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Originally Posted by McSwell
If I can also take the low emissions tax break (that may expire, though, right?) of $3500, the savings would be around $7000.
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Are you referring to the federal income tax credit? It's $3150, not $3500, and to qualify you will need to take delivery of the new Prius by September 30. The credit will be half of that amount for the six months after September 30. And be sure that your federal income tax situation will be such that you will benefit from the credit.
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Originally Posted by McSwell
So my question: because I get higher than average mpg on my Corolla, am I likely to get higher than 48 mpg on a Prius? Or are all you Prius owners such careful drivers that you would also get 36-38 mpg on a Corolla? Or is this an impossible question to answer?
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Well, you can check the mpg database on this Web site to see what people are actually getting. I can tell you that I live at the top of rather steep hills. Because the Prius is a heavy car, with its massive hybrid battery that it hauls everywhere it goes, having to climb steep hills affects mpg very noticeably. (Then too, my car has only 2400 miles on it so far, and mpg isn't at its best early in the life of any car.)
I agree with finman that you should consider emissions as well. We don't get paid for reducing emissions like we do for reducing gasoline use, but we can all feel better and breathe better when we do it. The Prius is a very clean-operating car.