Prius Perception

[Bray12]

I am currently writing a dissertation (Thesis) on this title, i am looking for opinions and it would be great to hear your thoughts as to whether the Prius has changed the way you view Toyota, for instance being more environmentally friendly? Thank you.

[Opifex]

I don't believe that the fact that Toyota led the way in making more fuel-efficient cars shows that the company is more green than any other. To me, it simply means that they have a very clever management who anticipated what the market would be demanding and developed the product ahead of competitors.

I'm afraid that if other contributions are as helpful as mine you are going to have a very short dissertation. Now, if you could change the title to "What is the general public's perception of the Prius" I'm sure you would get plenty of material.

Ignorance.

Disbelief.

Criticism.

Envy.

Hostility.

Good luck.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

The Prius does work, it's very technical and if it wasn't for the fact that it was made by Toyota I wouldn't ever trust having one.

Put it another way - If Peugeot (sorry to pick on them) made the Prius I'd stay well clear!

[timberwolf]

Should I get one of these bumper stickers for my Prius? :)

Baby Seal Club?

[Jan&tone]

Should I get one of these bumper stickers for my Prius? :)

Baby Seal Club?

LOL or you could have that on one side of the bumper and "my wife is driving our Hummer" on the other side!

[johalareewi]

Put it another way - If Peugeot (sorry to pick on them) made the Prius I'd stay well clear!

You could have picked any French motor manufacturer.

[Chris Dance]

Toyota Prius is the best car I have ever owned.I have had excellent service from Toyota dealers. The car does everything we want it to.

My son has a T spirit Gen 2 Prius used here and on the continent. The only problem he had was the standard tyres on the Gen2 were useless in the snowy French Alps. He changes to snow tyres every Winter that solves the problem. He has done 50,000 miles and no mechanical problems at all. (He also has a Toyota RAV 4.)

It is very easy to not close fully the rear hatch of the Prius; if this happens expect a flat 12v Battery. This has happened to a lot of Prius owners.

It is amazing how many folk ask how I charge the batteries!! One lady said they are putting charging points for electric cars in Milton Keynes so it is going to get easier to charge electric cars shortly!!

[Sagitar]

Should I get one of these bumper stickers for my Prius? :)

Baby Seal Club?

It could be misunderstood

[capnbirdseye]

The Prius is the most enjoyable car I've had since I was a teenager & had my first car ( 1965). I've only had it since Jan this year but I keep finding excuses to go somewhere in it rather than use our heavy going old camper van.

I do find a lot of negative rubbish on internet forums such as' why buy one of them when you can have a diesel', thousands of people die mining the stuff for the batteries etc and the most annoying of all 'the car is slow' etc.

On a recent discussion on a computer forum frequented by a lot of under 30's there was a motoring discussion going on & someone brought up the subject of 'hybrids and would you buy one', this started a deluge of misinformed rubbish as usual so I dared to mention that the Prius can give a good many cars a run for their money as far a acceleration is concerned etc.

This resulted in ' you call 0-60 in 10 seconds fast' LOL ? So I said that it compares or even beats a lot of cars on the road such as the Mondeo & even some versions of BMW 3 series ( 13.7s shock horror) and added that with the Prius we are talking about an automatic.

This resulted in presumed frantic internet checking to see if I was telling porkies and one or two sheepishly admitted they were surprised and asked a few questions about the Prius.

I had to point out that I'm not a tree hugger by any means and bought the Prius for the complete package and not just economy and went on to list all the 'toys' that come with a T.Spirit such as voice activation on just about everything, super smooth transmission unlike any other car ( except electric) etc.

I doubt I converted a single one of them but hopefully at least made them think differently.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Should I get one of these bumper stickers for my Prius? :)

Baby Seal Club?

It could be misunderstood

I thought it rather amusing

I like the following quote too (which is probably false) which seems to sum it up nicely "Paris Hilton - I used to be against this sort of thing until some one gave me a seal coat, it’s just so soft and yummy"

Hipocritical? Aren't we all?

[cbcdesign]

Should I get one of these bumper stickers for my Prius? :)

Baby Seal Club?

It could be misunderstood

I thought it rather amusing

I like the following quote too (which is probably false) which seems to sum it up nicely "Paris Hilton - I used to be against this sort of thing until some one gave me a seal coat, its just so soft and yummy"

Hipocritical? Aren't we all?

I don't think its remotely amusing, sick is the word that springs to mind as far as that so called industry is concerned. Barbaric inbred retards the lot of them!

Sorry guys but it makes my blood boil that sort of thing! :ffs:

[cootuk]

Given how many car manufacturers there are, there seems to be a surprising lack of cars that are even slightly different. Have a slightly different 'look' and, like the Prius, you get slated for poor design aesthetics.

How many cars have been truly revolutionary?

Volkswagen Beetle..iconic style

Citroen DS - air suspension

Renault 2CV - utilitarian

Willys Jeep - go anywhere

Toyota took a major stance in introducing a hybrid over 10 years ago though the Japanese target market is probably different to the rest of the world in terms of emissions and costs of ownership.

Over ten years ago the European Prius was already an excellent technological vehicle, though probably limited in sales by a lack of track record.

Does this mean Toyota are greener? No.

Walking/buses/mass transport are probably greener though our current lifestyles encourage living further away from work/shopping.

Toyota looked at where they would need to be in ten years time and came up with a solution that, fortuitously for them, is increasingly popular as fuel prices increase. It's not like other fuel systems have really taken off yet.

If petrol was still say 80p/litre then would hybrids still be popular? Doubt it.

They probablyalso have other technology that never got into production, or is still too advanced to deploy.

If lean burn engines were developed instead of catalytic conveters then we wouldn't have such a need for regenerative technology - car manufacturers had lean burn vehicles which got good fuel economy, so where did they all go?

[cbcdesign]

Given how many car manufacturers there are, there seems to be a surprising lack of cars that are even slightly different. Have a slightly different 'look' and, like the Prius, you get slated for poor design aesthetics.

I think this is because deep down, people don't really like change. They expect a Car to "look" a certain way both inside and out and woe betide any manufacturer that dares to stray outside those perceived boundaries.

I have read comment where people state that the gen 3 Prius interior is for people that don't like cars. Presumably that’s because it takes a different approach and has moved away from traditional round speedometers and rev counters. I would say that opinion is narrow minded. Sadly, many car owners fall into that category making real innovation a dangerous and potentially costly route for any manufacturer to take.

[dwilson]

I have read comment where people state that the gen 3 Prius interior is for people that don't like cars.

I like cars but wouldn't want the running costs of many or the unreliability of others. I think the Gen 3 exterior looks much better than my Gen 2 but I think I got a bargain with my purchase and now have a car that is cheap to insure, £10 RFL, free servicing for 2 years, and according to Glass' guide negligible depreciation, as well as being automatic, reasonably large for holidays, and over 50 mpg. The interior could look better but I can live with that!

David

[DrCez]

I am currently writing a dissertation (Thesis) on this title, i am looking for opinions and it would be great to hear your thoughts as to whether the Prius has changed the way you view Toyota, for instance being more environmentally friendly? Thank you.

Has the Prius changed the way I view Toyota? Not really, but it has reinforced my perception of a manufacuturer that builds really reliable cars (which also tend to be a little dull), and seems to have a genuine commitment to efficiency across its range of vehicles ahead of, say, exciting driving or looks.

What I really admire about the Prius is that Toyota mananged to build a production vehicle with many technological innovations while still keeping it ultra-reliable. Critics have been lining up to jump in if, for example, there had been any problems with the Battery, but they have not really found anything substantial to use against the car (the brake "problem" is an interesting case in point). This is important because it has allowed hybrid technology to continue to develop - for example Honda would never have built the Insight II were it not for the Prius, and the Prius provides a stepping stone towards electric only vehicles which seem to be the best environmental option at present.

Toyota are right to use the Prius as a "halo" brand having demonstrated a commitment to develop and improve more eco-friendly technology and I admire the company for proving the car is no gimmick and making a success of it.

My view of Toyota in a nutshell: reliable, a bit dull, proven track record of developing more eco-friendly cars.

P.S. my Gen III Prius is the first Toyota I have owned. I had high expectations when I bought it and so far it has lived up to them.

[dee s]

The Prius does work, it's very technical and if it wasn't for the fact that it was made by Toyota I wouldn't ever trust having one.

Put it another way - If Peugeot (sorry to pick on them) made the Prius I'd stay well clear!

Agree with you 100%. Only the Japanese can make a car like a Prius. If you want a reliable car then Japan is where they come from. Just look at the JD Power chart.

[Doesn'tExist]

I am currently writing a dissertation (Thesis) on this title, i am looking for opinions and it would be great to hear your thoughts as to whether the Prius has changed the way you view Toyota, for instance being more environmentally friendly? Thank you.

It most definitely has. I always saw Toyota as a quality albeit slightly boring brand. The Prius definitely changed that perception as it is a poor quality product that in my opinion doesn't come close to german brands. Luckily not everyone realised that, but in my opinion once people wake up that quality and Toyota does not go hand in hand. They are in trouble.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

There's a big difference between quality and reliability?

I would never have classed Toyota as quality and they're no match for an Audi or BMW, but do they run for ever? for sure. Will they always start on a cold snowy morning? for sure. Will they go bang on the M6 when you're doing 90 in the fast lane? Very unlikely. Can you say that about an Audi or BMW? And before you ask, I've had an A6 for 18 months in 2006 and it was sh**e.

I know there are regional variations, but why do you think most cabbies go for Toyota? You can treat them like **** and you'd still struggle to get them to let you down.

[Doesn'tExist]

you really don't want to know my answer why most cabbies (IN THE UK) go for Asian cars. Take a look on mainland Europe, Mercedes, Audi, BMW galore. We all have our own experiences, but can't say I've had reliability issues with any of my german cars of the past. And yet saying that, look at North Africa and how they can keep those rubbish French cars going.

The OP asked about perception and I gave perception.

[capnbirdseye]

When you look at lists of most reliable car manufacturers then Toyota is 5th

Audi is 25th & BMW 23rd

Most reliable

1 Honda

2 Subaru

3 Mitsubishi

4 Lexus

5 Toyota

6 Mazda

7 Nissan

8 Skoda

9 Kia

10 MINI

Least reliable cars

32 Land Rover

31 Alfa Romeo

30 Renault

29 Saab

28 MG

27 Vauxhall

26 Peugeot

25 Audi

24 Rover

23 BMW

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/motoring/article.html?in_article_id=507837&in_page_id=53949

[Doesn'tExist]

Well if you take that for gospel we should see lots of Honda cabbies, I see even less Subaru, Mitsubishi and except for Holland Lexus can be forgotten about. I know it is a big list, but it doesn't proof anything. Heck we were stranded for several weeks in our nice new Prius, the first four months of ownership we only had it one month and the dealer three.

My perception is not good. I also wonder how these lists deal with a broken headlight bulb as my audi book states that you need to finish a garage as it treats it like a breakdown wich is daft

[Grumpy Cabbie]

But wasn't your car in the garage for a Sound System 'fault'? That's annoying for you, esp as you paid extra for the superior sound system, but hardly a mechanical reliability issue.

[Doesn'tExist]

But wasn't your car in the garage for a Sound System 'fault'? That's annoying for you, esp as you paid extra for the superior sound system, but hardly a mechanical reliability issue.

Yes, and a broken hybrid batter earth cable that immobilised the vehicle in the snow when my wife was taking my daughter to go see JLS making me rush to them, rescque them, get them in the so called reliable vehicle to their desitnation (my 7 year old audi was fine), then get two recovery trucks as they couldn't break into it, then use my audi to rescque the toyota assistance truck. It was a farce. Than wait a week for a repair to be completed.

This thread is about perception, quality and reliability perception of toyota were very high before I owned one. Quality is just very poor and substandard to the competition and reliability, well it is the first time in 10 years that I got stranded except as the last time a rock hit the radiator of my BMW 750 and went straight through it. But to be fair as I was in Liverpool, this happened at 1930 in the evening and by 1030 the following morning I was on my way...

[Jan&tone]

But wasn't your car in the garage for a Sound System 'fault'? That's annoying for you, esp as you paid extra for the superior sound system, but hardly a mechanical reliability issue.

Yes, and a broken hybrid batter earth cable that immobilised the vehicle in the snow when my wife was taking my daughter to go see JLS making me rush to them, rescque them, get them in the so called reliable vehicle to their desitnation (my 7 year old audi was fine), then get two recovery trucks as they couldn't break into it, then use my audi to rescque the toyota assistance truck. It was a farce. Than wait a week for a repair to be completed.

This thread is about perception, quality and reliability perception of toyota were very high before I owned one. Quality is just very poor and substandard to the competition and reliability, well it is the first time in 10 years that I got stranded except as the last time a rock hit the radiator of my BMW 750 and went straight through it. But to be fair as I was in Liverpool, this happened at 1930 in the evening and by 1030 the following morning I was on my way...

I think your experience of Toyota has not been perhaps what we would all wish for.

However, when did ypu last see a BMW, Audi, Ford, etc waiting by the side of the motorway for a breakdown truck, and the last time you saw a Toyota waiting was?....

After over 20 years with one of Mr T's cars in my garage, and now with the wife also driving one, i can say, hand on heart, that i have no wish to change to one of the so called 'premium' marques, cost of repairs, servicing and general reliability i have never had a problem with and long may it continue!

I trust your problems are now solved and you can join with the rest of us in enjoying the reliability that the rest of us have come to expect

[Doesn'tExist]

You might be right, but together with the recalls my PERCEPTION has changed for good. We loose too much money now and we will keep it for three years cheap motoring but will keep a close eye on the competition and are not tempted to continue with another model in the range.

Servicing etc is included so I don't care and haven't looked. I did find and was always bemused how my BMW servicing was cheaper than Nissan. But VAG servicing is extracting the urine to be fair.