Hi Bohous:
___If I were going to spend $21,000 on a Hybrid, I would purchase an 04 Prius. The big item here is “
if”. It is larger, just as efficient, and faster then the HCH but you can’t get them, they are too expensive, the rear view imho simplye sucks, and the gadgetry installed is somewhat idiotic.
___Larger in comparison to the HCH given the front and rear leg room as well as overall width and passenger and cargo carrying capacity is larger. This is however a compact with a hatch added to make it a mid-size. It is not the size of a Camry, an Accord, a Taurus, a Malibu …
___As efficient in that it has received even better fuel economy then the HCH w/ 5-speed or CVT on a tank over tank or just take a look at the EPA estimates. The HCH members will argue this to their death however
___Faster then the HCH w/ CVT or manual given a 9.8 to 11.43 seconds for a 0 to 60 run depending on who ran this performance test. When the pack is drained however, this thing is the slowest DOG on the road at 14.9 seconds to 60. On the slalom and especially the skid pad, the HCH will eat the 04 Prius alive.
___Availability … well, the 04 Prius’ aren’t available and the HCH is at a nicely discounted price in many cases.
___Gadgetry? Why would someone stick a fob into a slot and push a button in another location to start a car? The key in and turn used for many decades is about as simple and intuitive as can be used yet Toyota made this practice less ergonomic just to say it’s different??? SS/SE cures it of that problem but with the appropriate increase in cost for that option
The LCD with power flows is about the most useless piece of information available. After about a week, it means nothing. This is where the HCH with the Charge/Assist, various Instantaneous fuel consumption displays, and a tachometer not available in an 04 Prius come into play. The HCH’s gauge package is not only far more practical, it is also much more useful in the real world for improving ones fuel economy.
___The “if” part is because you are purchasing a 40 - 45 mpg car that is as slow to 60, slow in the slalom, and achieves lowly G’s on the skid pad, as any car you may have possibly owned in the last 10 - 20 years. Along with that, you have no height adjustable seats, no leather interior, no heated front seats, no telescopic steering, the rear view sucks compared to just about any mid-size sedan you can test drive, and it is outrageously expensive when you load it up.
___If I was to purchase a brand new Hybrid today, I would purchase the 04 Prius with the minimum of options. And in reality, I wouldn’t purchase one at all because it’s to darn expensive for what you receive in return.
___Definition of Fun? My definition anyway … A loaded up Ford Focus PZEV ZX5 5 Dr. w/ leather interior, heated-height adjustable seats, tilt and telescopic steering, power everything, ABS, CD/MP3 player, 16” aluminum wheels, powered sunroof, power everything else, 0 - 60 in ~ 8 seconds with a stick, 3 Yr./36,000 bumper to bumper, 5 Yr./100,000 Power Train, and a free Dell computer here near Chicago. All of this can be purchased for as little as $15,800 as equipped above. That is why it is on Car and Drivers 10 Best for the last 5 years. It is fun to drive and is relatively inexpensive for a car that can be loaded with luxury. Have you ever heard of Champagne taste on a beer budget? The Focus PZEV is my answer to that question given it’s a point and shoot rocket on a poorly managed financial plan
Then again, the 05 w/ the 2.0 L PZEV engine with a bit less HP (136 HP) but better fuel economy (35 – 36 mpg) is going to be available soon as well?
___PZEV means it is just as clean as the 04 Prius and even cleaner then the HCH in either CVT or 5-speed format using higher sulfur fuel.
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___
Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT
