2017 Prius Prime PHEV

[cwerdna]

Has anyone ever bought... a car from GM (at least in the past 40 years) because they expected exceptional reliability from it?

Plenty of GM fanboys have. Oh boy... you should check out some of the GM fanboy defenders on some places like Cruzetalk.com when Cruze reliability was AWFUL for years. They'll claim that Japanese cars are not more reliable, CR and all reliability surveys are biased, BS, paid off, etc., give all sorts of anecdotal reports of unreliable Japanese cars (sure, there's always going to be %), and so on.

Surprisingly, the most recent model year of Cruze got a very good reliability rating in CR, unlike virtually all previous model years. It'll be interesting to see if that holds over the long term.

I'm sure there are many other such places...

Funny enough, I do pay for a subscription to Car and Driver. As for Prius Prime... well, Gen 4 Prius (non-plugin; began with model year 2016 was awful in terms of styling. At least they fixed the front and mostly fixed the back. Even though I'm still somewhat of a Prius fan, I'd never buy a Gen 4 non-plugin just due to its styling. Prius Prime is actually "fixed" enough that it'd be on my consideration list if I'm in the market for a hybrid or PHEV.

[SageBrush]

And it is fugly!

Sums up my opinion of the Volt

[GregH]

GM fanboys.. Toyota Fanboys.. Tesla fanboys.

In my life I've owned three Toyotas (2dr RAV4 ice, gen1 RAV4-EV, gen2 Prius) and three GM vehicles (gen1 EV1 (15kWh!!), gen2 EV1 and now the Volt2).

The Toyotas were rock solid. I don't recall any of them requiring service despite how much I pounded on them.

I can't say that about the EV1s. They were in the shop multiple times.

But I didn't mind at all. I loved the EV1 and it's the most fun I've ever had with a car (EV1 fanboy?) Like Tesla, GM (via the Saturn dealerships) knew how to pamper their early adopters. If your car needed service they always had another EV1 loaner for you while your car was in the shop. All at no cost.

As for looks, I thought the EV1 looked like a cool spaceship. One time I parked the car, got out and a passerby on the sidewalk looked at the car then looked at me and said "That's the most f&ing ugly car I've ever seen!" I was a bit shocked at first. Different strokes I guess.

[TomT]

I knew there had to be SOMEONE out there who liked the looks of the current Prius!

And it is fugly!

Sums up my opinion of the Volt

[TomT]

While I never owned an EV1, a buddy did and I got to drive it often... I loved that car! And I thought it was way-cool looking!

I loved the EV1 and it's the most fun I've ever had with a car (EV1 fanboy?) Like Tesla, GM (via the Saturn dealerships) knew how to pamper their early adopters. As for looks, I thought the EV1 looked like a cool spaceship. One time I parked the car, got out and a passerby on the sidewalk looked at the car then looked at me and said "That's the most f&ing ugly car I've ever seen!" I was a bit shocked at first. Different strokes I guess.

[SageBrush]

I knew there had to be SOMEONE out there who liked the looks of the current Prius!

Not me. I call it acceptable, which spans a range that includes most cars on the market today. I'm more of a Bolt look (minus the ostentatious, huge logo on the front) kind of guy, all else being equal.

[GRA]

I loved the EV1 and it's the most fun I've ever had with a car (EV1 fanboy?) Like Tesla, GM (via the Saturn dealerships) knew how to pamper their early adopters. As for looks, I thought the EV1 looked like a cool spaceship. One time I parked the car, got out and a passerby on the sidewalk looked at the car then looked at me and said "That's the most f&ing ugly car I've ever seen!" I was a bit shocked at first. Different strokes I guess.

While I never owned an EV1, a buddy did and I got to drive it often... I loved that car! And I thought it was way-cool looking!

Definitely different strokes. For me, the EV1 always brought to mind the 'car of the future' in Woody Allen's
"Sleeper," and my reaction was similar to his: http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news-wo ... 210/3.jpeg

Some people have noticed similarities to a different BEV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnT6_S-aECc

[GRA]

Has anyone ever bought... a car from GM (at least in the past 40 years) because they expected exceptional reliability from it?

Plenty of GM fanboys have. Oh boy... you should check out some of the GM fanboy defenders on some places like Cruzetalk.com when Cruze reliability was AWFUL for years. They'll claim that Japanese cars are not more reliable, CR and all reliability surveys are biased, BS, paid off, etc., give all sorts of anecdotal reports of unreliable Japanese cars (sure, there's always going to be %), and so on.

Surprisingly, the most recent model year of Cruze got a very good reliability rating in CR, unlike virtually all previous model years. It'll be interesting to see if that holds over the long term.

I'm sure there are many other such places...

Funny enough, I do pay for a subscription to Car and Driver. As for Prius Prime... well, Gen 4 Prius (non-plugin; began with model year 2016 was awful in terms of styling. At least they fixed the front and mostly fixed the back. Even though I'm still somewhat of a Prius fan, I'd never buy a Gen 4 non-plugin just due to its styling. Prius Prime is actually "fixed" enough that it'd be on my consideration list if I'm in the market for a hybrid or PHEV.

I haven't seen a Prime in the flesh yet (but oddly enough have seen a Bolt in the wild, despite the 4:1 disparity in sales to date) so can't say for certain, but judging by photos most of the more egregious styling miscues of the HEV Prius Gen. 4 seem to have been improved on the Prime. Jury's still out on the rear, though. I could probably live with its looks, but not with everything else.

[rmay635703]

That's OK -- I find muddled thinking (or is it just a bit of hypocrisy ?) more than a little offensive.

If you "don't care" if you are are "understood," then why post ? Surely the "understanding" of one anonymous reader is equal to another ? I think you are looking for agreement. I recommend volt.com

The rest of your post is at least honest
A host of priorities, some of them conflicting, lead you in the end to choose a Volt. Fair enough, but "I wanted a heating steering wheel" and "I don't find the Prius fun or attractive" have NOTHING to do with your original post that the Volt was chosen based on AER. Like many a Volt owner I have read, ONE of your priorities is to drive high torque EV on most days and you are willing to to turn a blind eye towards EV efficiency, overall fuel utilization, tailpipe emissions, plant emissions and carbon pollution.

posting.php?mode=quote&f=10&p=481338
https://attachments.priuschat.com/attac ... G_2014.jpg

Nah, none of us volt owners care about the environment

What with my summer long 232mpge and 49mpg on the gas brick on a Gen I volt !

I also get free fillups with partially "renewable" electricity 5 days a week.

obviously the average person driving a Tesla, Prius Prime or Nissan leaf uses less energy than 6.9 miles per kwhr

and can then drive 3500 miles out and back to Yellowstone park without any frustration.

But no every volt uses more energy than other EVs and the non-existant charging architecture out west and 15 minute 200 mile fillup requirements are no hindrance either.

Obviously my 49mpg on the gen I volts gas brick is so MUCH worse than an average Prius.

And the volt is so much more unreliable what with it going 300,000 miles before needing a new set of front wheel bearings
http://www.voltstats.net/Stats/Details/1579
and zero battery degradation.

And yeah, I should own a T3, where do I go buy one of those unicorns?

Some people have to live in reality,

until I can buy a T3 and the governments VW paved electric highway initiative goes through all areas...

well I can see your point but with the right hat you could cover it.

[GRA]

Via IEVS:

Toyota Prius Prime Test Drive Review From UK Finds Other Competitors Closing In

http://insideevs.com/toyota-prius-prime ... losing-in/

. . . Overall, Autocar laments that Toyota could have done better with the offering overall (driving experience, better material quality and practicality) and that the earlier Prius first mover advantage has been exhausted.

"…compared to the hybrid state of the art – the latest-generation petrol-electric offerings from the European car-makers who’ve spent two decades trailing in Toyota’s wake but are now in a position to go toe-to-toe with it – it’s weedy and one-dimensional“. . . .

Yup, still a Prius.