2012 Toyota Prius c Long-Term Road Test

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2012 Toyota Prius c Long-Term Road Test

How does the 2012 Toyota Prius C hybrid stack up against European clean diesel technology?

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motorstreet

My TDI gets 55mpg on the highway, is a very high quality car, cost less than a loaded Prius c, doesn't feel dangerous, has tons of space, is fun fun to drive, has a real transmission, I could continue for pages. The Prius C might be more fuel efficient in the city, but that is literally the only thing it does better than a TDI. Good city mileage is this car's only strength and that is why it's a truly awful car.

duck87

The Prius is an "awful car" because Toyota made it that way (i.e. cheap). The powertrain is actually pretty advanced, proven over a decade of low warranty, the fuel economy is real, and it achieves that using regular fuel. Note that neither this particular hybrid powertrain or your typical slow-revving diesel are "fun" engines, so talking about any of these cars on fun terms is like two kids in the shortbus arguing about who is smarter. They're not Toyobarus or STs.

Interestingly enough, C&D recently ran an article comparing all of the Jetta's powertrain options, and they liked the hybrid more than the TDI even though it's one of VW's first hybrids and they've been heavily advertising their TDI engines. Oops.

nyccarguy

The 50 mpg that this car and cars of Prius owners get during real world driving is impressive. I see them everywhere. Some set their cruise @ 60 in the left lane & other ride your rear end when you are going 80+. The fact that the editor's personal vehicle is a TDI give the Prius C a lot of credibility in my book. He stated he drive the car around town & did some freeway driving too. They (hybrids) just can't be THAT bad with so many running around.

From a driver's prospective, a diesel is a much more engaging car to drive. I had a 2011 BMW 335d as a loaner once and the torque is simply addicting. I got a solid 10 more mpg in it than I do in my 328xi without even trying.

Some people obsess about gas mileage. 50 mpg is impressive though (it is more than double what I get in my BMW). Personally, I don't. Whatever mpg I get, I still pay the same amount to fill my car up at the end of the week.

zimtheinvader

"Whatever mpg I get, I still pay the same amount to fill my car up at the end of the week." --- that doesn't make sense. Unless you leave your car idling to empty the tank out in the ones where you get better mpg. Or drive extra until you are on empty each week.--- If you fill up your car once a week and get 25 mpg then you'd only fill it once every two weeks at 50 mpg....

nyccarguy

Sorry if my post wasn't clear. If I get say 25 mpg average doing straight highway driving or if I sit in a lot of traffic and do lots of city driving & average 19 mpg, it still costs $x to fill up. I was referring to my personal car. Yes, a 50 mpg hybrid would allow me to fill up once every 2 weeks as opposed to once a week.

greenpony

Still doesn't make sense. Your weekly cost will vary depending on the price of fuel, the amount of driving you do, and your fuel economy. Let's say you drive a consistent 200 miles a week. In one week you average 20 mpg with gas costing $4.00/gal, this will cost you $40 to fill up at the end of the week. Then say you average 25 mpg the next week and the price of gas has dropped to $3.50/gal, now it only costs you $28 to fill up at the end of the week. Unless you just buy a flat $30 in fuel every week?

nyccarguy

greenpony - yes my fuel cost vary depending on the price of fuel. The amount of driving I do pretty much remains the same. 65 miles round trip, 6 days per week. Today I took 16 gallons of 93 octane @ $4.01/gallon. It cost me $64.16. If gas was $3.50/gallon, the 16 gallons I took on would have cost me $56.00. Obviously I'd rather gas be cheaper, but the $8 per week isn't going to make or break me. If traffic was light and I was able to use my cruise control (a lot), it cost me $64.16 to fill up. If I sat in a lot of traffic and kept my car above 80 when traffic allows (and the CT & NY troopers aren't looking), it still would have cost me $64.16 to fill up today.

scorpion73

@ Motorstreet:
"My TDI gets 55mpg on the highway"
Nope. Try again. Only way TDI gets 55mpg is at 55mph, downhill, with a tailwind.
"is a very high quality car"
Wrong again. VW has had loads of quality issues in past. Toyota's quality