Why is the Prius so loved?
Discussion
irocfan said:
I thought it was a piss-take thread - IMO the pious is a hateful, s
t looking car with not a whole lot to recommend.
I beg to differ. It has a lot to recommend it.t looking car with not a whole lot to recommend. Cheap to service at the main dealer, good legroom back and front, comfortable ride, reasonably economical and well equipped.
They're green credentials are not as good as Toyota want you to believe but we all know that, they are not exciting to drive but there are not many mid size family boxes that are. They are not the most beautiful car but they are no Rodius either, the design would have been dictated by a wind tunnel.
I wonder if you have ever driven one objectively for the purpose they are intended.
This is not a personal pop but a Rumble Bee would not be recommended for outright handling, fuel economy, seating 5 in comfort, being easy to park either. (No I am not a tree-hugging lentilist either as one of my cars is probably worse than yours on all counts).
It is a case of horses for courses and what suits people's personal needs. You wouldn't enter a bull mastiff in a greyhound race or send a greyhound down a rabbit hole.
AnotherClarkey said:
It might be a bit lighter but once you have put a transmission in to connect the engine to the wheels it probably works out roughly the same. Oh, and it would be less efficient.
Eh the Prous has a CVT which connects the engine to the driveshafts and then the wheels plenty of other petrol cars come with this "transmission" or can be species as such over a manual. I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
militantmandy said:
I've driven a few (2010) and in all of them, when you put the foot in, the engine started. Is the new one not like this?
The computer decides when to start the engine. Sometimes it will start for or before your first move off (e.g. if the battery is low and needs charging), but if the battery is high it won't need the petrol engine at first, especially if you use EV mode. Then, during journeys, it will cut the engine before the car stops if it can, and may move off again without the petrol engine at all.
I'm sure there's a technical poster somewhere on the Forum who can explain it better than me . . .
Welshbeef said:
Eh the Prous has a CVT which connects the engine to the driveshafts and then the wheels plenty of other petrol cars come with this "transmission" or can be species as such over a manual.
I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
The Ampera has a 1.4 litre petrol engine. It's the Peugeot & Citroen hybrids that have diesels, but they are similar in operating principle to the Prius.I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
Welshbeef said:
Eh the Prous has a CVT which connects the engine to the driveshafts and then the wheels plenty of other petrol cars come with this "transmission" or can be species as such over a manual.
I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
You need to do some research - the Prius does not have a CVT in the conventional sense and is in no way similar to other petrol cars with CVT transmission. The whole prius transmission fits into a space about the same size as a coke can. If the Prius battery fails it can continue under petrol power only because it continually generates electrical power using one of its motor generators to feed the other one, somewhat like the diesel electric train you mention but a portion of the torque to the road wheels also comes directly from the petrol engine.I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
The 'Amphere VX' (Vauxhall Ampera) has a petrol engine, not a diesel and can also connect this engine to the road wheels but in a rather more complex way than the Prius.
Dilligaf10 said:
irocfan said:
I thought it was a piss-take thread - IMO the pious is a hateful, st looking car with not a whole lot to recommend.
I beg to differ. It has a lot to recommend it.t looking car with not a whole lot to recommend. Cheap to service at the main dealer, good legroom back and front, comfortable ride, reasonably economical and well equipped.
They're green credentials are not as good as Toyota want you to believe but we all know that, they are not exciting to drive but there are not many mid size family boxes that are. They are not the most beautiful car but they are no Rodius either, the design would have been dictated by a wind tunnel.
I wonder if you have ever driven one objectively for the purpose they are intended.
This is not a personal pop but a Rumble Bee would not be recommended for outright handling, fuel economy, seating 5 in comfort, being easy to park either. (No I am not a tree-hugging lentilist either as one of my cars is probably worse than yours on all counts).
It is a case of horses for courses and what suits people's personal needs. You wouldn't enter a bull mastiff in a greyhound race or send a greyhound down a rabbit hole.
te. So bad in fact I returned it to the rental company 24 hours later - quite frankly one of the worst drving expeiences I've ever had :-(
saaby93 said:
AnotherClarkey said:
The 'Amphere VX' (Vauxhall Ampera) has a petrol engine, not a diesel and can also connect this engine to the road wheels but in a rather more complex way than the Prius.
I read that somewhere too but managed to find nothing on how it connectsAnotherClarkey said:
saaby93 said:
AnotherClarkey said:
The 'Amphere VX' (Vauxhall Ampera) has a petrol engine, not a diesel and can also connect this engine to the road wheels but in a rather more complex way than the Prius.
I read that somewhere too but managed to find nothing on how it connectsI can attest to the dreadful economy once the battery charge has gone, though - it's why I went for the PiP instead.
AnotherClarkey said:
Welshbeef said:
Eh the Prous has a CVT which connects the engine to the driveshafts and then the wheels plenty of other petrol cars come with this "transmission" or can be species as such over a manual.
I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
You need to do some research - the Prius does not have a CVT in the conventional sense and is in no way similar to other petrol cars with CVT transmission. The whole prius transmission fits into a space about the same size as a coke can. If the Prius battery fails it can continue under petrol power only because it continually generates electrical power using one of its motor generators to feed the other one, somewhat like the diesel electric train you mention but a portion of the torque to the road wheels also comes directly from the petrol engine.I'm not certain if a cvt is more or less or similar in weight to an auto or a manual but I'd be pretty sure there isn't that much difference between them to impact the weight of a 1.5tonne car as the box is usually c30kg max so maybe a few kgs more or less who knows but its kind of irrelevant.
Infact if te Prius batteries went kaput the car would happily continue on its engine which I guess is what any of those unlucky owners of batteries which do fail though miniscule in numbers but an old car you'd not replace batteries instead run it as a petrol instead as its not worth the money repairing.
I think what your thinking about is the Amphere VX but that has a Diesel engine which runs at maximum efficiency to ensure the batteries are fully charged and it drives directly from the batteries via a motor (very similar to any diesel intercity train)
There is a lot of misinformation on this thread. I would strongly encourage people to read some technical articles on the Prius and how it works, so that they can argue from a position of fact. It is much more sophisticated than some people on here seem to think. It is not just a normal car with a bloody great battery in the boot.
I used to think it was all marketing BS until I talked to one of the Toyota engineers at a motor show, and then did some reading. Then I became a convert. It is not the car for everyone, and some of the owners are just irritating, but I can't deny that it is really very clever, that it pushes the envelope technically, and that it does work. And I take my hat off to Toyota for doing something genuinely new and innovative, and sticking to what they believe in, at a time when everyone else is churning out small-capacity diesels.
As was said on another thread, it is arguably the Citroen DS of our age.
AmitG said:
AnotherClarkey is correct. The Prius doesn't have a conventional (cones and belts) CVT. Instead, it uses an epicyclic gearset to route engine and battery power around the car according to supply and demand. Google "prius power split device" to learn how it works. It's genius.
There is a lot of misinformation on this thread. I would strongly encourage people to read some technical articles on the Prius and how it works, so that they can argue from a position of fact. It is much more sophisticated than some people on here seem to think. It is not just a normal car with a bloody great battery in the boot.
I used to think it was all marketing BS until I talked to one of the Toyota engineers at a motor show, and then did some reading. Then I became a convert. It is not the car for everyone, and some of the owners are just irritating, but I can't deny that it is really very clever, that it pushes the envelope technically, and that it does work. And I take my hat off to Toyota for doing something genuinely new and innovative, and sticking to what they believe in, at a time when everyone else is churning out small-capacity diesels.
As was said on another thread, it is arguably the Citroen DS of our age.
+1 . After doing some reading, it changed my mind too. In fact, I think in the slightly long term, the technology will prove itself....until the technology in the Honda Clarity becomes more mainstream....so some such equivalent. From what I've read (including the analysis of BMW's Chief Scientific Advisor), diesels will become more limited over the next decade as they struggle to meet emissions.There is a lot of misinformation on this thread. I would strongly encourage people to read some technical articles on the Prius and how it works, so that they can argue from a position of fact. It is much more sophisticated than some people on here seem to think. It is not just a normal car with a bloody great battery in the boot.
I used to think it was all marketing BS until I talked to one of the Toyota engineers at a motor show, and then did some reading. Then I became a convert. It is not the car for everyone, and some of the owners are just irritating, but I can't deny that it is really very clever, that it pushes the envelope technically, and that it does work. And I take my hat off to Toyota for doing something genuinely new and innovative, and sticking to what they believe in, at a time when everyone else is churning out small-capacity diesels.
As was said on another thread, it is arguably the Citroen DS of our age.
I spent a couple of weeks with a 2nd gen Prius a few years ago. Actually didn't mind it, but it almost seemed it wasn't a "Car", more of a "transportation pod" like the vehicles in I-robot. The driving experience was so different to what I was used to, and so much interation is taken away from the driver it's like your playing a computer game. I did come to quite like it for long motorway jaunts. Comfy and very quiet.
BUT it is the only car that has made me feel really car sick when I've been driving it, to the point of having to stop and have a walk around outside after about 20 miles of moderately twisty A-roads. I think the monotone from the engine giving no aural sense of speed and the wallowy ride didn't help. Maybe I would have got used to it though.
BUT it is the only car that has made me feel really car sick when I've been driving it, to the point of having to stop and have a walk around outside after about 20 miles of moderately twisty A-roads. I think the monotone from the engine giving no aural sense of speed and the wallowy ride didn't help. Maybe I would have got used to it though.
lufbramatt said:
BUT it is the only car that has made me feel really car sick when I've been driving it, to the point of having to stop and have a walk around outside after about 20 miles of moderately twisty A-roads. I think the monotone from the engine giving no aural sense of speed and the wallowy ride didn't help. Maybe I would have got used to it though.
I found this as well - it was really easy to go too fast into a corner on a country road because the engine noise dropped to idle (not that it's very loud anyway) as soon as you lifted your foot, plus the ride was a bit on the soft side, definitely not made for high-speed twisties.In town, especially with EV mode selected & the engine stopped it was sublime. Overall? Excellent urban or motorway car, but not one for enthusiastic driving because of the total disconnect between the noise/vibration & the thing's actual speed.
lufbramatt said:
BUT it is the only car that has made me feel really car sick when I've been driving it, to the point of having to stop and have a walk around outside .
.. I wonder if any of that car sickness is due to the electromagnetic radiation? It's something I didn't think about with the Prius until I read it on the web, Toyota claim it's not unsafe, but there is a spike of the stuff into the interior of the car when accelerating.Only bothers me on trains, where I prefer to avoid the powered carriages.
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