Beat the DUI wrap, NEW TRUCK!!!

[AtomSmasher]

Just thought I would mention this again, the Jetta TDI is not a hybrid and gets better milage then the Prius.

Only in incidental cases (worst Prius figures compared to best Jetta figures). In normal use it has 35/42 mileage. The 2008 version is supposed to get better mileage (45mpg average). I like that they can just apply the bluemotion principle to any regular car and make it burn less fuel.

Diesel is bad for the health though. The fine dust coming from diesel exhausts is quite dangerous. So especially in congested areas it's not really a good option.

Well considering most side-by-side comparison road tests say that the Jetta gets better milage.  I wouldn't exactly call that incidental cases.

Heres a couple I quickly found on google:
AutoWeek Prius = 42mpg   Jetta = 49.9mpg
USA Today Prius = 38mpg  Jetta = 44mpg  (they also note that the Prius's computer says it got 51.7 even though doing the actual math by hand shows otherwise)
Also the Top Gear review earlier says the diesels have better milage then the Prius, although he didn't give any exact numbers.

[AtomSmasher]

How about sake powered cars?
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUST29909220070511

[TOK]

Or what about the Ford EV-1 that got killed. Seen that video?  Much less the Tesla car. Or, back on fuel, how bout that bio-diesel hotrod (0-60 in 4 seconds) with 50 mpg those KIDS at some east coast high school built from scratch?

The EV-1 was by GM, and was electric only. The EV-1 worked in a very limited way in warm climates only. GM knew this, which is why they offered them for lease only to a hand picked group of people, then destroyed them all when the leases were up.

Not what it says in the movie.

What movie? If the movie said the EV-1 was a Ford, I'd say the rest of its facts are also worthless. The EV-1 was not a hybrid, it was an electric car that had very limited usefulness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EV-1

[patrickl]

Just thought I would mention this again, the Jetta TDI is not a hybrid and gets better milage then the Prius.

Only in incidental cases (worst Prius figures compared to best Jetta figures). In normal use it has 35/42 mileage. The 2008 version is supposed to get better mileage (45mpg average). I like that they can just apply the bluemotion principle to any regular car and make it burn less fuel.

Diesel is bad for the health though. The fine dust coming from diesel exhausts is quite dangerous. So especially in congested areas it's not really a good option.

Well considering most side-by-side comparison road tests say that the Jetta gets better milage.  I wouldn't exactly call that incidental cases.

Heres a couple I quickly found on google:
AutoWeek Prius = 42mpg   Jetta = 49.9mpg
USA Today Prius = 38mpg  Jetta = 44mpg  (they also note that the Prius's computer says it got 51.7 even though doing the actual math by hand shows otherwise)
Also the Top Gear review earlier says the diesels have better milage then the Prius, although he didn't give any exact numbers.

Well there are much more people indicating the Prius does actually get much better mileage than those reviews get. So I don't know what that reviewer did with the car. Comparing when using biodiesel is not very fair either. Indeed it has more umpf to the gallon, but can you actually buy that at the gas station?

Most sites just echo the Autoweek review, but there are reviews saying the Prius does better too. Apart from some dutch reviews I saw also:
Green Living: 2004-2005 Toyota Prius and 1999-2005 Volkswagen Jetta Diesel Compared (52 mpg for Prius and 34/43 for the Jetta, but seems like the use the computer for the mileage though)
2007 Toyota Prius Touring Edition test drive (45 mpg)
Toyota Prius Review (mid 50's mpg)
2004 Toyota Prius review and test drive (53.9 mpg)

Maybe the trip computer only gives the average over the last few miles or something. I have the same with my Audi. It is never the same as what I calculate from actual amounts of fuel going in and distance driven. Seems rather odd since the car knows how far it drove and it should know how much fuel it consumed too.

Diesel cars generally need less fuel than petrol powered cars, but still they let out 2 to 3 times as much bad exhaust gasses. Then there is the fine dust. It's just not a very environmentally friendly alternative. A diesel is something you drive to save your wallet. Although mostly if you drive a lot of miles. In the Netherlands at least there is an extra tax penalty on diesel powered cars so you have to drive a lot before you start saving money.

When my dad got the Prius he got some instructions on how to drive the car. They told him that if you use a normal driving style you will get between 40 and 45 mpg, but if you drive the car the way it needs to you get 50 to 60mpg. I do remember (because it struck me as odd) that they told him to accelerate rather quickly to desired speed and then cruise. Guess it is because they want you to cruise on the electric motor after that. He does get 50+ mpg (based on actual fuel purchases).

Real Hybrid Mileage Database (Prius gets 48 mpg average)
On-the road fuel economy Prius (mark II Prius gets 47mpg average)
On-the road fuel economy Jetta (only manual shift Jetta's get 45 mpg auto shift gets around 40 mpg)
Japanese Mileage Freaks Hack Prius For 116 MPG


BTW see the Shell Eco-marathon which is running right now. The record is 3,410 km on 1l of fuel (which is 8,000 mpg)

[Ed_McCarron]

They are barely more spacious than a hatchback, since most of the extra space is vertical.

What, you're not allowed to stack cargo?

When I can cram myself, my wife, 2 kids in car seats, 2 dogs, and enough support material into a car to go camping for a weekend (just ask Chad... My camping cargo gets out of hand...) I'll reconsider.  Until then, I'll drive my 6 cylinder, 22mpg, 1996 Explorer until it falls apart.

Oh, and if I happen to get into an accident, and turn a mini cooper into an oversized arcade token, then I consider it their fault for not driving a safer car.

Didn't we already do this thread?

[AtomSmasher]

Well there are much more people indicating the Prius does actually get much better mileage than those reviews get. So I don't know what that reviewer did with the car. Comparing when using biodiesel is not very fair either. Indeed it has more umpf to the gallon, but can you actually buy that at the gas station?

Looks like theres plenty of information supporting both sides, so who knows 

Also, if I were to buy a fuel efficient car, it would be to save my wallet, not to save the environment.

[ChadTower]

(just ask Chad... My camping cargo gets out of hand...)

I don't remember why I'd know that.

[Ed_McCarron]

(just ask Chad... My camping cargo gets out of hand...)

I don't remember why I'd know that.

You felt the need to tell me I was a weenie for taking a video projector, screen, DVD player, and air conditioner camping.

I'd find the pic, but it died with Stingrays old site.

[ChadTower]

That's okay, I fully believe I said that.

And thanks for reminding me of your wienerdom.   

[Ed_McCarron]

And thanks for reminding me of your wienerdom.   

S'ok, its a free service.  I'm reminded I'm a weenie quite often by my wife, and she doesn't charge me for it either.

[ChadTower]

I need to stop telling her that, I guess.

[Ed_McCarron]

I need to stop telling her that, I guess.

Yes.  Please stop talking to my wife about my weenie.

You're creeping me out, man.  I feel like I'm talking to Drew here...

[Texasmame]

Holy threaddrift, Batman!

[danny_galaga]

anything to distract us from how much a dick negativecreep is...

[Ed_McCarron]

This is EE.  Topics tend to wander.  Some of them don't come back.

[Negativecreep0]

Hmm I think I would be considered more of an ---uvula--- than a dick? wouldnt you agree? haha

[CCM]

Hmm I think I would be considered more of an ---uvula--- than a dick? wouldnt you agree? haha

Don't sell yourself short, you can be both!

[ChadTower]

That way he can go ---fudgesicle--- himself when he's bored.