We haven't talked about used Priuses lately, have we?

A friend is asking about a used Prius. They are looking at 2013 or so models with about 40k miles for $13k-$14k.

This is will be a reliable, efficient urban commuter, and it has to be big enough to hold a drum kit.

What does the hive say?

Thanks.

Pshaw. They don't want a Prius. They want a box-flared Miata with a diesel swap, towing a trailer. That would fit their needs much better.

Seriously though, I'm watching this thread with interest. My 17 year old self would be killing me, but it may make decent sense for my wife and I. I couldn't find any reason against it other than I'm not a fan of the interior and it looks like a bloated mosquito. And it is boring.

Has any Prius thread come up where the consensus was NOT that they are a near-ideal general purpose normal car for normal people? They're more reliable than most non-hybrids, generally have more versatile cargo space unless you're comparing them to an actual cargo vehicle or something that gets <25mpg, and of course get exceptional fuel economy. The Prius is the perfect car for untold tens or hundreds of millions of people. If more companies made Prii then they'd be able to squeeze a lot more hoonage machines under their CAFE obligations. The world would be better off if more Americans drove a Prius or something like it.

The only thing bad about a Prius in that price range is that the Lexus CT200h trades for a similar price, while being much nicer inside and offering a "real" hatchback.

A woman at work is on her 3rd. First was totaled by another car. Second she rolled. She's doing well with this one, when she remembers to put gas in it. It does this weird death spiral when there's no gas and the electricity runs out. During the Spring to Fall months, there is usually a kayak sticking out the back.

pointofdeparture wrote: The only thing bad about a Prius in that price range is that the Lexus CT200h trades for a similar price, while being much nicer inside and offering a "real" hatchback.

Can you tell me more about this? How big is the cargo area? Big enough for two large dogs?

EDIT: (With the rear seats folded down)

Just don't get a new one or you'll have to live with the Edsel of hybrids.

Blech.

mtn wrote:

pointofdeparture wrote: The only thing bad about a Prius in that price range is that the Lexus CT200h trades for a similar price, while being much nicer inside and offering a "real" hatchback.

Can you tell me more about this? How big is the cargo area? Big enough for two large dogs? EDIT: (With the rear seats folded down)

I haven't owned or driven one, just poked around at them. It's what I would buy if I wanted a hybrid; potentially SWMBO's next car. I can say that they are pretty much a Prius 3 with a nicer interior, independent rear suspension and a traditional hatchback. There's also something to be said about avoiding the ubiquity of a Prius, but maybe that's just me. I'm not a dog owner but it looks like two would fit well enough.

David S. Wallens wrote: A friend is asking about a used Prius. They are looking at 2013 or so models with about 40k miles for $13k-$14k. This is will be a reliable, efficient urban commuter, and it has to be big enough to hold a drum kit. What does the hive say? Thanks.

I think the real question is how big is his kit? Are we talking 5-piece, or Rush-tribute?

Good question on the drum kit. Big enough to make this, I guess.

Yeah, not Neal Peart. For that you need a couple of box trucks. At least.

Thanks for all of the feedback, too. Much appreciated.

In reply to David S. Wallens:

Cool tune! It doesn't sound like a large kit, or kick drum, so as long as he's not hauling everything in road cases he should be fine. Worst case - he wouldn't be the first musician to rip the back seat out of their car to haul more gear.

In reply to mtn:

I own a CT200h. The dogs would only fit if the rear seat is down. My one medium dog fits in the hatch with the seat up but it is tight. The drums would likely fit. Should test fit to know for sure. The CT fixes just about all that is wrong with the Prius. Better handling, better noise reduction, better interior, better exterior, etc.

I have a Thule rack and a skibox, so it can schlep lots o stuff.

Prius V would fit even more stuff.

I don't know if it's gearing or computer programming, but the CT200h gets 6 fewer MPG than a Prius.

For 2013 models:
CT200h: 43city, 42combined, 40hwy
Prius: 49city, 48combined, 46hwy

Around here, the CT200h runs about $5k higher for equivalent miles, but there are very few Prius 4 or 5 trims available for sale.

A CT200H will be my next DD. Prius reliability and MPG (not quite there, but still double the MPG of my RDX), but none of the stereotypes.

I really like the CT200H, but I love wagons in general. Looks like a Japanese version (reliable!) of an Audi A3.

It has a pretty small hatch though, so I don't expect it to be much of a champ when it comes to hauling stuff. I imagine the drop in MPG compared to the Prius is weight and aerodynamics. A wortwhile trade off for me.

In reply to EvanR:

I suspect that tires are part of the equation, weight and aero also playing a role.

For the drums, I would recommend the Prius V.
Very similar exterior dimensions as a Mazda5 but no third row seating.

pointofdeparture wrote: The only thing bad about a Prius in that price range is that the Lexus CT200h trades for a similar price, while being much nicer inside and offering a "real" hatchback.

On paper (I've never used a CT200h to verify), the Prius has substantially more cargo space than the Lexus.

http://www.autotrader.com/car-reviews/2014-toyota-prius-vs-2014-lexus-ct-200h-whats-the-difference-225776

Interestingly, the Prius is a little larger inside. Not only will rear-seat passengers have more room in the Toyota, the Prius also boasts significantly more cargo space -- 21.6 cu ft. to the Lexus' 14.3.

The Prius hatch is mighty handy for loading large objects (mountain bikes), I can't imagine trying to do the same thing through the Lexus hatch.

Also, the Prius is faster.

David S. Wallens wrote: A friend is asking about a used Prius. They are looking at 2013 or so models with about 40k miles for $13k-$14k. This is will be a reliable, efficient urban commuter, and it has to be big enough to hold a drum kit. What does the hive say? Thanks.

Sounds like a job for the Kia Soul (though not ultra efficient) or Mazda3 hatch with Skyactive. Prius is an awesome toaster, but for the money there are tons and tons of other cars I'd rather have that can serve the same needs and not be as boring.

I had a 2005 Prius for a few months and I was very impressed with cargo space. I could easily get my big 29er in with the front wheel off.

If they need to fit drums go V.

Either Prius V or CTS-V, wagon is the answer.

In reply to ProDarwin:

Interesting! I never would have thought that the Prius would manage to have more cargo space from the difference in profile. I wonder if it's primarily based on more length as the CT clearly has a taller entry portal.

In reply to pointofdeparture:

Yes it is mostly length and some roof differences. The CT has wider stickier tires and the body is a little less aero which accounts for the reduction in mpg. A touch more weight as well. The CT has snappier performance for around town driving vs. the Prius. It really is quite good. You only notice how slow it is when accelerating past 30mph.

Relative to the Prius, the CT200h is so rare as to be non-existent on the used market. There are none for sale in central Virginia, and only two in the DC area.