I've tasked myself with helping my boss pick out a replacement (new) company vehicle. Right now, we have a 2nd gen Prius and a Sienna. I believe the Sienna is nearing retirement. He's mainly looking at hybrids and PHEVs, though a Bolt isn't out of the question.
Needs only seat 4, but rear headroom is a big deal as it will regularly need to move tall passengers.
Having a hatch area which doesn't recess (drop down just inside the door) is a major plus for dragging equipment in and out. Hatch doesn't need to be huge as long as the rear seats can fold down. A standard sedan trunk isn't going to cut it.
Here's what I have so far:
My conclusion here was that the Volt is out due to passenger headroom (on paper), the C-Max has terrible reviews, the Accord is not a hatch, the Clarity is expensive and may not be available, the Model 3 can't be purchased, the Malibu is lackluster in general, and the BMW is a BMW and he wouldn't want to be seen owning one.
The Pacifica Plug-in looks really attractive, except for Chrysler's generally hideous reliability record. The Niro (especially plug-in) is very attractive, except that Hyundai/Kia's past DCT (and most Euro DCT) have lackluster reliability. He'll probably still look at both.
The Prius Prime is a possibility, but he's leaning toward the V due to cargo space and rear headroom, even if it lacks EV - fuel economy is great in principle but not an absolute deciding factor once it's in the 30's. The Rav4 hybrid is a contender due to total space, headroom, and the AWD is a nice perk in Vermont winters. The Rogue looks like a competitor on paper but I know little about it, and Toyota's drivetrain has a good reputation.
Frankly, if a PHEV Prius V or Sienna were available, they'd make top of the list, if that helps exemplify what's important here.
Am I missing any vehicles? Thoughts? Questions?
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