Looks like Toyota has an answer to the Fit...

2012 Toyota Prius c Review and Road Test by Steve Purdy +VIDEO

A Prius c three with nav and a Fit with nav is only a little over $2k of a price difference... I'd have to say if I was doing the Fit again, the Prius c would get consideration. I bet the Prius driving experience will be a lot less go kart, but for good MPG and point A to point B commuting, the Prius c makes a good case for going hybrid... price point is getting down low enough.

Thoughts? I only averaged 32 mpg over the life of my Fit Sport when I had it - I bet given the stop/go aspect of that average MPG, the c would be somewhere around 48 mpg or 50% better. Would probably even out the extra initial cost in 3 years maybe, vs. the 5 it takes for the average hybrid.

There's other aspects of changes that in theory should make the Prius c easier on maintenance, eliminating various fluid changes/belts/etc by replacing a lot with electric driven parts.

Note - I'm a hybrid skeptic even in the past, but this seems compelling?

 

The car itself is not for me, but if I were to get a hybrid, this would be the one.

I was just waiting for the prices to come down.

 

test drove it the other day its like a "boat/tank" feels heavy although they almost have the same weight w/ the fit, but if u want great mpg i guess this is good

 

phenoyz has a good point. I know many people here chose the Fit because of its fun to drive nature. A rev-happy engine and steering engagement. That and the great manual tranny for those who can drive stick. Plus the space available with the versatile seat arrangement makes it a winner.

11 second 0-60? I'll take the Fit manual's 8.3 anyday.

There is also that intangible thing about certain cars that just make them feel right. The Fit has it. Prii/Priuses ?? just don't. Toyota just doesn't. Okay some of there 4x4 are really good, but their sedans etc... The FRS probably will though.

 

Nice website though, I'll have to check it out more.

 

I'll be honest... I'm not as big a fan of Toyota as I am of Honda. I'd be more inclined to pick Mitsubishi over Toyota... even though Mitsubishi has been partnering with Ford. And I hate Ford right now.

Anyway... I'm surely not the only one that feels like the shape of the Prius are moving from their "efficient" wedge shape to the "hot hatch" shape (which the Fit uses also).

Seriously, doesn't the Prius... well, nearly all 2012 Prius models, but more specifically the Prius V... look a lot like a GE Fit?!?

To other aspects... I figured out, I'm a HORRIBLY inefficient driver.

The other night, I managed to pull 40 MPG in the first 110 or so miles of the tank. Dropped it to 35 after only 40 miles worth of deliveries. This is my Fit. My lifetime average is about 30 MPG (yay deliveries... =.=").

What does this have to do with the Prius? Well, the occasion that I was able to drive one (ever!) was during my road trip last year, when I had a stop over in Palo Alto, CA (bay area). My sister and her husband have one (not sure which year it was). In Eco or normal mode, I could not get used to the driving (or the braking). And I was NOT HAPPY about it, hated it. When in Power mode, it felt a little better. You ever see folks that accelerate really hard and show their bodies being pressed into their seats? I could swear, that as I was accelerating, my body was moving FORWARD, away from the seat. Clearly, it was all in my head... but WTF anyway?!? Though as biased as it probably is, it didn't feel as good as the Fit. What isn't biased, was the fact that the MPG numbers for that short time... was in the high 30s, low 40s. To come close to their EPA numbers, I had to be in eco mode only... but I couldn't drive it at all. I TRIED driving slow thinking that's what "eco" is for, still felt horrible. In other words... utterly pointless for me.

Rarely, do I drive "slow" in my Fit (as evident by my getting a speeding ticket today). But when I do, it feels very comfortable. And for me, a whole, hell of a lot better than the Prius.

I see all compromise... no benefit.

Edit: sorry mixed Mazda and Mitsubishi together. Meant to say Mazda. But Mitsubishi would be my second choice after Honda.

 

Having the Prius C resemble the Fit will actually work out for me. At work we have prime parking spots designated "Reserved for Hybrid Vehicles". Of course, the spaces are dominated by the Prii. Here is my plan to cop a prime spot. 1. Wait until the Prius C becomes more commonplace. 2. Remove the "Fit" badge from the back of my Fit. 3. Stick on the "Hybrid" badge from the Insight. 4. Park with the hybrids. The parking lot police will be none the wiser. LOL

 

it's rear is retarded looking... it's like they sat this thing on an inflatable life raft and there's those taillight... round brake light housing with 4 led that looks like a square??? smh *facepalm*

 

no thanks to prius.

 

The Prius C is great car. I just bought one a month ago, and overall the ride is smoother, it feels like a larger car on the road than the fit. It's not as responsive as the fit but not a boat as someone else mentioned. The interior is smaller than the fit of course, but plenty of room for most people. I think it's going to take a hit out of fit sales a little but not too much. The technology is pretty amazing, and I think it looks better in person than photos.

 

I think the Prius C will have definite appeal to one segment of people who often gravitate towards a Fit. These are people who are focused heavily on fuel economy and are willing to pay a small premium for greatly improved fuel economy over the Fit - especially as the Fit doesn't get stellar gas mileage for a small car. Real-world highway MPG, probably not a huge difference - but in the City it will be a big improvement for the Prius.

The C gives up a few things to the Fit. It lacks a space-efficient cargo hold and it lacks road feel (the latter a Toyota trademark and especially with Prii). Actually that's not always a bad thing - some people really love the slightly disconnected feel. To them it feels "stable" or "solid" and that's appealing. Some people say the Prius is uncomfortable, but I cannot comment on that. For the segment of people who didn't buy the Fit primarily for fuel economy, but instead for utility or "fun-to-drive", the Prius is not going to have much appeal as the Fit still beats nearly everything in the segment for that, despite being an old design.

That's my take on it :)

 

Remember if you drive a hybrid like you would drive the peppy Fit then you will not get the mpg you'd expect from a hybrid. Check out Top Gear's BMW vs hybrid episode.

 

mremaximus, what is the point of your picture? It shows 99.9mpg when you drove 25mph and saved all of a whopping $.67. To me that is not at all worth it, I like, no I mean LOVE driving and what you did though technically is driving, is not what I would consider driving, more like Snorefest2012. Granted, not everyone buys a car to actually drive, but use as an appliance. If an appliance makes you happy then that is definitely good for you, for me I would loathe getting behind the wheel.

 

I think the Prius C looks good on the exterior. I just can't stand the centered oriented dash design and the large triangular swath of plastic in the middle of the dash. rented a Saturn Ion 6 years ago on work related travel and its center stacked dash bugged me to no end, although the Ion drove fairly well.

 

I glad you think I care what you think of my photo, but I could care less! Assume what you will, I was driving 35-40mph and I'm having fun with this car. I still have the fit and drive it around, depends on what my lady or I want to drive that day. It's a great car and I love the fit too, I'm not ragging on the fit say'n it's better there are just different. I think Honda should ramp up the hybrid tech, I digg the technology in the C.

 

I looked at the Prius C when it first came out. I like the looks plus I have own mostly Toyotas' in the past 12 years. The only reason I did not get one was I wanted a manual transmission when I replaced my Toyota this time.

 

If the Prius C had been available in 2010 when I bought my Fit, I would have seriously considered it. The regular Prius was too expensive, plus didn't like the styling I did look at the Insight, but didn't care for the styling either. The roominess (especially the magic seats) on the Fit sold me, but if I could have gotten a hybrid hatchback, it would have been ideal. So far the only C I have seen around town is a pastel neon orange color- kinda weird- looks like a safety vest. ;)

 

Ho ho ho, your dash display is betraying you :P

It says you drove 7.5 miles in 18 minutes. Whomever above calculated that at 25mph got it right :) Of course presumably you could have been stopped during that time - who knows if the odo keeps the time clock running for that or not.

 

Well it is after all a CLOCK ;) why would it stop?

 

Ok, because some of you don't like my photo here's a better one! And I do like to drive mellow these days, and I do so in the fit also. My days of driving fast are over... and people that get mad at those of use that drive chill can suck it.