[robchalmers]

I'm just trying to understand the Prius. I'm sorry if the title is a little sharp, but I'm not sure what the aim of the car is.


A few petrol cars here in europe can produce the economy figures the prius does.

At somepoint you have to run the engine to charge the cells, the sitting in traffic = zero emissions, doesn't really wash with me, if you're sat still - switch off your engine.

Highway economy seems poor when you compare it other cars especially TDi's

Manufacturing requires a huge amount of time and effort to shift the ingredientsfor the batteries around the world to build the cars in Japan just to ship back out around the world. thus completely obliterating and CO2 saving the car will have in service.

Aero? really?
Practicality? - the trunk is pretty tiny. and I drive a small hatch!

I want to understand the draw, but I just don't get it, can one of the many Prius owners on here explain to me why they plumped for it?