Yaris vs. Prius - Toyota Yaris Forums

conurebuddy · 04-13-2009, 09:56 AM

I've been driving my girlfriend's Prius around for about a week now until I get my Yaris back. It is a smoother ride, although I think the Yaris is more fun to actually drive. The thing that really surprised me though was that I've been making a game out of hypermiling in the Prius to see the best mpgs I could get, and I havent noticed a significant difference between mine and hers.

Hers is a broken in Prius with about 50,000 miles on it, getting an average of 49 mpg. In my Yaris, I found I averaged about 44 mpg driving the same way. Seems like a pretty hefty price difference for a tiny improvement to me.

MUSKOKA800 · 04-13-2009, 10:10 AM

When I was shopping the local Toyota salesman suggested that due to the price difference (~CA$10,000 + 13% taxes + loan interest here in Canada) the Prius would be no cheaper than the Yaris over the life of the car. Granted it is a "nicer" car, but I try to keep my vehicles for 10+ years and the prospect of replacing those expensive batteries during that period was not appealling. I wonder how the Prius' trade-in values will be after 6+ years when the original batteries are reaching there end-of-life. Cha-Ching $$$

NaturalTopaz · 04-13-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUSKOKA800

When I was shopping the local Toyota salesman suggested that due to the price difference (~CA$10,000 + 13% taxes + loan interest here in Canada) the Prius would be no cheaper than the Yaris over the life of the car. Granted it is a "nicer" car, but I try to keep my vehicles for 10+ years and the prospect of replacing those expensive batteries during that period was not appealling. I wonder how the Prius' trade-in values will be after 6+ years when the original batteries are reaching there end-of-life. Cha-Ching $$$

As of date, Toyota has not replaced any batteries in their Prius (in North America). 11 years and even Toyota doesn't know what the "replacement" cost will be....that says a lot for the Prius. (the 6 year myth is just that...a myth).

Prius resale values will be determine by the price of gas. Right now is the best time to buy them, either as new or preowned.

MUSKOKA800 · 04-14-2009, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaturalTopaz

As of date, Toyota has not replaced any batteries in their Prius (in North America). 11 years and even Toyota doesn't know what the "replacement" cost will be....that says a lot for the Prius. (the 6 year myth is just that...a myth).

Prius resale values will be determine by the price of gas. Right now is the best time to buy them, either as new or preowned.

11 years!!! Has it been on the road that long?
Toyota not know it's replacement cost? That process is no different than any other part. It would be pretty irresponsible of Toyota not to have a battery (or set) waiting in some NA warehouse ready for dealer delivery and installation.
Regarding battery life, I seem to recall 7 years being the life expectancy. Not sure where that number came from though. Hard to believe they haven't replaced one yet. Either due to collision damage, defect or wear-out.
True, Prius values are driven by gas prices. Toyota was sold out not long ago, now the shortsighted US market is looking elsewhere and resale values have plumetted. Not just Prius, but econo cars in general.

MadMax · 04-13-2009, 10:35 AM

I could not get past the "smug" factor of the Pruis. I also drive a Jeep, and I get those smirky looks everytime I pass one. To me they are completely a different car from the Yaris, which is a much more hip and fun to drive machine. You don't see a lot of mod'd Pruises (however your pluralize it) out there, but about a third of the Yarii I see have been. Completely different markets if you ask me...

Cheers! M2

supmet · 04-13-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMax

I could not get past the "smug" factor of the Pruis. I also drive a Jeep, and I get those smirky looks everytime I pass one.

^^ There's a south park episode on that subject, and I think it pretty much summed up why I don't want a prius. That and the manufacturing process of the batteries leads me to believe a yaris is better for the environment.

Yaris Hilton · 04-13-2009, 10:46 PM

http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/fra...cWl39Ra6Q.cspx

IllusionX · 04-13-2009, 11:57 AM

the prius advertises not much lower consumption than the yaris.

yaris ~5.3L/100km highway
prius 4.9L/100km highway

though, it would be more beneficial to drive a prius in the city than driving the yaris (28MPG ???) in the city..

deerebilt · 04-13-2009, 11:04 PM

i agree the yaris is more economical than the prius for the price difference.iv'e had my 08 yaris sedan s 5 sp for a year and about 21000 mi. my overall avg mpg is 43.5. no expenses except fuel and oil/filter changes.i really like my yaris. to be honest when i bought my yaris i went in to drive a prius. i really liked it.but with price difference the the economy of the yaris i believe i made the right choice for me.

Yaris Hilton · 04-14-2009, 06:28 AM

If you're concerned about being "green," I suspect the manufacturing and disposal/recycling of the batteries make the hybrids' lifetime environmental footprints pretty large and deep. I'm sure there are analyses of that online, but I'm not motivated enough to look them up. I don't want a hybrid.

CTScott · 05-14-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton

If you're concerned about being "green," I suspect the manufacturing and disposal/recycling of the batteries make the hybrids' lifetime environmental footprints pretty large and deep. I'm sure there are analyses of that online, but I'm not motivated enough to look them up. I don't want a hybrid.

I was wondering about that myself, as disposal of Lithium technology batteries is not a trivial thing. The junkyard that i bought my Prius wiper stalk from specializes in Prius parts. I asked about how they deal with the battery disposal and the guy that I spoke with said that there is an incredible market for used Prius batteries. They sell every one that they pull out to hobbyists experimenting with electric vehicles.

schleppy · 04-14-2009, 08:03 AM

I drove a Prius for an hour and I couldn't stand it. Once you're moving it's fine, but it felt so numb when you take off from a standstill. The switchover between gas and electric was also jerky and inconsistent.

I'd take my Yaris any day.

regal · 04-14-2009, 10:30 AM

I hate the Prius, the ONLY reason the Yaris doesn't have a 6 spd tranny and get 60 mpg on the highway is because it would prove the Prius to be the bloated over-engineered contraption that it is.

Hell my 1989 Handa and 1986 Jetta got better milage than the Prius, and they are probably still on the road driving somewhere.

Yaris Hilton · 04-14-2009, 10:37 AM

Yes, Toyota has a motive not to challenge the Prius' mileage with conventional technology.

tetzyamis · 04-14-2009, 03:17 PM

It depends on how often you go on freeway.
I drive 1/2 city and 1/2 highway.
I used to have 2001 Prius and was getting 48-52 mpg.
With Yaris, same driving, I get 35-37 mpg.
I drive 800 miles per month.
16 gallons of gas with Prius and 22 gallons with Yaris.
$15 savings per month with $2.50 gas.
$180 in year, $900 in 5 years, $1260 in 7 years...
Trade in of the 7.5 year old Prius was 40% of the original price.

robkay · 05-13-2009, 08:54 PM

I considered the Prius, as well. Never got as far as driving one, though. While doing my research I read somewhere that if you need to have something in the drive train replaced you can get into 5 figures pretty quickly. That told me all I needed to know. I figure as long as you are within the warranty period you'll be a very happy Prius owner But, once you're outside the warranty period, if something major goes out that 49 mpg will seem a lot less meaningful. You can buy an awful lot of gasoline for $11,000. That's why I went with a Yaris. I keep my cars a long time and I think I would save a lot in maintenance with a Yaris as opposed to a Prius.

SIPNGAS · 05-14-2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by conurebuddy

I've been driving my girlfriend's Prius around for about a week now until I get my Yaris back. It is a smoother ride, although I think the Yaris is more fun to actually drive. The thing that really surprised me though was that I've been making a game out of hypermiling in the Prius to see the best mpgs I could get, and I havent noticed a significant difference between mine and hers.

Hers is a broken in Prius with about 50,000 miles on it, getting an average of 49 mpg. In my Yaris, I found I averaged about 44 mpg driving the same way. Seems like a pretty hefty price difference for a tiny improvement to me.

This is the exact impression I got when I recently had to have my Yaris in the shop for some body work and rented a Prius for 3 days. I did NOT practice hypermilling and averaged 44 miles per gallon in the Prius while I normally get 38-40 with my Yaris. I'll pass on all the other "conveniences".

SpaceShot · 05-14-2009, 12:45 PM

Before buying the Yaris to replace my prior ride, I ran several spreadsheets comparing my weekly and monthly costs for the Yaris, Prius, and a few others.

Even with the mileage savings, the Prius didn't overcome the added cost for 10-12 years.
And recently I have found a slower commuting route that actually gets me within 1-2 Mpg of what my coworker gets in his Prius.

My father recently got a Altima Hybrid that was a dealer demo, and being retired and paying cash with a good trade, it was more worthwhile for him. Shopping, bowling, and visiting, with absolutely no rush hour driving.

For my commute, nothing beats the Yaris for economy, particularly at the 5, 8, or 10 year marks when I am likely to look for the next ride.

04-13-2009, 09:56 AM	#1
conurebuddy Drives: 5 dr Yaris LB Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 19	Yaris vs. Prius I've been driving my girlfriend's Prius around for about a week now until I get my Yaris back. It is a smoother ride, although I think the Yaris is more fun to actually drive. The thing that really surprised me though was that I've been making a game out of hypermiling in the Prius to see the best mpgs I could get, and I havent noticed a significant difference between mine and hers. Hers is a broken in Prius with about 50,000 miles on it, getting an average of 49 mpg. In my Yaris, I found I averaged about 44 mpg driving the same way. Seems like a pretty hefty price difference for a tiny improvement to me.

04-13-2009, 10:10 AM	#2
MUSKOKA800 Drives: Scion FRS RS2, ‘21 Crosstrek Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Chatham, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,729	When I was shopping the local Toyota salesman suggested that due to the price difference (~CA$10,000 + 13% taxes + loan interest here in Canada) the Prius would be no cheaper than the Yaris over the life of the car. Granted it is a "nicer" car, but I try to keep my vehicles for 10+ years and the prospect of replacing those expensive batteries during that period was not appealling. I wonder how the Prius' trade-in values will be after 6+ years when the original batteries are reaching there end-of-life. Cha-Ching $$$ __________________ TRD Upgrades: 18" Wheels wrapped in 215/35/18 PZero's, Sportivo Shocks/Struts, Lowering Springs, Swaybar, Axle-Back Exhaust, Oil Cap, Rad Cap, Signage. Aftermarket Goodies: Piggies SS, K&N Drop-In, Blitz S/C, DC Header, NST Pulley) Toyota Options/Accessories: Sport Pedal Covers, Sport Shift Knob, Ipod Interface, Summer Mats, Winter Mats, Cruise Control, Auto-Dim Mirror, Echo steelies with winter boots.

04-14-2009, 03:17 PM	#15
tetzyamis '09 5dr Drives: 2009 Yaris 5-Door Bayou Blue Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: HI Posts: 238	It depends on how often you go on freeway. I drive 1/2 city and 1/2 highway. I used to have 2001 Prius and was getting 48-52 mpg. With Yaris, same driving, I get 35-37 mpg. I drive 800 miles per month. 16 gallons of gas with Prius and 22 gallons with Yaris. $15 savings per month with $2.50 gas. $180 in year, $900 in 5 years, $1260 in 7 years... Trade in of the 7.5 year old Prius was 40% of the original price. __________________ 2009 5-Door Yaris LB Bayou Blue Pearl 2009 5-Door Yaris LB Black Sand Pearl

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
NEWS: TOYOTA REVEALS ALL-NEW YARIS SEDAN AT 2006 LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW	VitzBoy	General Yaris / Vitz Discussion	7	09-20-2023 07:50 AM
News : 2007 Toyota Yaris - the little Euro's official arrival	VitzBoy	General Yaris / Vitz Discussion	9	06-06-2017 12:51 AM
Yaris TS 1.8L History and Specs	CASTREX	Yaris TS Talk	52	10-27-2009 05:06 PM
Yaris Spanks Hybrids in Environmentally Friendliness in Dust to Dust report	nsmitchell	General Yaris / Vitz Discussion	45	05-08-2007 10:33 AM

04-13-2009, 10:35 AM	#5
MadMax Drives: 2008 Yaris Liftback (Sprocket) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas! Posts: 2,799	I could not get past the "smug" factor of the Pruis. I also drive a Jeep, and I get those smirky looks everytime I pass one. To me they are completely a different car from the Yaris, which is a much more hip and fun to drive machine. You don't see a lot of mod'd Pruises (however your pluralize it) out there, but about a third of the Yarii I see have been. Completely different markets if you ask me... Cheers! M2

04-13-2009, 10:46 PM	#7
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/fra...cWl39Ra6Q.cspx

04-13-2009, 11:57 AM	#8
IllusionX It's the illusion you see View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan Aero Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brossard, QC Posts: 3,887	the prius advertises not much lower consumption than the yaris. yaris ~5.3L/100km highway prius 4.9L/100km highway though, it would be more beneficial to drive a prius in the city than driving the yaris (28MPG ???) in the city..

04-13-2009, 11:04 PM	#9
deerebilt View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris sedan S Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: cheney,ks Posts: 46	i agree the yaris is more economical than the prius for the price difference.iv'e had my 08 yaris sedan s 5 sp for a year and about 21000 mi. my overall avg mpg is 43.5. no expenses except fuel and oil/filter changes.i really like my yaris. to be honest when i bought my yaris i went in to drive a prius. i really liked it.but with price difference the the economy of the yaris i believe i made the right choice for me.

04-14-2009, 06:28 AM	#10
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	If you're concerned about being "green," I suspect the manufacturing and disposal/recycling of the batteries make the hybrids' lifetime environmental footprints pretty large and deep. I'm sure there are analyses of that online, but I'm not motivated enough to look them up. I don't want a hybrid.

04-14-2009, 08:03 AM	#12
schleppy I love momentum. View User's Garage Drives: 2009 Yaris LB, Red Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 587	I drove a Prius for an hour and I couldn't stand it. Once you're moving it's fine, but it felt so numb when you take off from a standstill. The switchover between gas and electric was also jerky and inconsistent. I'd take my Yaris any day.

04-14-2009, 10:30 AM	#13
regal Drives: 09 Yaris 3 Dr White LB Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: PA Posts: 432	I hate the Prius, the ONLY reason the Yaris doesn't have a 6 spd tranny and get 60 mpg on the highway is because it would prove the Prius to be the bloated over-engineered contraption that it is. Hell my 1989 Handa and 1986 Jetta got better milage than the Prius, and they are probably still on the road driving somewhere.

04-14-2009, 10:37 AM	#14
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	Yes, Toyota has a motive not to challenge the Prius' mileage with conventional technology.

05-13-2009, 08:54 PM	#16
robkay Drives: Hatch Join Date: May 2009 Location: NW OH Posts: 93	I considered the Prius, as well. Never got as far as driving one, though. While doing my research I read somewhere that if you need to have something in the drive train replaced you can get into 5 figures pretty quickly. That told me all I needed to know. I figure as long as you are within the warranty period you'll be a very happy Prius owner But, once you're outside the warranty period, if something major goes out that 49 mpg will seem a lot less meaningful. You can buy an awful lot of gasoline for $11,000. That's why I went with a Yaris. I keep my cars a long time and I think I would save a lot in maintenance with a Yaris as opposed to a Prius.

05-14-2009, 12:45 PM	#18
SpaceShot Drives: 2008 Yaris 5 speed HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NH Posts: 171	Before buying the Yaris to replace my prior ride, I ran several spreadsheets comparing my weekly and monthly costs for the Yaris, Prius, and a few others. Even with the mileage savings, the Prius didn't overcome the added cost for 10-12 years. And recently I have found a slower commuting route that actually gets me within 1-2 Mpg of what my coworker gets in his Prius. My father recently got a Altima Hybrid that was a dealer demo, and being retired and paying cash with a good trade, it was more worthwhile for him. Shopping, bowling, and visiting, with absolutely no rush hour driving. For my commute, nothing beats the Yaris for economy, particularly at the 5, 8, or 10 year marks when I am likely to look for the next ride.