Ah, ok. Hear it on another forum but wasn't counting it out yet. Just sounded way too much for what you get.

I believe that you can get killed in almost any car involved in a head-on collision. However after seeing the video of the 30mph crash test with a full sized Mercedes, I was impressed. The "Beetle" had no captive audience when it was introduced nor did the Ford Mustang. So I have to disagree. Not all Americans want the Big Gas Guzzlers. If they did then the Japanese wouldn't sell so many small cars here in the US. Granted this is the smallest of the small but I'm betting it will take off like a rocket.

They will sell from 15,000 to 28,000 US, fully loaded with a leather interior and all the bells and whistles. I've even heard less the 15.000.

Can't address the actual problems , but I've never seen a car introduced that didn't have something that changed in subsequent models due to a problem with design.

Here is and example of what I said.

"The challenge is how to expand hybrid technology to more models and more lines," Masatami Takimoto, Toyota's executive vice president in charge of advanced power train and engine technology, said at the company's new steel and glass global headquarters. "My personal desire is to put the hybrid to all the models. But it cannot be done overnight, only step by step."

Some drivers have said that the actual mileage of the Prius, Toyota's third-most -popular car in the United States after the Camry and Corolla, often falls short of its federal economy rating. But Mr. Takimoto, responding to that criticism, said, "The majority of customers say that their second-generation Prius gets much better mileage than their old car."
Now this comes from the Horses Mouth.



[u]

I think the mileage claim probably does fall a little short to the general population because I'm sure that a majority of them are not willing to change how they drive in order to get the mileage. There are some here that see to do very well with the mileage on their Prius's judging by the Database. Do you really think it's that possible to have that much of a variance in performance on such a tightly toleranced piece of equipment? I don't think so, if there was that much of a variance then you would be seeing more failures due to wear and tear and other problems. I don't own one yet so I can't for 100% say for sure but I think the mileage lays 95% in the hands of the operator.

can someone post a link to the smart and the mercedes suv collision?

www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp

scroll down to box MSNBC and click on box

thanks

it's not playing on my computer though, oi.