Hybrid Crash

2007 Toyota Touring Prius...a Safe Buy?

I'm really interested in a hybrid, specifically the prius touring edition with package #6. My concern is that I have not yet gotten reliable advice from anyone because everyone takes a biased side. Those who own priuses only want to say positive things because they are liberals trying to save the earth. Those against the prius complain about it not being powerful. Another concern of mine is how the car has done in the crash test simulations. Is this a safe car? I've heard from a friend in the insurance industry that these cars get totalled under conditions that should not be totaling a car. I'd much rather buy an american made car, preferably Ford or Chevy, however they don't have any decent hybrids..what should my decision be? Thanks for your help!
Of course I know the Horsepower and Torque are not going to be equal to that of a gasoline powered vehicle, at least from the prius or some other non-luxury hybrid..duh

OK, as always, get comfy...

You have several questions in your post and they need to be addressed individually for a total answer. Also, this may come across as I'm jumping on your question in a negative way. I'm not, but you want accurate information to make a real decision and I need to look at what you've asked in detail.

1. You state that you have "not yet gotten reliable advice from anyone because everyone takes a biased side".

Exactly what type of "reliable advice" do you want?

How the Prius holds up?
Electric motors have fewer moving parts than internal combustion engines (ICE's) and don't break down like ICE do. Also, Toyota has yet to have a Prius battery fail under normal operating conditions and the current record is over 360,000 miles with the original battery and drive system. This is not a typo. There are plenty of urban myths about the batteries failing and they cost you $10,000 to replace. Not true, period.

What the maintenance costs are to see what a Prius will cost you over the life of the car?
- You change the oil every 3000 miles, just like on any car (don't go for 5000 on any vehicle, you're asking for trouble).
- You don't change the sealed CVT fluid until 90,000 miles.
- Your first tune-up is at 100,000 miles.
- Check your tire pressure 2X a week with a digital gauge (not a cheapy stick gauge) and rotate your tires every other oil change. You should do this with any vehicle you own. The tires on a Prius are low-rolling-resistance specialty tires, just like on a sports car or truck. They should last about 35-40,000 if taken care of. The original Goodyear Integrity should cost about $96 each to replace.
- The brake pads should last the life of the car because they are rarely used with the regenerative braking system.
- That's about it, the hybrid system and the nickel metal hydride battery are self-regulating, you never touch them.
- There is a small lead acid battery in the back that will need to be replaced like any other car eventually, figure 5-7 years.

What do independent reviewers of the Prius think of the car?
If you don't have one, get a subscription to Consumer Reports and see what they say about them. The Prius has been the number one car in consumer confidence for the past four years. That means 94% of the people that own one would buy another or recommend the Prius to purchase.

2. You next state that people "complain about it not being powerful" enough.

What would help is to know what "powerful" means to you.

Are you looking to be able to tow a boat, chirp the tires at a stop light, and get 50 mpg? Not going to happen with current commercial vehicles.

3. Is the Prius safe?

This question we can answer in more detail. You state that you have a friend in the insurance industry. That is where I'd start if I were you. Call the major insurance companies and ask them if they charge more for a mid-size hybrid like the Prius than they would for a mid-size car that is not a hybrid...with the same safety and comfort features. That is an important detail.

Many people make the mistake of comparing the Prius to a Corolla or a Civic and then go "a-ha" when the insurance rates come back higher for a Prius. It would be the same as comparing a Corolla to a Camry and then wondering why the Corolla is not considered as safe as the larger, more featured Camry.

The Prius has standard 4 channel ABS, traction control, elelctronic steering, braking and acceleration, side curtain and side seat airbags and next generation front airbags. With the package you're considering, stability control is also there (contact me at professorprius@yahoo.com and I'll go over how these systems work in real world conditions).

I present hybrids to local first responders and paramedics. They are impressed, one and all, once they understand how the vehicles work in a crash.

4. As far as an "American made car" goes, they don't exist. Every vehicle made in America gets a large number of it's components from other soures or builds the car itself in another country, such as Mexico or Canada. The trade laws are set up so that GM, Ford and Chrysler can assemble a car using up to about 77% of parts from the US or Canada. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is built in Mexico using 23% Chinese parts, it's still considered a domestic car.

As a matter of fact, cars.com has a web page listing the top ten domestic cars with 75% or more domestic parts and assembly. Toyota has two vehicles on the list, the Camry and the Sienna. Here's the top of the page quote:

"What Are the Top American-Made Cars?
Cars.com's American-Made Index rates vehicles built and bought in the U.S. Factors include sales, where the car's parts are made and whether the car is assembled in the U.S. Models that have been discontinued are disqualified, as are those with a domestic-parts content rating below 75 percent."

By the way, an easy way to tell which vehicle has been built overseas is to look at the VIN number plate in the driver's side windshield. The country of origin will be the first of the 16 number/letters that make up the VIN. Toyota uses "J" for example, for Japan. So if you see a Corolla with a "4" for the first of the VIN, it means that Corolla was made at the NUMMI plant in California (like most Corollas are).

Also, look at the front and rear bumper. If you see a small square in the bumper that looks like it could be pulled out, it can be. Under it is an extra anchor point for when the vehicle is tied down on the ships for transport from Europe/Asia. This is not foolproof because some vehicles are tall enough to have the extra anchor points under the bumper, but it helps. Some vehicles are made in both the US and overseas.

My advice is to get a piece of paper and make two columns. In the first, write what you need the vehicle to do and in the second write what you want the vehicle to have for features. Sticking with hybrids...

Do you need a four door sedan with strong acceleration to merge onto the highway and pass traffic easily at highway distances? Then a Camry Hybrid would be the best choice.

Do you do most of your driving in the city with lots of stop and go and need something mostly just for you to get around in? Then a Prius would be the best choice.

Do you need to haul a boat and want the size of a crossover or van with bigger V6 power? Then a Highlander Hybrid, or waiting until next year, the Sienna Hybrid would be the way to go.

Once you've made that choice, then decide what features you want, such as leather seats, navigation system, upgraded stereo, etc. All of these hybrid vehicles can come pretty barebones or loaded to almost Lexus levels, your choice.

Thanks for your patience.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 at 10:27 am and is filed under Instruments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.