TOYOTA PRIUS [merged threads]

[Alpha_One]

The Prius is hardly environmentally friendly with all the exotic/toxic stuff it's made of. Turbodiesels are much more practical, just as economical to run and way cheaper to acquire. It's nothing but a statement car driven by celebs and politicians who want to look "green".

Putsa kung gusto kong maging environmentally friendly at makatipid, eh di mage-LRT nalang ako! Di pako mamumrublema sa trapik at parking. (sa isnatser oo, pero sa kardyaker hindi) .

So far wala pakong naririnig na press release ng celeb/politician na nagsabi na "I take mass transit" pag tinanong about the environment. Puro "I have a 2005 prius and a 2003 Prius" o kaya "I have a Prius on order". Baliw.

Besides, you aren't going to get back your extra investment over the life of the car (remember, magpapalit ka pa ng baterya).

IMO, Prius = car for hypocrites.

[GasJunkie]

Or car for the rich

[carlocaraddict]

The Toyota Prius Experience
by carlocaraddict (with niky)

We had a chance to drive the Toyota Prius during the 2nd World of Toyota last September, and here are my comments:

The Toyota Prius reminds me of the Citroen C4 hatch that is popular in Europe. The only bad thing about it is the rear resembles the late 70’s Mitsubishi Celeste... Just kidding. Actually, the Prius is a head turner because it looks somewhat different from any of the other cars on Metro Manila streets, plus the fact that it is a Hybrid car. The front profile looks like a straightened up generation two Previa, while the rear is really Citroen-ish. Oh, those side mirrors are from the Corolla Altis!

Interior lay-out is simple but build quality is good. I find the driving position and visibility excellent. The seats are wrapped with grey leather which is very comfortable. The digital speedometer is simple to read and it is angled to the driver’s eye while the central navigation screen is very easy to use and reach. A power diagram on the central navigation screen informs the driver whether the car is running on gasoline or in batteries. Like the Camry 3.5 Q and the BMW 1 and 3-series, you don’t need the keys to turn on the engine, just push the button and presto, you are on the go.

The Toyota Prius seats five, and though classified as a mid-sized car, isn’t much bigger than a Corolla. Despite this, it has decent leg room for both front and rear passengers while the slopping roof doesn’t compromise rear head room for tall passengers. Boot space is shallow but you can fold down the rear seats to make it bigger.

On our short test drive, the Prius responded like a 1.5 G Vios, which is great. Steering feel is light yet responsive in turns. The engine is quiet at low speeds but when you push it hard, it roars, of course. The second generation Prius claims 35 to 38 km/l in Japanese traffic, but of course, real world testing, like driving on the Alabang-Zapote road on weekends, would be more informative.

The Toyota Prius is a car that cares for the environment but I really wonder how this car will perform in the long run. The question in my mind is how much it would cost to maintain a Hybrid car in our dear country.

The Toyota Prius


rear profile


view from the rear passenger seat


is it running on batteries or gas?

[kyle618]

wats the speed when the gas engine kicks in??

if 20kph and below electric then madali maging matipid yan.

[carlocaraddict]

mga below 45 kph batteries pa. Aliw yung sa screen kasi makikita dun yung pagswitch from batteries to gas power. hehehehe

[finchy18]

hayy... I hope maka test drive ako..

it's so nice..


How about the touch of the suspension ? is it really comfy like camrys or accords etc?

[alwayz_yummy]

swerte mo a! kailan yan mo ginawa? kasi nung nandun ako, nakadisplay lang..teka, yan ung display??? buti pinayagan kayo???

[finchy18]

swerte mo a! kailan yan mo ginawa? kasi nung nandun ako, nakadisplay lang..teka, yan ung display??? buti pinayagan kayo???

Carlo pa! hawak nya ang tsikot..

kung ako nasa toyota "sure carlo"

ang pogi pa nyan. formal ang dating..

[boybi]

official motoring representative ng yehey.com si carlo, kaya walang magagawa ang toyota kung gusto nyang i-uwi ang prius

carlo, when the car switches from electric power to gas power and vise versa, naffeel ba?

[russpogi]

...ang pogi pa nyan. formal ang dating..

Si Carlo kse ang "Papa" ng Tsikot.com eh!!!

official motoring representative ng yehey.com si carlo, kaya walang magagawa ang toyota kung gusto nyang i-uwi ang prius

Yup!

Based on the pictures, the test drive happened during the Toyota show. Question is, why didnt they offer this test drive to other people? Maybe if they offered a test drive then they wouldnt end up with a damaged Prius show car which got pinned by a steel beam from Milenyo's aftermath. :D

Sir, actually the Prius test drive was only offered to media representatives initially. Di ko din alam kung kelan ito available for test drive for the general public. Sabi ko nga kung pwede yung friend ng media rep, sabi nung girl na taga-Toyota, hindi daw. Hehehe! Baka sakaling maka-lusot!

...Philippine Star Friday Sept 29. Le Pavilion was ruined by the typhoon and the Prius got caught in the middle. I still have the newspaper clipping with me.

WHAT?!!! Sayang naman!!!

[Helios]

[QUOTE=carlocaraddict;660075]

sir C that passenger beside you looked like he's all wrapped up in plastic covering as well

kidding aside, how far can you drive with the electric engine if you just cruise under 45 kph until finally the petrol engine kicks in? I'm not familiar with hybrids pero how big was the battery and was there a separate battery to run all the electricals when running under petrol?

note aside, the car should generate enough electrostatic to electricute me since I always get a slight static discharge from the metal door of an ordinary gas car. I'll be scared stiff when rain pours and I've to drive through a small flood. Anyway I can always turn it off manually, right and switch to gas.

funny idea: dapat 3 ang setting ng Prius. electric, petrol, and pedal motor. Effective yan sa Pinas setting and for sure gas price buster yung last setting.

[niky]

Second Opinion:

After all the bad-mouthing I've given the Prius, I'm almost too ashamed to get behind the wheel to drive it. But, a free drive is a free drive, and what tsikoteer would pass up an opportunity to drive a new car?

The Prius isn't exactly drop-dead gorgeous, but it's understatedly handsome. And now that tall-cars are in vogue, it actually looks like a regular car! Inside, everything looks and feels ultra-modern, but the central touch-screen seems a bit too fragile for everyday use.

After fumbling with the starter and aircon, we're off. The ride is smooth and pleasant, not unlike a modern compact. The silent running and smooth acceleration and braking make the Prius feel like a mini-Camry, and the acceleration comes close to 2 liter territory when you floor the gas... 2 liter automatic, that is.

Don't expect any word from me on at-the-limit handling and tire-shredding ability. I'm not aching to be the first Filipino to wreck a 2 million peso plus hybrid!

The digital speedometer is large and easy to use, a far cry from the Vios' distorted, off-set display. The hybrid-drive screen is a cool toy to play with, but it's showing me that the gas engine is still on half the time. Well, we're packed in like sardines (three people out
back is one too many), the air conditioner is on full, and the battery was low when we started the car, so that's understandable.

Still, It's fun to try to keep the engine off, using very light pedal pressure and coasting when I can. Regenerative braking soon has the battery nearly charged, but the true acid test will be Metro traffic in 40 degree heat.

I'm still not blown away by the Prius, especially considering its astronomical price and dubious economic and ecological savings. But I'm intrigued by its technical savvy, and I look forward to a
Pagudpud-Sorsogon run in one.

Heck, I'll even pay for the gas.

-----

Sorry, late post.

RE: keeping the engine off

It's very hard to keep the Prius on electric alone if you're not used to it, but by the end of my loop, I'd found the exact right pedal pressure to keep the gas engine off (it's somewhere between a fraction of a millimeter and a fraction of an inch... )... at least if you coast long distances, the battery recharges faster, but it's a limited range battery (see below)

RE: Battery only range:

The current estimated battery range of the Prius if your engine conks out (invariably due to some electronic glitch... the engine itself is reliable) is only about 3kms.... there are kits that extend that to 50kms of all-electric range... but, get this, they're about half-a-million pesos... in the US. Expect it to cost you nearly 600k to import them.

Stock Prius batteries are costly, too. At about 150k pesos a set. But Toyota's battery packs appear to be long-lived, although Toyota automatically buys back Priuses at a certain mileage "for research purposes", so maybe they're not letting them get old enough.

Even some "greenies" are starting to question the practicality and viability of the Prius, but from a technophile point of view, they're still ultra-cool.

[boybi]

does the engine start like all other engines? meaning, may redondo muna? since the petrol engine kicks in at 45kph, what happens if you drive 47kph for a few seconds, then slows down to 42kph, then accelerate again to 48kph? will the engine start and stop also?

[niky]

It's almost imperceptible when it starts while driving.

Ideally, the engine won't turn on when you turn on the car, but I noticed it when it kicked in when I started the vehicle. That was only because the batteries were low, but like I said, extended range and plug-in kits are available in the US... but at an astronomical cost.

[carlocaraddict]

does the engine start like all other engines? meaning, may redondo muna? since the petrol engine kicks in at 45kph, what happens if you drive 47kph for a few seconds, then slows down to 42kph, then accelerate again to 48kph? will the engine start and stop also?

pag bumagal po, like what you have said, mga 40-42kph, nagsuswitch siya to battery power.

[carlocaraddict]

does the engine start like all other engines??

actually you wouldnt here the engine start. once you press the start button, just look at the screen and you will see the engine running. it is very quiet at low speeds but screems when you push it hard.

[GasJunkie]

*snicker* *snicker*


thread needs more research.



:fly:

[honismitoy]

Hybrid is the future

[Camgen6]

^
Sir honismitoy, hybrid din ba avatar mo?

[king_solomon]

hope that when prius comes. the tax will have a 50%off but still expensive pa din ata. pag bumili kc tyo ng kotse pang matagalan na will took about ten years or so. kaya dapat pang matagalan.