Changing My 2010 Gen 3 Prius T4 In About 4 Months

[Dacre]

My Gen 3 Prius T4 is 4 years old in September and will have about 80,000 on the clock, so I will be looking to change.

It was 1 year old when I bought it and I am looking at a number of options when I change it

1. Buy the same again - a year old Prius

2. Buy a year old Prius PIP

3. Buy a brand new Prius PIP

4. Buy a brand new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

I'm interested in people's thoughts on the Plug-in cars as I'm still not sure about the charging network.

My current Prius T4 returns on average about 59 to 60 MPG and is costing me about 9.5p per mile in fuel and hasn't missed a beat in the 32 months of ownership.

Comments welcome from your experiences

[FROSTYBALLS]

The 'new' Plug-in Prius on sale within the UK appear to have been in stock for several months: http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/158061-stock-plug-in/

[Chris Dance]

I would buy the same again. I like the PIP Prius but it has no spare wheel or space for one. Our next door neighbour has just bought a new Nissan Jute; no spare wheel but it has the space for a spare which is available as an optional extra. I think Toyota should at least do the same for any new car.

[PeteB]

... no spare wheel but it has the space for a spare which is available as an optional extra. I think Toyota should at least do the same for any new car.

I think EVERY manufacturer should - BWM i3 EV and Outlander PHEV - both same problem, no spare, nowhere to put one (except in the boot!)

[Sagitar]

My Gen 3 Prius T4 is 4 years old in September and will have about 80,000 on the clock, so I will be looking to change.

It was 1 year old when I bought it and I am looking at a number of options when I change it

1. Buy the same again - a year old Prius

2. Buy a year old Prius PIP

3. Buy a brand new Prius PIP

4. Buy a brand new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

I'm interested in people's thoughts on the Plug-in cars as I'm still not sure about the charging network.

My current Prius T4 returns on average about 59 to 60 MPG and is costing me about 9.5p per mile in fuel and hasn't missed a beat in the 32 months of ownership.

Comments welcome from your experiences

It's difficult to give relevant comment; it depends so much on individual pattern of use.

In my case, the majority of my journeys are local, short mileage and on speed limited roads, so I am able to make good use of the plug-in facility at home. On the other hand I make no use of charging away from home; the network just does not have nodes at the places I go.

The Pip works well for me and is very economical in use, but the initial price is high and my low mileage makes the daily depreciation the highest part of the overall cost.

The variable cost per mile is less than 7p a mile but the daily fixed cost is about £12 a day so it is hardly cheap.

I hate the absence of a spare and I have made my feelings clear to Toyota, but I decided to accept the risk because my car spends so little time at a significant distance from home. I think others who make longer journeys than I do are likely to make a different decision.

[valmiki]

If you don't need the space, get the Auris Hybrid, 3 years down the line the marketplace is going to look very different!

[Grumpy Cabbie]

The Mitsubishi Outlander looks a cracker. 20 mile range on electric, powerful petrol outside of that (though fuel economy on that alone could be poor), larger than a Prius, faster than a Prius and you also have the fun of electric and the backup of the petrol engine. They're well priced too = cheaper than a PIP.

The PIP is old hat now and seriously overpriced. It was when released and now it really is. They have loads of unsold stock but unless you're picking one of those up for £20k, you're paying over the odds imho. If Mitsubishi can sell a larger more powerful car with at least double the range for less money, then something's amiss somewhere.

What about a Tesla S?

[PeteB]

The Mitsubishi Outlander looks a cracker. 20 mile range on electric, powerful petrol outside of that (though fuel economy on that alone could be poor), larger than a Prius, faster than a Prius and you also have the fun of electric and the backup of the petrol engine. They're well priced too = cheaper than a PIP.

The PIP is old hat now and seriously overpriced. It was when released and now it really is. They have loads of unsold stock but unless you're picking one of those up for £20k, you're paying over the odds imho. If Mitsubishi can sell a larger more powerful car with at least double the range for less money, then something's amiss somewhere.

What about a Tesla S?

Yes, the Outlander looks very interesting (claimed up to 32 miles EV, BTW).

Since the original Prius launched in Japan in 1997, it's taken an awful long time for other manufactures to catch up with the Hybrid system, but boy, Toyota need to watch it now - exciting times ahead for us, I think.

I like the sound of the Outlander's "flappy paddles" on the steering column that give 6 variations of regenerative braking when you lift off the throttle.

Although I'm not likely to go off road, the four wheel drive with simulated diff lock bodes well for keeping going a the winter (if we get a bad one), and as you say the price looks good compared to the PIP (and BMW too). Generally quite well equipped too, with two more expensive models getting leather (why do so many cars have lots of depressing black inside nowadays?):

- middle model gets mobile phone control of charging and heating times, turn lights on/off etc, powered tailgate opening/closing, SatNav, electric driver's seat adjustment

- top model adds adaptive cruise control ,pre-crash safety system.

The 'gear lever' and the markings on it look remarkably similar to the Prius/Auris, and the transmission indictors on the dash do too!

I won't be going for a test drive though - maybe when I'm 80 and don't go too far or they come up with "bullet proof" tyres I'll consider a car with no option for a spare tyre, but until then...

.... and I still really don't want to go back to analogue instruments if I can help it.