Yaris vs. Prius C

[jingles]

I took my occasional look at the local Toyota dealer's site earlier this week and saw that, for once, they had a 3-door L in stock (in addition to a few SEs--one of which is a 2013 that they'd had for more than a year), so yesterday I decided to pay them a visit. Told the first salesman who walked up to me that I was there to check out a Yaris, and I swear to $deity, the first thing out of his mouth after that was, "Are you sure you don't want to look at the Prius C?"

(sigh...)

It turns out that they'd sold the L already and just hadn't updated their website as of the previous day. (What do you know--people are willing to buy a base-model Yaris at a reasonable price, but not an overpriced automatic SE?) I ended up testing driving both an SE and a Prius C Two--they tried to steer me towards the xD and xB too, but their mileage was too meh and ick, respectively.

I have to say, the Prius C's mileage was incredibly impressive, and it feels like you're piloting a spaceship... but the real visibility was awful, and the steering was the worst I've ever felt--and I drive a friggin' Buick. Other than mileage, the only real advantage I saw in the car itself was the slight increase in trunk space over the Yaris--and I brought a tape measure with me and found that, yes, the Yaris could hold the case for my M1 Garand with the seats folded down, so no worries there. I really do like the simplicity of the Yaris L just because it has very few things on it to break. Both cars should last a very long time, I know, but I'd never have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a replacement key/remote, and I won't ever have to worry about replacing a hybrid battery in the Yaris. The problem really comes down to incentives. It seems to me that Toyota just doesn't give a shit about the Yaris aside from helping it meet CAFE standards and draw people into the dealerships to buy a Corolla or Prius C. So the Prius C Two costs a good $4000 more than the Yaris L, they have incentives to bring the price difference down considerably every couple of months, and that's almost always combined with 0% APR, so the fuel savings counteract the difference in cost much more quickly.

So, what do you guys think of the Prius C in comparison to the Yaris?

[Kaotic Lazagna]

That's your traditional dealership. If you were at where I work, I/we would have asked you why you were interested in the Yaris.

I see nothing wrong with the Prius c's steering, feels the same as any other Toyota I think. Also, if you look at the invoice vs MSRP of a Yaris, it'll be around 500 bucks, iirc, so it's not a money maker for Toyota. So you can see why Toyota doesn't really push/advertise the Yaris.

I personally would rather get the Yaris LE over the L simply because it has a 60/40 split rear seat vs a bench, a 6-way driver seat vs 4-way, and power side mirrors. However, since I prefer manual transmission, I'd have to step up to the SE as m/t is only offered on the L (3-door only) and SE.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Also, a Prius c One would be a more fair comparison to the Yaris L.

[jingles]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

That's your traditional dealership. If you were at where I work, I/we would have asked you why you were interested in the Yaris.

Yeah, the first guy even tried to get me to check out a used Prius V as we walked by it. Why? Because it got 40 MPG! That's obviously all people care about when looking for a subcompact, right?

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

I personally would rather get the Yaris LE over the L simply because it has a 60/40 split rear seat vs a bench, a 6-way driver seat vs 4-way, and power side mirrors. However, since I prefer manual transmission, I'd have to step up to the SE as m/t is only offered on the L (3-door only) and SE.

I really do wish that the L had the split rear seat and 6-way seat, but I could live without them. But a dealership about forty minutes from here has had a 2013 3-door LE sitting around for a while (and priced at the L MSRP), so I'll be checking that out if they still have it when I'm in a position to buy. I was thinking about getting a manual L for a while, but 1) I'd probably hate it in city driving, especially since I don't have any manual experience yet, and 2) I haven't seen a single one in my part of the state.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by jingles

So, what do you guys think of the Prius C in comparison to the Yaris?

Oh thankyou for giving me the opportunity to answer my favorite question!

Which I have done time and again as many people here will remember!

Buying a Prius C is not cost effective. You will never make up the difference in gas saved unless gas is like $9 a gallon.

I also suspect the car is not as handy as a 2 door Yaris. The rear vision problem you mention is only one area. Im thinking you cant get as much stuff in the Prius. Also if it breaks later on it will cost more to be fixed if it can be fixed at all. I note Toyota hybrids arent known for such problems however.

If I was rich I would buy a Prius however. I think its important to do everything we can for the environment. Also we need to stick it to the man the oil companies or we will be paying $10 a gallon for gas.

However, if everyone drove a Yaris that would do it!

[yougojay]

I'll take my 35-40 miles per gallon with my Yaris L 3-Door Automatic 4 Speed any day. I went to the closest Toyota/Scion dealer to me to look at an iQ & a Yaris. Well, they sold (of course) the iQ (after 258 or so days on the lot...) but was able to test drive a Yaris L 5 door. That was last 4-9-13 on my 52nd B-Day- picked up my 2013 Yaris L 3 Door Auto Absolutely Red 2 days later.
Was really looking for reliability & great gas mileage, really wanted to try Toyota & really JUST wanted a small, small car good on gas.
To be honest, while driving away from the dealer after about 10 miles (or less) it was like I had been driving this car for years. I was completely hooked and psyched and stoked...!
I looked around here and was amazed by the miles people put on & lack of problems. Completely, TOTALLY happy with the decision.
Looked at a small Prius there, it may have been one of the 1st C's not sure. Frankly, I had heard about the Toyota hybrids and their track record, but being old school I guess, didn't want anything to do with huge batteries, and an engine and a motor under the hood. I wanted simplicity & reliability.
Statistically, the more stuff you have on a car, the more chances there are for something to go wrong. Wanting to keep this baby the rest of my life (unlike certain members of my family ) no needed hybrid parts to have to replace possibly down the line 10, 15, 20 years...
I know I can work on this car when I have to, and do as much as I can & it will be relatively easy to do.
I have driven a lot of cars (owning & from dealership contact) and I can honestly say this car is just so much fun to drive. I do drive it like an old man, but I don't care. It's gonna stay minty & become vintage in my hands

I DO wish it had alloys, but I'd rather get some older model Yaris alloys then the newer ones. But I like the basic steelies, too - I can change the look of those with trim rings and center caps if I want (down the line...)
ALSO, going to get a rear sway bar one of these days, it's probably the best modification around here for the money & what it does.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by jingles

I took my occasional look at the local Toyota dealer's site earlier this week and saw that, for once, they had a 3-door L in stock (in addition to a few SEs--one of which is a 2013 that they'd had for more than a year), so yesterday I decided to pay them a visit. Told the first salesman who walked up to me that I was there to check out a Yaris, and I swear to $deity, the first thing out of his mouth after that was, "Are you sure you don't want to look at the Prius C?"

(sigh...)

It turns out that they'd sold the L already and just hadn't updated their website as of the previous day. (What do you know--people are willing to buy a base-model Yaris at a reasonable price, but not an overpriced automatic SE?) I ended up testing driving both an SE and a Prius C Two--they tried to steer me towards the xD and xB too, but their mileage was too meh and ick, respectively.

I have to say, the Prius C's mileage was incredibly impressive, and it feels like you're piloting a spaceship... but the real visibility was awful, and the steering was the worst I've ever felt--and I drive a friggin' Buick. Other than mileage, the only real advantage I saw in the car itself was the slight increase in trunk space over the Yaris--and I brought a tape measure with me and found that, yes, the Yaris could hold the case for my M1 Garand with the seats folded down, so no worries there. I really do like the simplicity of the Yaris L just because it has very few things on it to break. Both cars should last a very long time, I know, but I'd never have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a replacement key/remote, and I won't ever have to worry about replacing a hybrid battery in the Yaris. The problem really comes down to incentives. It seems to me that Toyota just doesn't give a shit about the Yaris aside from helping it meet CAFE standards and draw people into the dealerships to buy a Corolla or Prius C. So the Prius C Two costs a good $4000 more than the Yaris L, they have incentives to bring the price difference down considerably every couple of months, and that's almost always combined with 0% APR, so the fuel savings counteract the difference in cost much more quickly.

So, what do you guys think of the Prius C in comparison to the Yaris?

Before the Prius C was available in the U.S. (but after I had already purchased a Yaris), I compared the Yaris and a standard Prius One on two points -- purchase price and total cost re fuel, to see what the break even point would be. I determined the break even point was 300,000 miles. Of course, that mileage point is now lower thanks to the Prius c. The difference here (re similar deals) is also about $4000, but the difference between the Yaris and the Prius c One is even less.

My Yaris recently had an 'owie' . I was waiting for traffic to clear to merge onto a feeder road and 'boom'...I was rear ended by a woman in a Camry. I'm pretty sure she was texting . I had a 5-door Yaris LE as a rental for 3 days (paid for by the lady's insurance company) while my Yaris was being repaired. I really liked the LE. However, driving an automatic for 3 days made me realize my feelings echo how Kaotic just stated he feels...I really prefer the manual transmission. This means, as Kaotic noted, one must choose between the L and the SE. The SE has one big disadvantage...one some people might not care about, but I find important. Namely, the SE has a larger turning circle (and not by just a teensy bit). If someone had asked me what my next car would be BEFORE driving an automatic for 3 days, I would have said the Prius c Two.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Oh thankyou for giving me the opportunity to answer my favorite question!

Which I have done time and again as many people here will remember!

At least you have a wonderful sense of humor re this topic .

Buying a Prius C is not cost effective. You will never make up the difference in gas saved unless gas is like $9 a gallon.

A bit of hyperbole, but it is closer to being true in New Jersey (is my previous searches are any indication) than in any other state. IMO, this is because Toyota dealers in New Jersey tend to order Prius c Threes and Pirius c Fours rather than Prius c Ones and Prius c Twos. They also load the orders with factory options. This unfortunate state of affairs (I suppose) could have to do with the realationship between the dealers and the distributor. Pac stickers also seem to be more common in New Jersey (and THAT IS a dealer issue). The car is the Prius c, not the Prius C (once you noted that the Yaris of yesteryear is an ECHO not an Echo, I've always promoted that distinction ).

If I was rich I would buy a Prius however. I think its important to do everything we can for the environment.

It depends on how many miles one drives. The carbon footprint of the battery is part of the equation. One doesn't overcome the totality of that footprint until the odometer hits 85,000 miles.

Also we need to stick it to the man the oil companies or we will be paying $10 a gallon for gas.

How is it that you (wonderfully) stood as strong as an oak re expressing your opinions to leftie professors at St John's, yet you now join with the lefties in demonizing oil companies ()? Oil companies are a target for demonization by lefties because of the overall dollar amount of their revenues and the overall dollar amount of their profits. This is beside the point because it doesn't take into account the amount they have to spend (the investment) to generate those revenues and profits. The only relevant figure, especially in an argument re 'gouging', is profit margin. Look at the profit margin of Exxon Mobil vs the profit margin of Apple. The difference is astounding. The difference has sometimes been more than 300 percent. Why has Exxon Mobil been demonized and had people say they gouge, and Apple not? Clearly, Apple's profit margin shows that they are the ones who are outside the norm. One could probably write an entire book exploring just that question. However, one could argue there are two reasons that are elephants in that room....that the left has a stranglehold on the education system in this country, and that they dominate the mindset of the entertainment industry in this country. Also, the largest 'piece of the pie' re the cost of a gallon of gas is the 'tax piece' ($ going toward taxes)....FAR larger than any other 'piece of the pie'. Apple is 'cool' . Oil companies are not. One could assert that oil companies are also demonized for environmental reasons but, IMO, unless the people promoting that demonization are living as primitive hunter gatherers, they are demonizing from proverbial glass houses.

if everyone drove a Yaris

What a wonderful thought .

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

How is it that you (wonderfully) stood as strong as an oak re expressing your opinions to leftie professors at St John's, yet you now join with the lefties in demonizing oil companies ()? :.

I think I have given the wrong impression here. Its thanks to the oil companies that we have oil and gasoline to drive our cars.

But if we used less gas it would be good for the environment AND the oil companies (which I have nothing against them as big business) would have to charge less for it. (which I am all in favor of)

Why anyone would buy ANYTHING but the smallest, most energy efficient, most reliable, most practical car for every day use (IE a Yaris or a Fit or similiar) I cannot understand.

(the answer of course is cars are an ego and social manifestation of our (illusionary) place in the picking order which IMHO is SICK!

I CAN understand sports cars if they are small like the Miata and pickup truck if they re used for business and of course every man should own a pickup truck but the smallest possible, of course.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Look at the profit margin of Exxon Mobil vs the profit margin of Apple. The difference is astounding. The difference has sometimes been more than 300 percent. Why has Exxon Mobil been demonized and had people say they gouge, and Apple not? :.

Good point. And Apple is in bed with the devil in that their products are shamelessly produced in China which exploits the helplessness of its people by forcing them to work as slaves for little money.

These leftist people railling against capatilism ought to be massing in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington and setting themselves on fire in protest. If they want something to complain about.

Likewise how left wing professors can rail against facisits like Hitler etc when Stalin killed more people than Hitler ever did beggars belief.

I mean its OK if Statin commits paranoid mass murder but not if Hitler does it?

[why?]

rofl. it is so nice when I don't have to make fun of leftists. Oil companies make very little money compared to most other industries, plus they have to put in far more than they ever get back, and governments always steal far more than the companies make.

the environment will be fine, with or without us. There is nothing humans can do to really hurt the planet. Now our own survival is another topic, but even with that everything will be ok, even the founder of greenpeace admits the eco movement has been taken over by communists.

----------------------------

Oh, and on the the topic at hand, it really depends on what amenities you want. I love getting 39 mpg, but the spartan interior is starting to annoy me.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I think I have given the wrong impression here. Its thanks to the oil companies that we have oil and gasoline to drive our cars.

But if we used less gas it would be good for the environment AND the oil companies (which I have nothing against them as big business) would have to charge less for it. (which I am all in favor of)

Why anyone would buy ANYTHING but the smallest, most energy efficient, most reliable, most practical car for every day use (IE a Yaris or a Fit or similiar) I cannot understand.

(the answer of course is cars are an ego and social manifestation of our (illusionary) place in the picking order which IMHO is SICK!

I CAN understand sports cars if they are small like the Miata and pickup truck if they re used for business and of course every man should own a pickup truck but the smallest possible, of course.

Thanks for the clarification. I agree with the particular points you made in this particular post (except I could see having a small building (for sentiment, nostalgia, etc...I wouldn't feel the need to drive around for people to see or to show anyone) with a Classic Silver 1963 Corvette Stingray Split Window, an air cooled 911 Targa, and a couple of other examples inside) . Re the number of miles I seem to put on cars, the Prius c might (for me) eventually (with enough miles) outrank the Yaris re your paragraph #3....I just can't get past the 'no manual transmission' issue.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Good point. And Apple is in bed with the devil in that their products are shamelessly produced in China which exploits the helplessness of its people by forcing them to work as slaves for little money.

These leftist people railling against capatilism ought to be massing in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington and setting themselves on fire in protest. If they want something to complain about.

Likewise how left wing professors can rail against facisits like Hitler etc when Stalin killed more people than Hitler ever did beggars belief.

I mean its OK if Statin commits paranoid mass murder but not if Hitler does it?

...and Tim Cook (the CEO of Apple) recently stated that if you own stock and are a 'climate change denier', then sell the stock...as 'we don't want your money' . No matter how one feels about that issue, IMO, that statement sounds as if it is being uttered by a child, not the CEO of the most valuable corporation (by market cap) on the planet.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by why?

rofl. it is so nice when I don't have to make fun of leftists. Oil companies make very little money compared to most other industries, plus they have to put in far more than they ever get back, and governments always steal far more than the companies make.

the environment will be fine, with or without us. There is nothing humans can do to really hurt the planet. Now our own survival is another topic, but even with that everything will be ok, even the founder of greenpeace admits the eco movement has been taken over by communists.

^^^^^Yep... and it's all about wealth redistribution. It isn't FAIR that some countries avoid chaos and are able to organize and harness resources for development...................... When one points out to a leftie that forcing the entire industrialized world to ratify AND comply with the Kyoto Protocol would reduce the Gross World Product enough that millions of people would starve, the leftie will usually change the subject (silence would be golden ).

[specialeducator]

One major difference between Apple and your pity party for the poor oil companies is that while I do not have to purchase from Apple, I don't have much choice but to deal with with oil companies.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Absolutely Red 12]

Originally Posted by bronsin
"But if we used less gas it would be good for the environment AND the oil companies (which I have nothing against them as big business) would have to charge less for it. (which I am all in favor of)"



I think not, when we use less gas, the price will go up!!

They (OPEC) write their own supply and demand theories.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by why?

rofl. it is so nice when I don't have to make fun of leftists. Oil companies make very little money compared to most other industries, plus they have to put in far more than they ever get back, and governments always steal far more than the companies make.

the environment will be fine, with or without us. There is nothing humans can do to really hurt the planet. .

That first part is true.

As for the second part half of the oil ever formed is already in the ocean. It was formed under permiable rock layer and over hundreds of millions of year, worked its way upwards and eith into the oceans or if on land was washed into the oceans by rain. The oil we now drill was trapped by impremiable layer of rock.

Anyway the oceans are polluted by salt and the discharge of volcanoes under water. Land life would die if washed into the ocean. We cant drink salt water.

Yet mamals live in it and they CAN drink salt water.

Whatever happens life will adapt. There have been mass extinctions before and they will happens again. Life always bounces back!

Just that the next time when it does it won't have ipods.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

...and Tim Cook (the CEO of Apple) recently stated that if you own stock and are a 'climate change denier', then sell the stock...as 'we don't want your money' . No matter how one feels about that issue, IMO, that statement sounds as if it is being uttered by a child, not the CEO of the most valuable corporation (by market cap) on the planet.

Spoken by someone trying to manipulate the ignorant masses, that Cook guy. Funny how no one talks about Kyoto now that Bush is gone...

Climate change is a moot point. If real we will do NOTHING to stop it until it is too late. Atmospheric pollution is now in the hands of the Chinese and Indians who build ever more coal fired power plants and drive more cars. Most of GMs cars sold today are sold in China. We also generate 50% of our power by coal and that aint changing either.

I wonder is the water rising enough in Venice so they have to close down the city? Funny supposedly the water level is rising but you dont hear them complaining.

Maybe the scientests say "Well its rising everwhere else BUT Venice!"