O God. Am I going to buy a Prius????

[12,000 RPM]

Wifey wants a hybrid for her next car but I can't think of any that fit the bill (gotta be a hatch or SUV). On my drive back from NYC on a little 90 MPH spurt I was getting tailed by a current gen Prius. I didn't know they could do 90? It had the "sport" package (freeze breeze 17s) which reviewers say makes it actually decent to drive. I'm just worried about the power

The RX400h is another idea... gets about 30 MPG combined and ~33 city which is good as wifey's commute is stop n go hell, but it also does 0-60 in the mid 6s. I'll be honest though, I prefer the looks of the Prius

Any other ideas for a semi luxury SUV/wagon that does 0-60 in <10s and gets >30 MPG combined? We are years away from buying anything but w/e.

[Xer0]

Wifey wants a hybrid for her next car but I can't think of any that fit the bill (gotta be a hatch or SUV). On my drive back from NYC on a little 90 MPH spurt I was getting tailed by a current gen Prius. I didn't know they could do 90? It had the "sport" package (freeze breeze 17s) which reviewers say makes it actually decent to drive. I'm just worried about the power

The RX400h is another idea... gets about 30 MPG combined and ~33 city which is good as wifey's commute is stop n go hell, but it also does 0-60 in the mid 6s. I'll be honest though, I prefer the looks of the Prius

Any other ideas for a semi luxury SUV/wagon that does 0-60 in <10s and gets >30 MPG combined? We are years away from buying anything but w/e.

Some sort of VAG diesel should fit the bill nicely.

[ifcar]

Volt?

There's also likely going to be a new Prius out before you shop, which presumably will make significant progress on the refinement front. I don't know that stop-and-go brings out the strengths of a diesel, especially with the higher fuel costs factored in.

[MX793]

Doesn't Lexus make some smaller hybrid hatches?  CT200h or something like that?  There's also the Ford C-Max.

[dazzleman]

Get a Tesla.  They're cooler.

[12,000 RPM]

No plug in cars. This is gonna be a road trip car. I don't think there are any supercharging stations within like 500 miles of here.

I think the CT200h has the same drivetrain as the 2010+ Prius. I prefer the looks of the Prius in and out

[Raza]

Wifey wants a hybrid for her next car but I can't think of any that fit the bill (gotta be a hatch or SUV). On my drive back from NYC on a little 90 MPH spurt I was getting tailed by a current gen Prius. I didn't know they could do 90? It had the "sport" package (freeze breeze 17s) which reviewers say makes it actually decent to drive. I'm just worried about the power

The RX400h is another idea... gets about 30 MPG combined and ~33 city which is good as wifey's commute is stop n go hell, but it also does 0-60 in the mid 6s. I'll be honest though, I prefer the looks of the Prius

Any other ideas for a semi luxury SUV/wagon that does 0-60 in <10s and gets >30 MPG combined? We are years away from buying anything but w/e.

Lexus CTh? 

EDIT: You think the Prius looks better?  The CTh isn't pretty, but it's better looking than the Prius at least.  There is a Jetta Hybrid.

Optima Hybrid?

[12,000 RPM]

Lexus CTh? 

EDIT: You think the Prius looks better?  The CTh isn't pretty, but it's better looking than the Prius at least.  There is a Jetta Hybrid.

Optima Hybrid?

Need something with a hatch. NX300h/Q5 hybrid are perfect but like $50K ATM. Wish the Prius had the Camry hybrid's powertrain. That would check all the boxes.

[SVT666]

Escape Hybrid

[12,000 RPM]

Whoo I have plenty of experience with those as cabs in NYC. Really shitty interiors. Plus the RX gets the same gas mileage with like double the HP.

[MrH]

If you're dropping $40k on a car, why are you limiting yourself to hybrids? Gas cost is a tiny portion of a purchase price that large.

[12,000 RPM]

Whoa whoa whoa buying used. More like $15K. Wifey spends a lil less than her car payment on gas every month so cutting gas costs in half would make a meaningful difference. $1000-1500 a year

[cawimmer430]

No plug in cars. This is gonna be a road trip car. I don't think there are any supercharging stations within like 500 miles of here.

I think the CT200h has the same drivetrain as the 2010+ Prius. I prefer the looks of the Prius in and out

BMW 118d with the M-Sport Package 60 mpg+.






Now if only it was sold in America... 

[MrH]

Whoa whoa whoa buying used. More like $15K. Wifey spends a lil less than her car payment on gas every month so cutting gas costs in half would make a meaningful difference. $1000-1500 a year

Oh, I didn't realize RX 400h's have gotten down to that price.  For some reason I thought those only came out in the last few years so they were near $40k.  Looks like there's some good examples out there for <$20k.


Have you considered a Prius C?  Saw one in blue today, I don't think they look too bad exterior wise.  Pretty crazy gas mileage too.

[12,000 RPM]

Prius C is a little too tight. 90% of my friends are above average height. Extra room (and more importantly HP) of the regular Prius would be appreciated.

RX sounds good on paper but honestly I hate the looks in and out. I don't like its ride height either. I was never a fan of my mom's RX. I will still check it out though.

I'm thinking we can do the Prius for a few years, then get a used NX300h. That is pretty much the perfect wifey car. Interior looks sexy as hell too (albeit a lil busy).

[MrH]

If the CT200h and HS250h (which are down in the $15k's) are too tight, go with a Prius V.

[Laconian]

It's fuel efficient for its class, but in absolute terms it's not spectacular. You could match the RX's fuel economy pretty easily with a conventional car that rides lower to the ground. Is the MPG figure important, or does your wife just want a hybrid?

My mom's 3rd gen Prius drives like a video game. The dashboard is way too high, the ceiling is way too low, visibility is just garbage. She's happy with the fuel economy and the cargo room of the hatch, but after experiencing the road noise and claustrophobic cabin for years my parents have finally come to the point of admitting that perhaps Toyota sacrifices too much at the altar of fuel efficiency.

[ifcar]

If the CT200h and HS250h (which are down in the $15k's) are too tight, go with a Prius V.

Bear in mind that the Prius v is the same engine as the regular Prius but in a bigger, heavier, less aerodynamic package. If it had the Camry Hybrid powertrain, it would be pretty impressive, though.


If you're looking at the RX hybrid but are concerned about the price, how about the Highlander?

[12,000 RPM]

Prius C is too tight. HS/CT are roomy enough, but I prefer the looks of the Prius to both. Def over the HS, that car is hideous. Highlander is too big... it's just me and my wife now.

Honestly if the Jetta wagon came in a hybrid, that would be great. There are a lot of TDI wagons though. I'm just afraid of diesel prices and maintenance. Plus like 80% of wifey's driving is stop n go traffic. So a hybrid would benefit more to that end.

[Laconian]

GM mild hybrid? Their hybrid modes are kind of lame but they do support auto stop/start. They're probably dirt cheap, too.

[12,000 RPM]

GM mild hybrid? Their hybrid modes are kind of lame but they do support auto stop/start. They're probably dirt cheap, too.

No hatches, it seems. Saturn Vue has a hybrid version but I'm leery. I'm imagining the interior being absolute shit.

[ifcar]

Highlander is too big... it's just me and my wife now.

The first-gen Highlander Hybrid is actually smaller than the RX400h, just boxier. Compared to the current RX450h, the second-generation Highlander is about an inch longer and wider and two inches taller.

[ifcar]

No hatches, it seems. Saturn Vue has a hybrid version but I'm leery. I'm imagining the interior being absolute shit.

That was actually a good generation for the Vue, and there's even a full hybrid version. But not many were made before the brand was dropped.

[GoCougs]

Hey, haven't we been here before? One's pocket book, and environmental sensitivities, will be best served by a lightly used high quality compact (Civic, Corolla).

[68_427]

Prius V for sure. 

[2o6]

No hatches, it seems. Saturn Vue has a hybrid version but I'm leery. I'm imagining the interior being absolute shit.

Interior's nice, but the hybrid setup that isn't a Volt is an absolute joke. The "green line" system in GM cars is basically a big alternator.

[12,000 RPM]

Hey, haven't we been here before? One's pocket book, and environmental sensitivities, will be best served by a lightly used high quality compact (Civic, Corolla).

Isn't that a Prius

[GoCougs]

Isn't that a Prius

No.

[12,000 RPM]

No.

Lol. A Prius with ~60K miles isn't a "lightly used high quality compact"?

[GoCougs]

Lol. A Prius with ~60K miles isn't a "lightly used high quality compact"?

No, and not only because the Prius has an EPA size classification of "midsize" and not "compact" .