This is the first extention of the Prius family -- the jumbo-sized Prius V, and what you see is pretty much what you get; this is simply a Prius with a taller back seat and a bigger, more wagon-like trunk.
Now, I know that many "car guys" think the Prius goes against everything we stand for, and maybe that's right -- but I, for one, think the Prius V is absolutely brilliant, one of those "why-didn't-anyone-think-of-this-before" sort of cars. Find out why I'm such a fan -- and where I think it goes a bit wrong -- in my 2012 Toyota Prius V review. -- Aaron Gold
Related: 2012 Toyota Prius V photo gallery
Photo © Toyota
Hybrid Matrix by any other name?
Bigger. Think RAV4.
Aaron, two questions, If it was more reasonbly priced, would you trade the Honda for it?
and do you really think that this is the future of reliable and economical transportation ?
It’s got a lot more usable space and gets twice the fuel economy. With all the crap we haul, this would actually be a great car for my family. But man, is it expensive. — Aaron
I really should like this car. It’s a station wagon, and there are very few of them out there anymore. It also offers a level of choice for those of us who don’t want an SUV, CUV or minivan, but still want decent cargo room. However, I can’t stand the Prius. To me, they’re the anti-car of automobiles. I once compared them to Dementors from the Harry Potter books; a creature that literally sucks out your soul and leaves you feeling utterly joyless. To me it’s one step away from the transportation pod. It is a somewhat better looking car than the standard Prius, however, I’m sure the driving experience is no different.
All that said, I’m sure these are great cars for some people. More power to them. There just isn’t anything about them that makes me feel compelled to spend five figures worth of my money on one.
Agent Mike:
Not sure what Aaron thinks about reliability and economy. My personal feeling is that clean diesel is the way to go. These vehicles get the same or comparable economy to nearly every hybrid out there. Diesel engines produce great power and last nearly forever. They require a whole lot less technology to operate, which will make them much less costly to repair as they get older. They also won’t create nearly the number of hazards to passengers and rescue workers responding to accidents involving them as some hybrid and particularly electric cars will. Electrics all have specific and unique battery disabling procedures necessary to prevent electric shock, which rescue workers will have to accomplish before any rescue operations can safely take place, all of which takes away precious time when someones life is in jeopardy. Diesel cars wouldn’t require any more effort in that regard than emergency services already use.
I am in complete agreement. I too strongly feel that there should be more Diesels in the market today. I know there are some additional costs, but so too with the Hybrids.
I would be driving one right now if they weren’t so darn expensive. Not certain what it will take to get ALL car makers to start building a Diesel Vehicle for sale in this country. Way Over Due…
Toyota did it again!
Toyota needs to get its act together when it comes to the naming conventions for these cars. Seriously, the ‘V Two/ V Three/ V Five’ thing is about as silly as the Kia ‘Soul/Soul+/ Soul!’ mess.
And is it Prius VEE or Prius FIVE?
Vee. Technically not capitalized (i.e. Prius v) but I refuse to go there. — Aaron
Not a fan of Wagons, Toyota or Hybrids, but I’m sure it will sell.
*extenSion
Ross;
If you like CUVs and SUVs, then you like wagons. They’re the Station wagon of the modern age whether you like it or not. Just built on a platform other than a standard 4-door sedan.
I’m not a huge CUV/SUV fan myself, but, is has more to do with the fact that they’re all either trucks, or a version of them. I prefer a standard car based wagon.
You may or may not care for any of them. You didn’t say.
Eric & Mike, you know I concur with you about diesels compared to hybrid: more power, greater durability/longevity, less of a disposal issue at retirement, comparable highway mileage. However, city mpg ratings on the Prius are far better than diesel and hybrids carry that “I’m saving the planet image” for many environmental wannabe’s. Unfortunately diesel still carries the unwarranted “dirty or sooty” and gutless image to many uniformed buyers. I’m willing to bet that if Ameica could magically wake up and find a diesel in every car tomorrow, our energy dependence on OPEC nations would be over.
I agree with you Don, although I’m willing to sacrifice city mpg in favor of an engaging drive. Unlike what is apparently a growing segment of our society, I thoroughly enjoy driving an automobile, and demand a car that both performs, handles, and involves me in the driving experience. I love manual transmissions for this reason; I love hearing the rev and feeling the pull of the engine while I’m accelerating. You just don’t get that in a Prius. The Prius seems, by all indications, to target those consumers who really don’t like driving for whatever their reasons. For them, a car like this makes perfect sense. I guess I’m just not that “Green.”
My wife is one of those uninformed who dislikes diesel engines in cars. I think, for her, it’s more a matter of how they sound. She doesn’t like driving trucks as she’s a small girl, and diesel engines say “truck” to her. I’m sure there are thousands who agree with her, and also think diesel engines are dirty, gutless and unreliable as you stated. If they only knew how much things have changed since 1980.
I’m all for reducing our foreign energy dependence. I also believe there are other ways of doing so that don’t require me to give up driving what I like.
Toyota Prius v. The perfect car for people with no personality.
Or for those with fat wallets. Versus our previous vehicle we used for sales calls, the Company Prius saved us $2600 on fuel last year. $2600 isn’t boring. If your daily drive is stop/go/stop/go…drive to get lunch…stop/go/stop/go, errands, home… then a car like it makes sense.
I purchased a Prius for my company as a sales vehicle. It makes perfect sense. The fuel savings alone over the truck we used to drive around actually pay for the car. With the hatch, it holds a lot of stuff. It is quiet, comfortable, has a decent audio system, bluetooth and thus far has been reliable as an anvil. When the lease is up, we will seriously consider going with the V as having that extra space would be nice. Is it a high performance driver’s car? Nope. It gets around corners better than you’d expect, but I certainly wouldn’t compare it to my previous Z-06 Vette.
Acceleration is leisurely at best…then again I have a Sport Bike if I have a need for extreme X-Axis G-forces. After riding sport bikes, NO car seems fast. For somebody who commutes, carries family around or for a business who makes a lot of in field calls, the Prii lineup is sensible with the fuel savings being substantial. Best mileage so far has been 56.1 MPG, worst during the winter was 46 MPG.
Versus the TDi…I’d have preferred the VDub, but the pricing difference at the time just wasn’t justifiable over the Toyota when laid out in a cold hard spread sheet. I don’t regret getting the Prius at all.
A couple of questions:
1. Do you think the small size would make a big guy like me go nuts on a long road trip?
2. How do you think this experience compares with a Ford Edge with EcoBoost? The latter claims 30 MPG highway and is more spacious. I’m actually considering either an Edge or a Prius V and while they are very different, I’m struggling with fuel-efficiency vs. a modicum of comfort.