"Toyota Isn't Quitting on the Prius Just Yet"--Jalopnik

[Xist]

Who said Toyota was quitting on the Prius?!

Apparently Toyota has sold fewer and fewer of their iconic hybrid for six years straight, with people preferring hybrid versions of conventional cars. Curiously, Ford sold more Fusion hybrids than Toyota sold Prii, and then handed sales back to Toyota.

The 2020 Prius Prime is supposed to finally get a fifth seat.

Why did it only have four?!

My 1987 Honda Prelude Si had five seats, but I once had a five year-old mention that he did not have legroom.

I believe that it was the fourth generation, 1992 - 1996 that only had two seats in the back. I am sure that was more comfortable, and the fifth seat was pretty useless, but why would a modern Prius have the same seating arrangement as a 1994 Prelude?

I once had a 6'4" friend in one back seat, a 6'6" or 6'7" friend in the other, a girl up front, and a girl sandwiched in the back.

We kept bottoming out and the taller friend had his legs between the front seat and resting on the parking brake.

Was the Prius ever in any real trouble?

https://jalopnik.com/toyota-isnt-qui...yet-1835198145

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Some people say the Corolla Hybrid will completely replace the Prius. I for one hope not, as the Prius is larger and it's hatchback shape allows for much more practical usage of the available storage space than a sedan.

SUVs are the rage, for some reason I have no idea of. If storage is what people want, that's what wagons were for. Do people really just want to sit that high? Heck, there's even basic 1" or 2" lift kits for the Prius for those who think the car sits too low.

I for one think the Prius sits too high coming from my Insight. I suppose it's just all about perspective. A friend who rode with me once commented about the Insight's low ride height....and he drives a Civic, not a SUV.

I wonder what the 2020 Prius will look like.

[Xist]

I rented a U-Haul today, but I only had time to put about as much as I could have fit in my Forester. Do I miss my old crossover?

The terrible fuel economy or the constant repairs?

I would rather drive a vastly more economical Honda and rent something bigger once or twice a year...

...or install a trailer hitch and get a trailer...

I do not understand why people want crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, if a sedan would suit their needs 99% of the time, and I wish more hatchbacks and wagons were available.

How about a hybrid Corolla hatchback?

[Frank Lee]

It's not about needs; it's about wants.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Xist

I rented a U-Haul today,

I do not understand why people want crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, if a sedan would suit their needs 99% of the time, and I wish more hatchbacks and wagons were available.

How about a hybrid Corolla hatchback?

Don’t forget that the transmission life in a crossover is about half that of a sedan

My cousins first car was a RAV4 she got about 10,000 miles on it and the transmission dropped out, she now has a Corolla

[Shaneajanderson]

Originally Posted by Xist

I rented a U-Haul today, but I only had time to put about as much as I could have fit in my Forester. Do I miss my old crossover?

The terrible fuel economy or the constant repairs?

I would rather drive a vastly more economical Honda and rent something bigger once or twice a year...

...or install a trailer hitch and get a trailer...

I do not understand why people want crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, if a sedan would suit their needs 99% of the time, and I wish more hatchbacks and wagons were available.

How about a hybrid Corolla hatchback?

For most of your question: it's a status symbol. whoever has the biggest, fanciest, most expensive car wins apparently.

I drive a clapped out faded 92 geo metro to work, and I'm one of the "office boys" on a salary. Most of the assembly line people drive new-3 year old cars with all the gadgets, and don't understand me.

We have an 07 odyssey which I got on the cheap for the whole family (there's 6 of us), and when there's stuff to be hauled that can't be packed in the back of the van, or laid out over the top of the seats to sit on the dash (BTW, 12' vinyl siding can be made to fit in a minivan with 6 people in it, as can up to 10' lumber, at least up to 2x10), we have an old F150. I paid 1,900 dollars for it three years ago, I had to put a starter in it summer before last, which I did myself, and shortly I'll be putting tires on it which I got used, 2 are essentially new that I paid $105 for the pair, 2 are ~7/32 that cost me $20. I'm going to buy one of those harbor freight manual tire machines to do them, plus the four tires on my geo, and my van needs two tires soon.

[obligatory paragraph break]

I explained to my wife that I can literally buy the tire machine, change the 10 tires I need to, then throw the tire machine away; and be money ahead. She gets it, my coworkers think I'm an idiot.

Oh well, living debt free is wonderful, and my old junk-wagons break down less than their brand new debt-mobiles.

Edit to add: I forgot to say that the F-150 basically just sits when not needed, instead of being driven as a car, but gets used often enough for stuff the other's can't do that it's worth keeping around, versus renting one that often. That's also not accounting for the fact that I would have to drive 55 miles just to get to the nearest u-haul location, and I take my whole crew in the pickup pretty often, and I've only ever seen regular cabs at U-haul

[redpoint5]

I think people like to change up what they're driving. I for one always find it a delight to drive the TSX (low and likes to corner) after having gone a long time driving the truck. Likewise, I find it a delight to drive the truck after having gone a long time driving the TSX. They're fun/interesting for different reasons. The thing I least enjoy driving is the CX-5. It's a fine vehicle, but there's nothing I particularly enjoy about it. It doesn't hold any more stuff than my Prius. I suppose the ground clearance and AWD makes it a more capable vehicle once every 4 years when I briefly need a more capable vehicle.

[Shaneajanderson]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I think people like to change up what they're driving. I for one always find it a delight to drive the TSX (low and likes to corner) after having gone a long time driving the truck. Likewise, I find it a delight to drive the truck after having gone a long time driving the TSX. They're fun/interesting for different reasons. The thing I least enjoy driving is the CX-5. It's a fine vehicle, but there's nothing I particularly enjoy about it. It doesn't hold any more stuff than my Prius. I suppose the ground clearance and AWD makes it a more capable vehicle once every 4 years when I briefly need a more capable vehicle.

I don't mind switching from my Geo to the pickup, though the clutch and shift throw are radically different.

I struggle with the autotragic in the ody though

[Xist]

I don't understand wanting a truck or SUV.

The average person does not seem very smart. Dozens of people insist that, instead of paying my debt with the highest interest rate, I need to pay the smallest debt first, regardless of interest. I know Dave Ramsay says that, but not absolutely, and when I explain the math, they do not say that I am right, but condescendingly say "Whatever makes you feel better."

While the snowball method is specifically designed to make people feel better, even though it is not the most effective.

I have also had dozens of people tell me that I need to get a savings account and start putting money into it instead of aggressively paying down my credit cards.

I try to explain basic math.

Then I stop talking to them.

People insist that if you purchase a used car you pay for a new car with repairs and then purchase Volkswagen, GM, or Chrysler.

Have you ever heard people say they could not afford to not purchase something on sale?

[Shaneajanderson]

Originally Posted by Xist

I don't understand wanting a truck or SUV.

The average person does not seem very smart. Dozens of people insist that, instead of paying my debt with the highest interest rate, I need to pay the smallest debt first, regardless of interest. I know Dave Ramsay says that, but not absolutely, and when I explain the math, they do not say that I am right, but condescendingly say "Whatever makes you feel better."

While the snowball method is specifically designed to make people feel better, even though it is not the most effective.

I have also had dozens of people tell me that I need to get a savings account and start putting money into it instead of aggressively paying down my credit cards.

I try to explain basic math.

Then I stop talking to them.

People insist that if you purchase a used car you pay for a new car with repairs and then purchase Volkswagen, GM, or Chrysler.

Have you ever heard people say they could not afford to not purchase something on sale?

Well you shouldn't have credit card debt to pay down to begin with.

As far as the pickup goes: I have a rental property, plus my own house, and I've had to do major builds on both. When hauling 3,000 pounds of lumber, hardware, and plywood putting it in a trailer behind a car isn't an option: they won't handle the load, and if they do you're just abusing your transmission.

I haul loads like this, and pull trailers upwards of 5k lbs on the regular for various reasons. I also haul loads that you wouldn't want inside of a car even if they could handle the weight: dirt, sand, gravel, half rotten leftover pumpkins, straw, garden scrap in the fall.

You also can't mount a snowplow on the front of a car, and where I live it's not uncommon to have no choice but drive through 6-12" of snow to get anywhere, and again a car isn't likely to pull it off.

That said, if I wasn't a homeowner, and involved in all the things I am, there's no way I would have a pickup.