Saw this today and thought I would put the link up:

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...12_031120_coy/

I think a lot of people don't understand all the costs associated with this thing. All batteries at some point need to be replaced. Last I heard to replace the batteries in the Prius will cost about 4k. That's a bunch of gas!

I would also be interested to find out how much the disposal fee will be to do this. I am sure it will get passed along to the owner. I think Jane Fonda must have made this selection.

It will be interesting to see how it is holding up a few years down the road. I think I will stick with my TSX when it shows up!

 

They're trying to make a statement. I wonder how much the clean earth association or whoever paid MT to give the nod to this car. The only thing it excels in is fuel efficiency and emmisions. Its a economy car the rest of the way.

I'm not saying the TSX should have got the nod but what about the TL?

 

I saw this article as well and I think they might be trying to say that this car might be the momentum changer for how people view the hybrid vehicles in terms of acceptance of them.
I heard that there is over 10,000 on the waiting list of this car and Toyota is increasing production as well.

Last time I heard, Toyota is offering to pay for the replacement and disposale of the battery the first time it occurs. I do wonder about the environmental effects of the batteries associated with the car though.

Personally, I would not have selected the Prius for car of the year, even though it might be a landmark vehicle in terms of hybrid acceptance by the public.

Junkster, who would have given the award to the TSX, eventhough that sounds biased.

 

My thoughts exactly. Not my first choice in cars but a big step for hybrid technology.

 

this car is innovative...a co-worker just bought one and he let me drive it. It is very interesting because it doesn't need a key to start, but instead a push start button...also its quiet.

The TSX isn't a car worthy of this award, but the Prius shouldn't really be either.

 

I'm cancelling my subscription to MT......

 

I can't think of a another under $25k car on the market with more technical innovations than the Prius. VTEC, AWD, LSD, ABS: these are all neat technologies, but they were slowly developed over 100 years of the automobile through incremental improvements. You can't downplay the significance of Toyota taking relatively undeveloped technologies to the mass market in such an affordable, comfortable package.

I have spent a great deal of time driving and riding in the 1st-gen Prius, and I must say it drives as well or better than any other sedan its size/price. The low-end torque offered by the electric motor actually adds some fun 'pep' to the car, and the interior is better than anything Detroit puts out in this price range, for sure. The Continuously Variable Transmission takes some getting used to, but I actually prefer it over discrete-gear automatics now. Handling is poor, but 90% of Americans care more about hauling kids/groceries than body roll and skidpad numbers.

Does the Prius have flaws? Sure. But so did the Model T. And it started an automotive revolution. While you won't find me trading my TSX for a Prius any time soon, I can't help but marvel at Toyota's accomplishment.

 

i don't see why there's all these negativity towards the Prius winning the car of the year adward. Out of all the cars introduced this year, the Prius by far is the most unique, technologically advanced and a great value, and can be considered a normal viable family sedan with great MPG, and argubly have less enviromental impact during operation than other cars out there... i mean look at this list Acura TL, Acura TSX, Audi A8 L, BMW 5 Series, BMW Z4, Cadillac XLR, Chevrolet Malibu and Maxx, Chevrolet Aveo, Chrysler Crossfire, Ford Freestar, Jaguar XJ8/XJR, Mazda RX-8, Mitsubishi Galant, Mitsubishi Lancer/Ralliart/Evolution, Nissan Maxima, Nissan Quest, Pontiac Grand Prix, Pontiac GTO, Scion xA, Scion xB, Subaru Impreza/WRX/STi, Suzuki Verona, Toyota Camry Solara, Toyota Prius, Toyota Sienna, and the Volkswagen Phaeton.

if you want the best performance/bang for buck you have the STi, luxury the phaeton, but with the execption of the Prius, they are all variations of the traditional automobile, only the prius is something refresingly new and a competent car that will serve the needs of a majority of the population.

 

Is it just me, or does that thing look like "Finding Nemo"...?

I mean, it looks like it's got a "cute little grin" on it, kind of like a puffer fish, doesn't it?

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha

 

I'm very disappointed an Acura did not win.

 

well... i have a civic hybrid and i don't fear the cost of the replacement battery... for next 8 years (under warranty).... plus i would suspect by then... battery technology should advance... and be cheaper than it is today. in the mean time i'm saving $80 a month in gas.

 

Battery technology won't advance. Car batteries still use Lead-Acid which has been around since WW2.

 

So you're saying battery technology hasn't advanced at all since the 1940s and will never get any better? I find that hard to believe.

 

That's pretty cynical. The same can be said of engine technology: "Engine technology won't advance. Car engines use internal combustion, which has been around since 1876." Uh huh. Yeah, engine technology hasn't advanced at all.

Perhaps standard car batteries still use lead acid, but hybrid batteries are and will be different:

http://www.google.com/search?q=hybri...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/09/23...battery_020923

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/09/23...battery_020923

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/electric-car4.htm

 

True, but "engine technology" depends on much more than just one chemical mechanism.

 

So there have been no advancement in batteries since 1940... hmmmm.... I assume anything with "one dimension" hasn't evolved since that time period either... let's take tires for instance?

And let's say you are right (which you are not but let's live in your fantasy world)... you don't think the cost of the same battery in 8 years time is going to be lower? The cost of manufacturing a product always goes down over time.

 

Last I checked... it's a Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery.

 

Lung, I think you might have stepped too far.
To say battery technology hasn't advanced in some form is being very disturbing. Think of how they came to electric hybrid cars in the first place. These batteries are not the same as some Duracell we get from the stores. I think battery technology has come a long way and might still shock us in the future.

Never doubt the power of technological innovations... The IBM president in the 50's actually made this comment:
"The world will only need 5 or 6 computers. There is no need for computers in people's homes."
Or something to this extent, and you know how silly that sounds now.

Junkster, who never bets against science... since he works in the medical research field.

 

I think the only Acura to win, correct me if I'm wrong was the 1st generation Acura Legend. And that was when they had Import Car of the Year and regular Car of the Year.

Car's of the year, either change the game, provide an incredible fun/value factor or they get bribed (cough, cough Ford Thunderbird 3 years ago).
Recent memory:
96-E-class
97-5 series
98 GS series
99 300M
00 Beetle
01 Thunderbird
02 G35
03 Prius

 

Acura/Honda will not win unless they come out with a car that either signifies a new segment, benchmark, technology...or in other words something that is "new" or "good" enough to capture the attention of the automotive community/media...and the Prius is "THE" vehicle that keeps popping up in automotive columns in news... its the "car" that people want to be associated with if they want to say that they care about the enviroment....in past few days i've read so many articles in newspaper about prius and which celebrity is getting one.... they can only build 5500 a month, yet they sold 28,000 during first month it came out and demand is far outstripping supply

 

Still doesn't change the fact that "THE" car is fugly.

 

While I understand MT has improved in the last year or so…
Y'all are talking about the magazine that picked the Caprice as "COTY" in the early '90s.

Good God. The CAPRICE for ctrying out loud.

This award means very little.

 

Oh, it is a distinguished line of award winners: Caprice, Chevette, Renault Alliance, ...