Happy - So Far

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Just been checking my fuel economy stats over the last few weeks since I started working my car for my job. Overall I am well pleased. The last vehicle used by me for work was a Mercedes Vito Eurocab which being a large vehicle only managed an average of 26mpg. The Prius is coming in a 49.6mpg over the last couple weeks, which is almost double! :D

Granted the Prius is much smaller than a Mercedes Vito, but it earns me the same amount of money each day for half the amount of fuel! Now that's what I call a result, let alone the fact that I am now pumping a lot less CO2 and a heck of a lot less soot (PM10s) into my towns air.

I have added a few months worth of figures to my 'Fuelly' stats for the Vito which is how I got the 26 mpg figure. Click the Fuelly icon below to check out the stats to compare if you like.

[Bike Nut]

Hello grumpy cabbie, how do you find the heating system? As part of your job you must sit in your car for a bit, does the car keep the temperature up ok?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Hello grumpy cabbie, how do you find the heating system? As part of your job you must sit in your car for a bit, does the car keep the temperature up ok?

It does. It works fine. I am actually private hire and not rank taxi but I still get moments where I end up sitting around between jobs. I find the hybrid system great as it keeps me nice n warm and also keeps all the electricals running (sat nav, two way radio & despatch computer) and 12v Battery topped up. Only problem I find is that keeping me warm just bombs the fuel economy as the engine will kick in every now and then to top up the heat. I suppose this is still better than a normal car where the engine needs to be run all the time (with the exception of a few top end Mercs). Summer will be better as the a/c runs off the big Battery and I guess the engine will only kick in when the big Battery gets low.

All in all I am still pleased with the car. It is holding up well so far (though only at 3600 miles) and the customers all seem to like it. I must have to explain the workings of a hybrid system about 5 times a day. I am also surprised that many many people still think you have to plug hybrids in overnight! I should be on commision as I'm sure I have sold the hybrid idea to quite a few customers. I think there is so much miss-information and general nonsense said about hybrids over here in the UK that the public are just plain confused.

Maybe Toyotas marketing department should address this?

[Bike Nut]

Thanks for the reply, I am swaying further towards the Prius. Just need to do the extended test drive now.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Thanks for the reply, I am swaying further towards the Prius. Just need to do the extended test drive now.

So what's concerning you and I'll give you my honest opinion and/or experience. What would you be using the car for? How many miles will you do per year etc.

[Bike Nut]

I will use the car for work and some personal use. I have a large family car that my wife drives to and from work and we use this for normal family use, transporting 3 kids, bikes, holidays etc. I am an electrical engineer and my company car is used as transport to and from the office (15 miles each way), getting to site, working out of the boot, and being somewhere to spend lunch breaks etc while on site, hence questions regarding heating system. I also am on call for faults for 24hrs once every 5 days and spend quite a bit of time in the car waiting for staff/equipment to arrive, so when weather is poor, somewhere to escape the rain/frost/snow and get warm is important.

I usually cover around 25k miles PA, a lot of stop start journeys. I would like to have and automatic car next, and with the Prius having the smart entry, push button start sounds very appealing. My current car is a Peugeot 307SW 1.6 diesel 90hp manual which returns around 55mpg (drops to around 50mpg during winter). Its been a great car but Peugeot is no longer available on our company car list. My choices now are Volvo, Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall, Chevolet, & Saab. I get a set allowance and if I want a more expensive car I have to contribute towards it. I also have to pay for my fuel and claim back business miles so good MPG is a deciding factor. With my budget I am presently looking at the following cars.

Prius Gen3 T4 or the Volvo V50 Drive 1.6D. The Volvo is the second choice at the moment but only because its a manual car.

[cootuk]

This may sound obtuse, but some industrial sites only allow diesel cars onto their sites for fire safety reasons.

Another consideration, though depends on the sort of sites you visit.

(reply obviously meant for Bikenut not GrumpyCabbie)

[Bike Nut]

Hello cootuk, this would not be an issue, I very rarely visit this type of site.

[Dave R.]

I will use the car for work and some personal use. I have a large family car that my wife drives to and from work and we use this for normal family use, transporting 3 kids, bikes, holidays etc. I am an electrical engineer and my company car is used as transport to and from the office (15 miles each way), getting to site, working out of the boot, and being somewhere to spend lunch breaks etc while on site, hence questions regarding heating system. I also am on call for faults for 24hrs once every 5 days and spend quite a bit of time in the car waiting for staff/equipment to arrive, so when weather is poor, somewhere to escape the rain/frost/snow and get warm is important.

I usually cover around 25k miles PA, a lot of stop start journeys. I would like to have and automatic car next, and with the Prius having the smart entry, push button start sounds very appealing. My current car is a Peugeot 307SW 1.6 diesel 90hp manual which returns around 55mpg (drops to around 50mpg during winter). Its been a great car but Peugeot is no longer available on our company car list. My choices now are Volvo, Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall, Chevolet, & Saab. I get a set allowance and if I want a more expensive car I have to contribute towards it. I also have to pay for my fuel and claim back business miles so good MPG is a deciding factor. With my budget I am presently looking at the following cars.

Prius Gen3 T4 or the Volvo V50 Drive 1.6D. The Volvo is the second choice at the moment but only because its a manual car.

Hi Bike Nut - I've recently switched from a V50 2.0D to a new Prius - both company cars, so in response to your current situation....... I did all the sums on load space - the Prius is not actually that much smaller than the Volvo, but note that you don't have the option of a tow-hitch, & there are no roof bars on the Prius. For cabin practicality, the Prius is infinitely better than the Volvo (I think the Volvo designers are minimalists - they have no concept of the accumulated junk that is carried in a car!) though the Prius, like the Volvo has no ashtrays for putting rubbish in :(

The HUGE difference between the Volvo and the Prius as a company car is TAX - you will save getting on for £100 a month in tax... even though the lease costs of the two cars are similar. Depending on your company's expense policy, you will also gain on the better "pence per mile" rate for the petrol Prius vs a Diesel (my employer bases our expenses on the HMRC mileage rates, which have petrol 2p/mile higher than diesel).

As you will see from my "fuelly" signature, I'm only ( only ? ! ) getting 52-53 mpg out of the Prius - I'm not driving it particularly hard, but nor am I creeping around at 30mph! The car seems to have a "natural" mpg of around 52 regardless of whether I am pushing it hard or taking things easy! However, my old Volvo Diesel (05 reg) was only returning 42mpg, so I'm more than happy with the improvement.

My V50 was a top of the range SE, vs the T-Spirit Prius - so I'm missing some of the odd bells and whistles of the volvo (show-me-home headlights, split zone heating, electrically adjustable seats etc.) but then none of these are really critical.

On the other hand, the automatic is fantastic - takes a lot of the effort out of driving. Also, the new Prius has plenty of poke, so just hit the PWR button and it will zip around quite happily..... it will also happily accelerate its way up hills too (No - I don't do this as a mater of course, so it doesn't explain my mpg! it's just that I have a couple of hills nearby with crawler lanes that make them the safest place for getting round slow lorries!).

Finally, with any form of start/stop; sitting around etc. the Prius will win... you don't have the engine ticking over wasting gas! I still get a buzz from stopping / pulling away in complete silence when the car is running on Battery power!

Hope this helps in your decision!

Dave R

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I will use the car for work and some personal use. I have a large family car that my wife drives to and from work and we use this for normal family use, transporting 3 kids, bikes, holidays etc. I am an electrical engineer and my company car is used as transport to and from the office (15 miles each way), getting to site, working out of the boot, and being somewhere to spend lunch breaks etc while on site, hence questions regarding heating system. I also am on call for faults for 24hrs once every 5 days and spend quite a bit of time in the car waiting for staff/equipment to arrive, so when weather is poor, somewhere to escape the rain/frost/snow and get warm is important.

I usually cover around 25k miles PA, a lot of stop start journeys. I would like to have and automatic car next, and with the Prius having the smart entry, push button start sounds very appealing. My current car is a Peugeot 307SW 1.6 diesel 90hp manual which returns around 55mpg (drops to around 50mpg during winter). Its been a great car but Peugeot is no longer available on our company car list. My choices now are Volvo, Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall, Chevolet, & Saab. I get a set allowance and if I want a more expensive car I have to contribute towards it. I also have to pay for my fuel and claim back business miles so good MPG is a deciding factor. With my budget I am presently looking at the following cars.

Prius Gen3 T4 or the Volvo V50 Drive 1.6D. The Volvo is the second choice at the moment but only because its a manual car.

Well I can't really say much more than Dave R has added (thought probably will) and choosing a new car is all personal choice. I'm sure being an engineer the Prius will appeal to you in a technical way and it won't disappoint. My customers all comment on how quiet, smooth and comfortable the car is to travel in - which it is. You soon get used to it but are quickly reminded when travelling in a normal car. A long test drive is certainly recommended - I was sold after mine.

The keyless entry is great - esp if you have your hands full or are rushing when it's raining hard! The heating/ac climate control system should also be useful for you in your job (as it is in mine). When in 'Ready' mode (ie ready to go) the car is silent but the heating or a/c will continue to run, powered by the traction Battery. If the heat in the pipes starts to dissipate, then the car will automatically start and run for a few minutes to warm the coolant back up and then will switch off again - all whilst the heat is nicely blasting out as required. Obviously this does use some fuel but no where near the same as a normal engine would ticking over continually.

Cubby hole space is a little on the small side - the door pockets are pretty poor, though you do get two glove boxes (one big, one small), loads of space in the arm rest thingy and a nice space under the gear shifter. There are two power sockets and a plug for a music input which again is handy if you 'live' in your car.

The Prius isn't exactly a slouch (135bhp, 0-60 in 10.2 secs) and can confidently overtake - esp in Power mode, though I certainly wouldn't describe it as a sporty car. Steering is good and gives confidence, but it is 'drive by wire' and if driven enthusiastically can feel dull. Being a cabbie I don't hang around once I've dropped off my customers and do find you can drive quiet B roads with confidence and grip, but it does lack that certain something I can't quite describe. Perhaps describing the handling as 'American' would be better. Something for you to try out on your test drive ;)

In conclusion - I love mine - still, after nearly 4000 miles in just over a month. I am converted by the Hybrid system, previously being a supporter of Jeremy Clarksons views on them. In fact, my girlfriend is also converted and is considering replacing her 2008 Civic in about a year with the Honda Insight. Yeah I know it's not as good but she's a Honda gal

So, get your test drive booked and let us all know how it goes and what you think.

[Bike Nut]

Yipee! I have finally secured a test drive in the Prius, taking delivery on the 7th Jan until the 11th Jan. This will allow me to use it for work, especially in this cold weather and SDP with family at the weekend.

I will post my impression of the Prius as soon as I can afterwards.

Happy New Year!

[Bike Nut]

The snow has delayed the test drive, it is now the 27th January.

[Seamaster73]

Which model are you test driving?

I am considering a Prius IV to replace my Mercedes A170 company car when it comes to the end of its lease, and will be interested to hear your opinion.

So far, it is all the stories on the US Prius forum of creaks and rattles from the interior that are deterring me. That would drive me nuts. And, I have to say, I have had an exceptionally good experience with Mercedes and my local dealership, which might keep me loyal to them when a decision has to be made.

The saving in BIK tax is a hell of an inducement to take a chance on the Prius, though.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Which model are you test driving?

I am considering a Prius IV to replace my Mercedes A170 company car when it comes to the end of its lease, and will be interested to hear your opinion.

So far, it is all the stories on the US Prius forum of creaks and rattles from the interior that are deterring me. That would drive me nuts. And, I have to say, I have had an exceptionally good experience with Mercedes and my local dealership, which might keep me loyal to them when a decision has to be made.

The saving in BIK tax is a hell of an inducement to take a chance on the Prius, though.

Yeah they do creak and rattle a little bit. It's not too bad but I was expecting more from Toyota as they seem to have cut quality on the interior. It is a fun car to own though and the hybrid side will keep you entertained if you do a lot of driving. The fuel economy is amazing, esp for a petrol automatic and you can expect good mileage.

I guess you're doing the right thing arranging a long test drive. Even with some of the small shortcomings with this car I am still pleased with it.

[mfs1011]

Which model are you test driving?

I am considering a Prius IV to replace my Mercedes A170 company car when it comes to the end of its lease, and will be interested to hear your opinion.

So far, it is all the stories on the US Prius forum of creaks and rattles from the interior that are deterring me. That would drive me nuts. And, I have to say, I have had an exceptionally good experience with Mercedes and my local dealership, which might keep me loyal to them when a decision has to be made.

The saving in BIK tax is a hell of an inducement to take a chance on the Prius, though.

You can take a 48 hour test drive at most dealerships if you want to gauge the noise and driveability of the vehicle. If they won't let you take out a demonstrator Gen3 for an extended drive ask for a used Gen2 which most dealers should assist with.

However, you may look at JD Power survey results both here in the UK and the US where the Prius performs exceedingly well - second only to a Lexus here in the UK.

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/toyota-prius-tops-customer-survey/232610

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/quali...ge-#page-anchor

It's never going to have the snob appeal of a Benz, but behind the wheel you'll be amazed by the hushed progress this car makes. Then do the numbers again.

[Seamaster73]

Which model are you test driving? I am considering a Prius IV to replace my Mercedes A170 company car when it comes to the end of its lease, and will be interested to hear your opinion. So far, it is all the stories on the US Prius forum of creaks and rattles from the interior that are deterring me. That would drive me nuts. And, I have to say, I have had an exceptionally good experience with Mercedes and my local dealership, which might keep me loyal to them when a decision has to be made. The saving in BIK tax is a hell of an inducement to take a chance on the Prius, though.

Yeah they do creak and rattle a little bit. It's not too bad but I was expecting more from Toyota as they seem to have cut quality on the interior.

I could go as long as May 2011 before I absolutely have to change cars. My instinct is to wait and see if Toyota implement any mid-life quality improvements in the new Prius. The build quality of my baby Benz is beyond reproach, and I'd be very unforgiving of a Prius - that actually costs more - being screwed together less well.

What I've read about this surprises me, given Toyota's formidable reputation for quality and reliability.

[Bike Nut]

Its the T4 with no options, not long to wait now!

[Sagitar]

Its the T4 with no options, not long to wait now!

I have no complaints about creaks and rattles, but the Prius is undoubtedly (and I guess deliberately) of lighter build than other vehicles of comparable size and it seems likely that it will make a difference.

The Prius weighs about 70% of my last car, with an overall volume only 2% less (and is actully more roomy inside). I'm sure that some of the weight difference is in the engine and transmission train, but it wouldn't surprise me if the chassis is a bit less stiff and therefore more inclined to flex?

[johalareewi]

I like it when someone slams the rear passenger door and it goes boing. :o

[Bike Nut]

Picked up the Prius today at 10am. I was a little disappointed at first that it was a T3 when I expected a T Spirit, but soon got over it. It is pearl white and has covered 8K miles. I have covered around 60 miles today, mostly stop/start between sites and town driving, with a blast on the A1 home. The computer so far reads 66MPG, not bad at all. First impressions are that its easy to drive with a comfortable seating/steering wheel position. The car is very quiet, although it was raining when I left the office and I could hear the water in the wheel arches more than I can in my current car. That probably because of the diesel drone from the engine. The rearward viability is restricted but most modern cars are these days. Parking sensors will be an option I would choose. I love the key-less entry and start, the smooth CVT transmission, the ability to use no fuel at low speeds in town for a limited time. The boot space is smaller than I have in my current car but I expected that. I have managed to get all my work kit in but it is above the luggage cover and I cannot close it. The other storage areas in the car are good, under seat storage would be useful, but I managed to get all my paperwork and essential items stowed away.

So for 8/10.

Tomorrow I am driving from Newcastle to Alnwick and then back to Durham. Once in Durham I am on site and will be stop/start driving for the afternoon.

I will update tomorrow.

Cheers,

Bike Nut.

[ian rooke]

Hi Bike nut you do know about the extra luggage space under the floor of the boot?

[Bike Nut]

Hi Bike nut you do know about the extra luggage space under the floor of the boot?

No I did not, I will check it out in the daylight, thanks.

[Bike Nut]

Day 2 with the Prius and still enjoying it. MPG dropped to 62MPG on the computer, but drove at 70MPH where I could up to Alnwick and back. The car was made for my job; with the key-less entry and start, and the CVT transmission. The heating system works well when parked up, firing the engine when necessary to keep the engine temp up and batteries topped up. The car has a few rattles but nothing I could either sort myself or live with. The extra storeage space under the boot floor could be useful, but I carry a lot of gear and don't want to be taking stuff out the boot just to get at certain items. I will have to see what I use least of all and stash it there. The radio/CD/MP3 player is good as well, good sound and easy to use.

Still 8/10, nudging a 9 maybe.

Tomorrows journeys are all local max distance in one trip will be about 5 miles, no motorway or A roads. Mainly town driving with stop/start journeys around Newcastle.

I will be using the Prius at the weekend with my family to see how they like it and leaving the gas guzzler at home.

Bikenut

[johalareewi]

The extra storeage space under the boot floor could be useful

I have used this for small items and it is handy but, it can get warm so not ideal for a lunch box. :D

[Bike Nut]

Its been a while since I test drove the T4 and I did not finish my report but the car must have left a good impression because I have gone and ordered one for delivery in September!

Its a T4 in red with no options.

Two months and waiting.