

[DBR9]

We have them because we still stoplight (and barstool) drag-race.

Our diesel fuel was to lower standards until very recently and is currently much more expensive because we can't get enough, for various reasons, and because we don't have as many taxes on gas as most european countries do. Plus diesels have largely been seen as extremely slow and polluting in the past. But the current record holders for fastest (top speed) pickup in the world, and quickest (1/4 mile) pickups both streetlegal and otherwise are all diesels, so maybe the slowness perception will change soon along with the better image of it's environmental friendliness.

Fair enough its only recently in the last couple of years that diesels have been able to outperform petrols but nowadays even the crap diesels outperform their petrol counterparts. I can understand that petrol and the associated 1/4 mile races seem to be apart of American culture. It would take a while but perhaps if America was to focus on making diesel more accesible and viable to the public instead of trying to miss out diesel and go straight from petrol to the doomed future of Bio-fuels things might progress faster.

[wwgkd]

Fair enough its only recently in the last couple of years that diesels have been able to outperform petrols but nowadays even the crap diesels outperform their petrol counterparts. I can understand that petrol and the associated 1/4 mile races seem to be apart of American culture. It would take a while but perhaps if America was to focus on making diesel more accesible and viable to the public instead of trying to miss out diesel and go straight from petrol to the doomed future of Bio-fuels things might progress faster.

I think a lot of that comes from the lobbyists for the corn industry getting huge subsidies. Here (probably other places too,) it's not really what's better for the environment, it's what people can convince you (or the government) is better for the environment. We've lived with the nuclear boogeyman for years, so instead we use 70% oil burning power plants and a significant number of coal burning plants. Despite all the attention being payed to cars, the vast majority of oil used in the US is for industrial purposes.

[Rasmus]

That is one thing i have never got about america. you all have rather powerful cars with crap fuel consumption but why?

Your national speed limit is lower than ours and if we can survive with 2l diesels why are you all running around with 5L v8's under the hood. Our 2L kicks out 180bhp and i cant remember the torque, but it does 0-60 in sub 8 has a top speed of 165mph and does as i mentioned 50mpg with ease if america could just convert to diesel your co2 emisiions and oil use would plummet overnight.

Because gas and V8's were cheap and plentiful. I'm not about to give up my 4.6ltr anytime soon. It's a bit embarrassing to admit it but it makes me smile every time I turn the key.

Compared to Denmark I find the average speed limits on Interstates, highways and within city limits to be higher. Traffic somehow flows better.

And yes, you can get good deals on V8 muscle cars, SUV's and trucks these days. Some dealers won't even accept SUV's as trade-ins anymore. On the other hand, if you want a Smart you'll have to wait 8 months. I don't believe the current hybrids are the way of the future but I do think some of the diesel hybrids may see light of day much sooner than anticipated.

[wwgkd]

The reason we don't have more diesel electric hybrids (I heard) is that they're so expensive. Diesels are expensive, and so are hybrids, so if you combine them it makes sense. But I've been wanting to see them for a while. Especially in trucks. All that torque and better mileage for those long tows seems like a logical choice, but aside from some concepts from dodge among others there hasn't been much.

[Ferrer]

What is curious is that Americans seem to drive fast cars slowly and Europeans drive slow cars fast.

Fair enough its only recently in the last couple of years that diesels have been able to outperform petrols but nowadays even the crap diesels outperform their petrol counterparts. I can understand that petrol and the associated 1/4 mile races seem to be apart of American culture. It would take a while but perhaps if America was to focus on making diesel more accesible and viable to the public instead of trying to miss out diesel and go straight from petrol to the doomed future of Bio-fuels things might progress faster.

That's if you drive lazily, but if you use the pedals and the lever between the seats petrols can keep up with diesels with no problems at all.