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> “Toyota has put more energy into the mechanics of the [Prius] than the styling.” I'm a happy Toyota hybrid customer. Styling was not an important considerati

> “Toyota has put more energy into the mechanics of the [Prius] than the styling.” I'm a happy Toyota hybrid customer. Styling was not an important consideration when I chose the Prius. Gas mileage was much more important, along with price, quality, and comfort.

melling 10y ago
ok. So, there's still a smaller market. That doesn't address the bigger problem where many people buy SUV's when gas is cheap.
Alupis 10y ago
> Styling was not an important consideration when I chose the Prius. Gas mileage was much more important, along with price, quality, and comfort. Yes, that may be. But imagine if there had been an alternative to the Prius - was priced the same, had the same gas mileage and equivalent specs, but it looked a lot more stylish/sporty/refined, etc... Which do you buy now?
- viraptor 10y ago
  The one that you like better. Which one "looked a lot more stylish/sporty/refined" is not going to be the same for every person.
  - tw04 10y ago
    EVERY person? No. But the VAST majority of people think a McLaren P1 looks extremely sexy and a Pontiac Aztec looks like a committee of idiots were in charge of the exterior design. The Prius is known for many things: I don't know of anyone who would go out of their way to say it's a stylish or attractive looking car as one of it's top 20 attributes. I'm sure someone out there like that exists, but they are very clearly in the minority.
- pohl 10y ago
  The one that gets the same gas mileage but has better styling would be the superior engineering achievement, so I'd choose that one. But now imagine a 3rd option that takes whatever advantages made that possible and puts them in the body with better aerodynamics: again I'd choose against style.
  - mikeash 10y ago
    I don't know if that sort of tradeoff really exists. Looking at a list of low-drag cars, most of them look great: http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars-in-production-right-now/ http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars... Car styling is always a matter of taste, but I bet virtually everyone will find at least a couple of cars on that list that they think are nice to look at. The Prius's weird styling isn't so much to be efficient, but to look efficient. The latest generation makes that much more obvious. Those weird lines and mismatched rear panels aren't doing anything for aerodynamics, but they call out that this car is different.
    - chmaynard 10y ago
      I think you're overlooking something. The Gen 2 Prius is classified as a mid-size hatchback. I suspect that had something to do with Toyota's decision to go with the odd shape. The extra space wasn't important to me when I bought it, but it is now. For example, I can put down the rear seats and place an assembled bicycle inside, without removing the front wheel or lowering the seat post. I couldn't even think about doing that with my last car, an Acura Integra.
      - Alupis 10y ago
        > I think you're overlooking something. The Gen 2 Prius is classified as a mid-size hatchback It's one of the oddest shaped hatchbacks in production, and frankly looks weird to even a hatchback lover like myself. Take a look at the front runners in the hatchback field, you'll notice big differences in aerodynamics, "sleekness", and styling. Ford Focus, VW Golf, etc... all far better looking cars than the weirdly lined Prius.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- sokoloff 10y ago
  What "car people" see as a negative, some "eco people" see as a positive. In Cambridge, MA, there's a significant part of the population for whom "I am making an overt statement about my care and concern for the environment" that will cause them to prefer the unstylish Prius/LEAF/Volt.
- bane 10y ago
  There is, is the Honda Accord Hybrid. Within spitting distance for mpg, bigger, better looking, faster, low end trims are about the same price.
- r00fus 10y ago
  Yes - as a Prius '05 owner, I'd say back then it was the closest to a spaceship I could get in a production vehicle. Today, there's plenty of options, and the Volt would probably win (budget) or Tesla (best looking, pure electric). I think the latest Prius simply looks worse than previous designs.
spking 10y ago
I'm in the happy Prius owner camp, too. The styling (or lack thereof) is also driven by aerodynamic efficiency: http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars-in-production-right-now/ http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars... (#5) For people like me who consider cars a utility item, I couldn't really care much less about its outward appearance to other people.
- mikeash 10y ago
  Heh, we found the same link, except I looked it up in order to demonstrate that the Prius's looks aren't about efficiency. Most of those cars look great. The Prius stands out (along with the XL1) as a weirdmobile there, and it still only gets fifth place. I'm not going to bash it over its appearance, but I think that list shows that it doesn't have to look different to be efficient.
karmicthreat 10y ago
Yea. Those were the same criteria I had. I commute about 90 miles a day. So even with cheap gas fuel efficiency is important to me. Also I went with the Prius over the Volt mostly because the Volt has WORSE styling and less reliability.
- brightball 10y ago
  Gonna have to disagree with you there. My Volt was amazing. Drove like it had a V6 and looked really sleek. The Prius always looked like a box on wheels to me.
Spoom 10y ago
This is exactly where I am. The Prius looks fine, but when you do the math on the mileage, it can't be beat by any other sedan in the price range. But then, I bought a used Gen 2 Prius, so I wouldn't show up in these stats anyway.

melling 10y ago

ok. So, there's still a smaller market. That doesn't address the bigger problem where many people buy SUV's when gas is cheap.

Alupis 10y ago

> Styling was not an important consideration when I chose the Prius. Gas mileage was much more important, along with price, quality, and comfort. Yes, that may be. But imagine if there had been an alternative to the Prius - was priced the same, had the same gas mileage and equivalent specs, but it looked a lot more stylish/sporty/refined, etc... Which do you buy now?

viraptor 10y ago
The one that you like better. Which one "looked a lot more stylish/sporty/refined" is not going to be the same for every person.
- tw04 10y ago
  EVERY person? No. But the VAST majority of people think a McLaren P1 looks extremely sexy and a Pontiac Aztec looks like a committee of idiots were in charge of the exterior design. The Prius is known for many things: I don't know of anyone who would go out of their way to say it's a stylish or attractive looking car as one of it's top 20 attributes. I'm sure someone out there like that exists, but they are very clearly in the minority.
pohl 10y ago
The one that gets the same gas mileage but has better styling would be the superior engineering achievement, so I'd choose that one. But now imagine a 3rd option that takes whatever advantages made that possible and puts them in the body with better aerodynamics: again I'd choose against style.
- mikeash 10y ago
  I don't know if that sort of tradeoff really exists. Looking at a list of low-drag cars, most of them look great: http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars-in-production-right-now/ http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars... Car styling is always a matter of taste, but I bet virtually everyone will find at least a couple of cars on that list that they think are nice to look at. The Prius's weird styling isn't so much to be efficient, but to look efficient. The latest generation makes that much more obvious. Those weird lines and mismatched rear panels aren't doing anything for aerodynamics, but they call out that this car is different.
  - chmaynard 10y ago
    I think you're overlooking something. The Gen 2 Prius is classified as a mid-size hatchback. I suspect that had something to do with Toyota's decision to go with the odd shape. The extra space wasn't important to me when I bought it, but it is now. For example, I can put down the rear seats and place an assembled bicycle inside, without removing the front wheel or lowering the seat post. I couldn't even think about doing that with my last car, an Acura Integra.
    - Alupis 10y ago
      > I think you're overlooking something. The Gen 2 Prius is classified as a mid-size hatchback It's one of the oddest shaped hatchbacks in production, and frankly looks weird to even a hatchback lover like myself. Take a look at the front runners in the hatchback field, you'll notice big differences in aerodynamics, "sleekness", and styling. Ford Focus, VW Golf, etc... all far better looking cars than the weirdly lined Prius.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
sokoloff 10y ago
What "car people" see as a negative, some "eco people" see as a positive. In Cambridge, MA, there's a significant part of the population for whom "I am making an overt statement about my care and concern for the environment" that will cause them to prefer the unstylish Prius/LEAF/Volt.
bane 10y ago
There is, is the Honda Accord Hybrid. Within spitting distance for mpg, bigger, better looking, faster, low end trims are about the same price.
r00fus 10y ago
Yes - as a Prius '05 owner, I'd say back then it was the closest to a spaceship I could get in a production vehicle. Today, there's plenty of options, and the Volt would probably win (budget) or Tesla (best looking, pure electric). I think the latest Prius simply looks worse than previous designs.

spking 10y ago

I'm in the happy Prius owner camp, too. The styling (or lack thereof) is also driven by aerodynamic efficiency: http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars-in-production-right-now/ http://motorburn.com/2014/01/12-of-the-most-aerodynamic-cars... (#5) For people like me who consider cars a utility item, I couldn't really care much less about its outward appearance to other people.

mikeash 10y ago
Heh, we found the same link, except I looked it up in order to demonstrate that the Prius's looks aren't about efficiency. Most of those cars look great. The Prius stands out (along with the XL1) as a weirdmobile there, and it still only gets fifth place. I'm not going to bash it over its appearance, but I think that list shows that it doesn't have to look different to be efficient.

karmicthreat 10y ago

Yea. Those were the same criteria I had. I commute about 90 miles a day. So even with cheap gas fuel efficiency is important to me. Also I went with the Prius over the Volt mostly because the Volt has WORSE styling and less reliability.

brightball 10y ago
Gonna have to disagree with you there. My Volt was amazing. Drove like it had a V6 and looked really sleek. The Prius always looked like a box on wheels to me.

Spoom 10y ago

This is exactly where I am. The Prius looks fine, but when you do the math on the mileage, it can't be beat by any other sedan in the price range. But then, I bought a used Gen 2 Prius, so I wouldn't show up in these stats anyway.