Prius Mk.IV

Oafley Jones

Surprised there isn't a thread on this. Officially unveiled yesterday in Las Vegas. As someone who's a fan of the latest (divisive) angular Lexus designs I have to say this is horrible. Thought the Mark 3 was a good looking car as well, but this is just a confused mess. Remember this is the car that was delayed a few months owing to a last minute rejection of almost fully approved final design. I'd hate to imagine what that was like.

It's still using Nickel batteries for the standard version, they're cagey about releasing figures, just a vague "10% more efficient" claim. Interior looks poor. The white cladding around the switchgear in particular is rotten. I just can't get past that design. It borrows from the Miria they say, which is odd, because I've yet to hear a single person compliment that design.

I do like the limited 4wd ability though. Opinions.

Limited 4wd ?

Haven't really kept up to date on the Mk IV Prius. Supposed to get about 66 MPG imp. (4.2 L/100km) I used to get 60 mpg in the MK II and 64 mpg Summer I imaging I could get close to 70 mpg and more.

Extremely well built car and the technology is well proven.

The look of it isn't that bad, better than my MK II but I also preferred the MK III. Interior imo isn't bad.

It's probably still going to cost too much, the current model costs 30,500 - 31,820 and not nearly good enough to deter people away from Diesel, which is the most polluting fuels that's wrongly promoted in Europe as some kind of Green fuel , I wish the E.U would impose a ban on the sale of New diesels soon. I would gladly see far more hybrids on the road than Diesel. BMW will probably be the first to stop the sale of Diesels with a pledge that by 2020 all their fleet will be plug in, we'll see !

The U.S has seen a big drop in Hybrids and EV sales because fuel there is disgracefully cheap and far to cheep to deter people away from ridiculously big cars with big engines. Americans demand cheap fuel and no Government is going to raise fuel prices enough to make people by Hybrids and Electrics. As soon as fuel prices go up in the U.S they rush to buy hybrids and smaller cars and then as soon as fuel gets cheaper they're back to the big engine big car.

The E.U could do far more also to eliminate Diesel altogether and the Irish Government could eliminate VRT for electrics and Hybrids and raise it on new Diesels to make them a lot more expensive but Hybrids would need to get a lot cheaper, electrics too but a Leaf / Zoe isn't more expensive than your average lesser equipped hatch. They could also reduce VAT on electrics.

Hopefully the end of diesel will be in sight. Finally, the emissions and fuel economy test will move from the lab to the road and car makers are worried but why have a lab test that's completely unrealistic to real life driving ? so the car makers can feel good about making clean diesels as if there was such a thing as clean diesel.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/diesel-legislation-wars-set-to-drag-on-1.2228034

Diesel is unnecessary and disgracefully taxed lower.

Even though Diesel cars are bad, thousands of homes throughout Ireland still are allowed to burn solid fuels , which is far more deadly but you only hear about reducing car emissions and not that from heating or businesses that pollute.

cros13

It's a bit of a joke really. In the US the new Volt will wipe the floor with it.

Doesn't help that it's styled after the €80k Miserai fool cell sedan.

cros13

cros13 wrote: »

It's a bit of a joke really. In the US the new Volt will wipe the floor with it.

Doesn't help that it's styled after the €80k Miserai fool cell sedan.

Absolutely, but it's far too expensive and attracts VRT in Ireland. I think the original would have cost over 40K here. At that price the I3 Rex is a far better option, more EV range and still got the generator and a far better ev than the Volt/Ampera. And can only seat 4, not sure about the new model.

Nothing with an ICE is of much interests me any more be it hybrid or plug in, I don't need an engine for my 84 mile daily commute and could easily do 100 miles with a 15-20 min top up. I can make 84 miles but not at speeds I'm comfortable driving at. And in the cold probably barely make it.

We do have the diesel if we need to go really long trips and especially to keep miles off the leaf for the lease.