Greetings all! Great board/forum.

I currently have an '04 HCH and am interested in something with a bit more interior room. I am not really interested in the HAH because I have been spoiled with my 40.8 MPG city driving average. How does the Prius interior compare with the Civic Hybrid? I am not able to see for myself, because there never seems to be a Prius on a Toyota lot.

Thanks for any and all replies.

Best regards.

Seating is at least as good...significantly more rear leg room than the HCH. Cargo space is also larger and much more accessible.

But, I'm not sure it's going to be a financially responsible decision to move from the HCH to Prius for the minimal gain in interior room.

Evan E. Fusco, MD
'04 Prius/BC moded to the T
'06 Highlander Hybrid Limited AWD w/NAV

It's difficult for me to compare the Prius to other Hondas but so far, I'm very impressed with the interior space. It's roomy for four adults and I do mean, adult size adults, not two adults and two kids. The back hatch access is huge for a car with the Prius' footprint.

The amount of interior room was one reason I went with the Prius over other hybrids.

Availability of the Prius is improving, especially in certain parts of the country. There may be a model to test drive soon, especially if you work with a dealer. Often they will let you test drive models promised but not yet delivered to buyers.

I've fit 8' lumber AND a fullsize wheelbarrow in my Prius (rear seats folded down). I've hauled my parents in the back seat on a 800 mile roundtrip journey, as they remarked, "this is roomier than our Buick Century". The hatch setup and fold-down seats make the Prius my EUV (environmental utility vehicle). It's so versatile, fast and a kick to drive. Oh, yeah, the 50 MPG is nice too. Don't forget that it's also a partial zero emissions vehicle (AT-PZEV...advanced tech partial zero emissions vehicle). I want to say the Civic Hybrid is only SULEV in certain states? Someone help me here...

'04 Seaside Pearl #7. Fumoto oil drain, mudflaps, rear bumper scuff protector & rear warn system, compass mirror, EV mode button, 8" subwoofer in right rear cubby & 6" subs under seats, power lumbar in the front seats, Coastaletech hitch w/ Aspen bike/snowboard rack. iPod2car, 2 amps, Alpine component speakers, and DVD video, solid 47 MPG @ 70000 miles.

Toyota Camry big enough? Apparently either a 2006.5 version or '07 CamH will be built in USA next year?!? Kewl..

Not sure on the specs however, as Toyota will almost certainly do market research first on whether the demand is for fast throttling, lower mpg Accord-buster, or rather a larger-size, higher efficiency sedan.

Furthermore, an interesting stat I 'heard' on CNBC today (can't verify), is that the Prius accounts for about 60% of US total Hybrid market! And These *might* be manufactured in US as well, along with Camry, next year or year after.. Thank you Japan!! Someone has to lead!!

http://www.spacedaily.com/2005/05050....5s0mi8qu.html

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- Offset Fossil Fuels - OFF -

It's roomy in the legs for the driver, but the one thing I noticed is that with the ginormous center console there's less elbow room than what I was driving before (Camry) I like it all the same, but it's hard to do that gangster lean when you can't get low enough.

Hi Renato:

___If you are interested in trading up, down, (or sideways ), you might want to wait for the Camry hybrid coming next summer? It will not have the same FE as the HCH or the Prius II overall but it will have better performance then either and its city FE may just match the FE your HCH is receiving currently?

___I have not heard if Toyota will use the 3.3L for AH like performance or possibly an Atkinsonized 1.8L Corolla ICE w/ HSD in the Camry hybrid yet? If they Atkinsonize the 1.8L, performance in the 9.0 second to 60 range similar to the I4 Camry and or Accord could be the result? Maybe slightly lower performance then this but not much. If Toyota uses the 3.3 L, you might see 6.0 - 6.5 seconds to 60 like performance but with a rather large hit in the FE department.

___Finman, the HCH is a PZEV when purchased in the clean states and it is cleaner emitting then any Prius released to date. Tier II-Bin2 for the PZEV based HCH vs. Tier II-Bin3 for the PZEV based Prius II. The AT means “Advanced Technology” but adds nothing to either the Prius II’s or the HCH’s emissions capability in the bigger scheme of things.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

Wayne,

Where did you hear the Prius doesn't meet the PZEV standard?

The PZEV standard doesn't allow for different "Bins" - that ranking is only applicable for states not adopting California regs. The Bin 2 standard is equvilient to PZEV/SULEV II, the Bin 3 is not. Toyota has stated all Prius' meet the PZEV standard, but need specially formulated fuel for lowest emissions. All PZEV vehicles released to date have this limitation, using other blends of fuels results in slightly higher emissions (even for the PZEV Civic Hybrid, hence the two seperate ratings for the same car, with the same emissions, depending on where you buy it.)

Therefore, any PZEV purchased and certified in the "clean states" must meet the same standard using the same reforumulated gasoline. Any Prius purchased anywhere in North America will meet this standard using this gasoline, as well as the Civic's specifically purchased as PZEV.

Sources:

www.fueleconomy.gov

www.epa.gov/autoemissions/detailedchart.pdf

www.epa.gov/autoemissions

Hi Gschoen:

___Where did you see that I said the Prius II was not a PZEV?

___I did add that the PZEV based HCH and Accord are cleaner then the PZEV based Prius II. The CAT’s and fuel control systems on the PZEV based Honda’s are more emissions efficient then the CAT(s) and fuel control systems currently available on the Prius II’s. The differing CAT efficiencies will show a Delta in emissions on either LS or HS fuels … The Prius is a Tier II - Bin 3 rated automobile on non LS fuel and a CARB rated PZEV on LS. The Accord and HCH PZEV’s are Tier II - Bin 2 rated on non LS fuel and a CARB rated PZEV on LS fuel.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

___In terms of fuel, it is not a specially formulated fuel, it is low sulfur fuel (LS) that lets the PZEV’s really shine. This helps most other PZEV’s and non-PZEV’s clean up their act as well. LS gasoline is available from many states outside of California as well as many stations around the country. BP-Amoco’s Ultimate here in the Chicago area, Green Planet at some Holiday stations in upper WI., and MN., and some Shell’s in MN. to name a few in the Midwest. We in the Chicago/Milwaukee area have the worst fuel of all other then the few specific examples listed above (extremely high sulfur and 10% ethanol laced) if you can imagine that

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net