RobertSmalls' Prius C

[RobertSmalls]

I've got a new vehicle: a 2012 Prius C. This replaces my ecomodded 2000 Insight as my daily driver.



The fuel economy won't be as good as the Insight's, and I'll miss the way the Insight lets people know I'm serious about fuel economy. But all in all, I like the Prius C so far.

I plan to EcoMod the Prius C, but in more subtle ways than I did the Insight. Any externally visible modifications must look like it could have come from the factory that way (plausibly deniable). On the interior, I'll allow myself a freer hand, but I won't tear out half of the interior panels like I did on the Insight.

I've already removed the 541g owner's manual and the rear floor mats. The rear speakers are slated for deletion, but I'll make sure you won't be able to tell. If I can go the whole winter without wanting to turn on the rear wiper, then I'll delete it in the spring. I don't expect big gains from minor weight reduction, but every little bit helps.

I'm hoping to get bigger gains from instrumention, electronic modifications, a grille block, and possibly an engine block heater. I've pumped up the tires to sidewall max.

Here's a shot of the two cars, with the camera level with the Insight's roof:


I do love the stick shift in the Insight, but I believe the Toyota transmission is more efficient in most cases. Toyota Prius - Power Split Device

The Prius C is no wider, 2" longer, and 3.6" taller than the Insight. A Prius Liftback (the "regular" Prius) is 2" wider, 21.1" longer, and 5.4" taller than the Insight.

             Insight   Prius C   Prius
Weight (lb)     1850     2500     3042
Cd               .25       .28     .25
Normalized CdA     1      1.20    1.13

I could go on for hours, and I probably will at a future date. But that's all for now. I'm looking forward to seeing what this car can do.

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

I've got a new vehicle: a 2012 Prius C. This replaces my ecomodded 2000 Insight as my daily driver.

Robert,

First of all, welcome back to EcoModder!!

I have not seen a post from you in a long time!

Secondly, can you reduce the size of those two pictures above? They are pretty large.

Thanks, Jim.

[MetroMPG]

Congrats on the new vehicle! (What prompted the change?)

I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the C.

[Daox]

It is good to see you back on the forum again. I look forward to seeing what you have planned, and what kind of mileage you can squeeze from the C.

I'd also like to know what prompted the purchase?

[ciderbarrel]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

The Prius C is no wider, 2" longer, and 3.6" taller than the Insight. A Prius Liftback (the "regular" Prius) is 2" wider, 21.1" longer, and 5.4" taller than the Insight.

             Insight   Prius C   Prius
Weight (lb)     1850     2500     3042
Cd               .25       .28     .25
Normalized CdA     1      1.20    1.13

The Prius is a different size because the Prius C is a Prius in name only, literally. It is a Toyota Yaris hybrid with a Prius C nameplate.

[NeilBlanchard]

Good to have you back! Something that stands out between the profiles of the Insight and the Prius C is the apex of the roof is proportionally closer to the front of the Insight. It looks like the final angle of the roof on the Insight is a tad steeper, as well?

[RobertSmalls]

It's good to be back. Also, happy 5th anniversary, EcoModder. I suppose I should make a gift out of wood somehow.

Cider, you're right that the car is based on the Yaris hatch, with slightly improved aerodynamics, different interior, and a smaller version of the Prius' engine. This is badge engineering done well.

Btw, Europe will not get the Prius C. Instead, they'll have the "Yaris Hybrid". This will give us good information on the cost and weight associated with this particular hybrid system.

Neil, a (photoshopped) shot with less perspective in it would allow for more accurate comparisons, but I agree with your assessment. The C's less aggressive rear taper, further aft roof apex, and earlier truncation of the Kammback shape are all compromises to allow for rear seats. As with all cars, I only wish it were four feet longer.

What prompted the change? No one thing in particular, but the combination of the following:
*the need to move larger things
*the cosmetic deficiency of the "teach yourself collision repair on a budget" approach I took with the Insight
*the Insight is a 12 year old car. Not the end of the world, but it's needed service to the HV battery, 12V battery, ground wires, exhaust, and clutch hydraulics this year. I expect that the C won't need anything but scheduled maintenance for half a dozen years.
*Rear seats. Those may become a requirement sooner or later.
*Toyota PSD > Honda IMA. Also, the Prius C can make much better use of a grid charger and/or additional battery capacity than the Insight can.

[CigaR007]

Congrats on the new car ! What will be the outcome of the Insight ?

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by ciderbarrel

The Prius is a different size because the Prius C is a Prius in name only, literally. It is a Toyota Yaris hybrid with a Prius C nameplate.

That's true, you can check the real world MPGs of both cars right here:
Toyota Prius MPG Reports | Fuelly
Toyota Prius C MPG Reports | Fuelly

When it comes to cost and MPG, the C is a totally different animal..

[Cobb]

Wow, Robertsmalls got a prius... Dont worry, it wont be long before you are approaching 100 mpg in that vehicle too.