I just placed an order for a metallic grey Package #8 Prius. I have soul searched for the last two weeks between the Camry, Civic, and Prius. For my current lifestyle, the Prius was the best match in a practical manner. Surprising because before today, I hated hatchbacks. The practicality of the Prius worked its way past the much sexier Camry and has thus far, won me over.

I wanted to share my thoughts, not to start a flame war just for information of others. All are awesome cars and this country would be a different place if more people made the choice to drive them.

1. It is odd, there is high demand for the new Camry right now but not so high you couldn't get your exact car in my region within two weeks. The Prius, on the other hand, is still being advertised as 8-12 weeks waiting. So the waiting is not a plus in favor of the Prius. But the hype momentum the Prius has going for it I am banking on to keep the resale value of my vehicle high. If people are still waiting listed in 15 months when we will know more about the real next generation Prius, that will keep me in a more favorable selling place.
2. I was won over by the Prius' usable interior space. The Prius seats fold flat and make for an interior that allows for stuffing to the same degree my Jeep currently does. The Camry's hole between the trunk and interior is a better than the Civic but hardly usable unless you often transport rolled carpets. Myself, I pack my cars with outdoor gear, be it for climbing/surfing/camping and the Prius was a better match for that lifestyle and its wear on materials.
3. The mileage on the Camry disappoints me oddly enough. It is still double what I currently get but I had this odd feeling that I could be doing more. This reservation was compounded when I realized the more affordable Corolla (and smaller) is nonhybrid and can match the Camry in efficiency. Once I made efficiency a goal in this car purchase, I wanted it to be the best and 50-60 mets that goal.
4. It was an easier transition to the Prius more economy and industrial interior than the luxury stylings of the Camry. I have always driven Jeeps, Landcruisers and the like and I guess I am just a few years shy of the Camry lifestyle. I treat my current car like a Jeep and know the level of cleanliness obsessive compulsive cleaning required for the Camry being a rock climber with a dog might be unrealistic.
5. The very well established fleet of current model Prius' in this country is a plus if I need to buy a replacement battery pack. Odds are in my favor that by the time I need one a third party lith-ion version will be available or a salvaged one from the 100,000 plus current gen Prius already sold.
6. No one outside of a burning man festival ever got laid because he drove a Prius. I am happy and comfortable in my current relationship but the unsexiness of the Prius has been a hard pill to swallow for this 30 year old. That said, it is a more practical car for where I am in my life today so I placed a preorder.

Good luck in your own decisions.

 

Good for you! Why settle for high thirties (guestimate) when you can get high forties (from the database).

 

Congrats on your new Prius! We still love you... now, GET OUT! (Just kidding.)

 

Good luck on your Prius. My daughter got her arm burned on the metal side of the Prius so that was one reason we didn't get it. Also with twins age 16, a comfortable back seat is a must.

On your plus side, the Redlands (CA) Toyota dealer had a Prius (blue) ready for me to pick up. No waiting list. So drive out to Redlands and pick it up.

 

You need to be a little younger and be near a liberal-arts college

Alternately, be near an engineering school- the pickings may be slimmer but they'll see the inherent sexiness in the technology.

 

I've been noticing Mustangs and wanna-be cars lately that have decals that boast Boss, Racing, etc. on the window glass, just to let you know something about the car/driver. (As if I cared.) Wondering if those cheap decals are working for them, or if they glue them on their cars to compensate for other inadequacies.

 

Hilarious replies. Thanks for the feedback.

I hear you on the back seat thing. Thankfully for me, at least as far as I am aware, I don't have any kids yet so the back seat will be more for gear. Making it a little uncomfortable is fine with me as having been the Jeep guy for years I have always been the go-to driver for any excursion. Can you talk more about this arm burning on the metal side? This is something I have never heard of before. Because it is off topic in a wrong forum, it would be best to do in a PM most likely.

Steve, that is not necessarily a new thing but just a new twist on age old 16-21 compensation issues. Back then I just skipped all that and went straight for a vanity license plate that said "GODZILLA DICK"

 

You need to move to Oregon. People here appreciate the Prius greatly.

Lance

 

I strongly disagree on this one. I think the Prius is MUCH more sexy and unique.
The Camry's styling is like a... Camry (much better for 2007 though!).

But the quiet and luxury feel is what swayed me in the end.

It would be nice if I could own both and drive whichever suits me that day!

 

Totally agree! I bought a Camry largely because of the available features and comfort. In terms of style, I think the Prius rocks. If I could have gotten a moonroof and leather (and power seats, and...), I think that would have been my first choice. It's a sharp looking car - very much like the 70s Hollywood idea of the car of the future.