Can anyone help with these Prius questions? (Co car)
Discussion
I'm due to pick my next company car soon.
The standard Prius is the forerunner at the moment but I need to decide on specifications and to look at the costs.
Questions for Prius owners;
Does the 17inch wheels reduce mpg or bump the CO2 figure? I need to keep it sub 75g carbon for tax reasons
Can you specify 15 inch wheels on Business Plus model?
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
Is it a comfortable long distance cruiser? Seats comfortable?
Are any of the options or features really worth getting? (i.e. is the premium Audio exceptionally good?)
Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
The standard Prius is the forerunner at the moment but I need to decide on specifications and to look at the costs.
Questions for Prius owners;
Does the 17inch wheels reduce mpg or bump the CO2 figure? I need to keep it sub 75g carbon for tax reasons
Can you specify 15 inch wheels on Business Plus model?
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
Is it a comfortable long distance cruiser? Seats comfortable?
Are any of the options or features really worth getting? (i.e. is the premium Audio exceptionally good?)
Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
I'll have a go - been driving a business edition plus since May.
Does the 17inch wheels reduce mpg or bump the CO2 figure? I need to keep it sub 75g carbon for tax reasons
Yes 17 inchers both reduce mpg and bump up the CO2.
Can you specify 15 inch wheels on Business Plus model?
If you're ordering brand new, then should be possible. Otherwise if the car has already been registered as having 17 inch wheels on the V5, can't retrofit.
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
70mph = around 55mpg. 80 would be a bit lower I guess - haven't driven consistently at 80mph for long enough.
Is it a comfortable long distance cruiser? Seats comfortable?
yes, I find it very comfortable, but then my previous car was a WRX STI with rock hard suspension!
Are any of the options or features really worth getting? (i.e. is the premium Audio exceptionally good?)
The business plus edition comes with all the toys you need. The only upgrade is Excel which is leather, upgraded stereo, and auto sensing wiper blades. Not worth the upgrade in my opinion.
Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
None whatsoever. The plug in has a very limited range is mainly for sub 30mph journeys. Also it costs about 3 grand more than the non plugin version.
HTH
Does the 17inch wheels reduce mpg or bump the CO2 figure? I need to keep it sub 75g carbon for tax reasons
Yes 17 inchers both reduce mpg and bump up the CO2.
Can you specify 15 inch wheels on Business Plus model?
If you're ordering brand new, then should be possible. Otherwise if the car has already been registered as having 17 inch wheels on the V5, can't retrofit.
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
70mph = around 55mpg. 80 would be a bit lower I guess - haven't driven consistently at 80mph for long enough.
Is it a comfortable long distance cruiser? Seats comfortable?
yes, I find it very comfortable, but then my previous car was a WRX STI with rock hard suspension!
Are any of the options or features really worth getting? (i.e. is the premium Audio exceptionally good?)
The business plus edition comes with all the toys you need. The only upgrade is Excel which is leather, upgraded stereo, and auto sensing wiper blades. Not worth the upgrade in my opinion.
Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
None whatsoever. The plug in has a very limited range is mainly for sub 30mph journeys. Also it costs about 3 grand more than the non plugin version.
HTH
FreeLitres said:
Many thanks.
Ouch, 55 mpg stings a bit. The 90+ mpg figure was tad optimistic then!
Just to put this into context: I drive the demonstrators around the country and have done many thousands of miles in them. I have only really taken note of the consumption recently as the Prius is likely to be my next car. Ouch, 55 mpg stings a bit. The 90+ mpg figure was tad optimistic then!
On one journey from Oxfordshire to Liverpool I had to go via Stoke centre and Warrington centre to drop other drivers off, with motorways for the rest of the journey. Despite having three other big blokes in the car and ...erm...'making significant progress' wherever possible, the Prius returned a respectable 70.1mpg for the trip (normal Prius, too - not plug-in). I was fairly impressed.
I agree that the Business Edition with smaller wheels is the best compromise, but the premium sound system is very good on the Excel. Not sure that you can configure the lower specs with it, though.
I have a Gen4 with 17 inch wheels, I'll try and help
Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
Not sure but personally I wouldn't bother. I've only seen 1 Gen4 plug-in on the road and I am pretty sure that was a dealer demonstrator.FreeLitres said:
I'm due to pick my next company car soon.
Congrats FreeLitres said:
Does the 17inch wheels reduce mpg or bump the CO2 figure? I need to keep it sub 75g carbon for tax reasons
It does both. MPG is reduced by quite a lot compared to the 15 inch wheels, but is still very good (see below).FreeLitres said:
Can you specify 15 inch wheels on Business Plus model?
Yes I believe you can - you can specify them at no extra cost.FreeLitres said:
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
With the 17 inch wheels I get about 65mpg overall and at motorway speeds I get about 60mpg unless I'm "making swift progress". Given that the quoted fuel consumption is 72mpg I think that's pretty good. The 15 inch wheels give quoted fuel economy of something like 94mpg so maybe 70+ mpg in real life?FreeLitres said:
Is it a comfortable long distance cruiser? Seats comfortable?
Comfortable - yes. Seats are fine, but no more than that. Leather seems to be very hard-wearing. Wind noise starts to make itself known about 65mpg. The constant engine note can be a bit irritating until you are used to it. I don't mind a droning engine sound, but the sound itself isn't the most pleasant. The infotainment is behind the class best, and a bit fiddly to use, but it all works fine.FreeLitres said:
Are any of the options or features really worth getting? (i.e. is the premium Audio exceptionally good?)
Honestly, I would say no. I have the JBL premium audio, and again it's OK, but I would expect a bit more from a premium audio package. It's a "GreenEdge" power efficient system, and maybe that's the problem...don't know.Any point me looking at the plug in version for mainly long (100+ mile) trips?
I would also add that reliability has been 100% so far (2 years and 20,000 miles in) and the dealers are generally nice people. The 20k service was the best dealer service I have ever had - they could not do enough for me. Motorpoint Toyota at Canterbury, please take a bow.
Happy to try to answer anything else.
Can't speak for the current Prius, but on our company car scheme the very similar (in terms of size/performance/economy) Hyundai Ioniq hybrid is notably cheaper and better specced than the Prius. Might be worth a look? I had one on test last month and was very impressed, it's quite likely to be my next co. car unless any conspicuous bargains appear on the scheme.
Yes, the IONIQ is on my radar alongside the Prius.
From memory, the higher list price of the IONIQ meant that the company car cost becomes higher than the Prius in a couple of years time when the percentage rates increase. The mpg looks to be lower on the IONIQ too. I only get paid the HMRC guidance ppm rates so if the car achieves a lower mpg, it costs me more on longer journies.
Wiith the increase in co car tax coming in over the next few years, the co car options are starting to look far less appealing. I'm not much of an eco warrior and I never thought I would end up with a Prius but it seems to be one of the few cars to make sense as a company car with the new rules and rates.
To keep the cost low, I would probably end up with the "free" colour, white. The other colours look so much better!
EDIT: I was talking about the plug-in IONIQ. The non plug-in version has CO2 higher than 75 g meaning I would be taxed on the cash alternative. Only cars at or below 75g carbon avoid this issue.
From memory, the higher list price of the IONIQ meant that the company car cost becomes higher than the Prius in a couple of years time when the percentage rates increase. The mpg looks to be lower on the IONIQ too. I only get paid the HMRC guidance ppm rates so if the car achieves a lower mpg, it costs me more on longer journies.
Wiith the increase in co car tax coming in over the next few years, the co car options are starting to look far less appealing. I'm not much of an eco warrior and I never thought I would end up with a Prius but it seems to be one of the few cars to make sense as a company car with the new rules and rates.
To keep the cost low, I would probably end up with the "free" colour, white. The other colours look so much better!
EDIT: I was talking about the plug-in IONIQ. The non plug-in version has CO2 higher than 75 g meaning I would be taxed on the cash alternative. Only cars at or below 75g carbon avoid this issue.
Edited by FreeLitres on Sunday 4th February 21:01
Ah, I didn't know about the tax treatment where there's a cash alternative - we don't have a choice, it's company car or nowt for us.
Having Googled the tax arrangements for cash alternative I'm now quite glad we don't have that option! Not a great deal of choice below 75g/km given the high list prices of plug in hybrids. I'd more than likely opt for a Prius too.
If it's any help, my Auris hybrid estate (gen 3 Prius drivetrain) averages about 55 to 60mpg on long motorway runs. The current Gen 4 Prius has a newer and more efficient drivetrain and should be considerably better aerodynamically than the Auris.
Having Googled the tax arrangements for cash alternative I'm now quite glad we don't have that option! Not a great deal of choice below 75g/km given the high list prices of plug in hybrids. I'd more than likely opt for a Prius too.
If it's any help, my Auris hybrid estate (gen 3 Prius drivetrain) averages about 55 to 60mpg on long motorway runs. The current Gen 4 Prius has a newer and more efficient drivetrain and should be considerably better aerodynamically than the Auris.
AmitG said:
FreeLitres said:
What real mpg might I expect ot get on long motorway trips? Driving at 70 mph? What about 80mph?
With the 17 inch wheels I get about 65mpg overall and at motorway speeds I get about 60mpg unless I'm "making swift progress". Given that the quoted fuel consumption is 72mpg I think that's pretty good. The 15 inch wheels give quoted fuel economy of something like 94mpg so maybe 70+ mpg in real life?A footnote: I drove a Gen 2 Prius to the west country and back several years ago at the usual 70-80mph, using regen instead of brakes where possible, and it did 50mpg over the tank. I was disappointed and started a thread on here but it was pointed out to me that the hybrid really makes a killing in stop / start traffic and at low speeds compared to an ICE car.
oop north said:
Watch out for the changes in measurement of Prius emissions - from Feb production (not sure of that date) the official co2 figures are increasing because of new measurement method. Might make it impossible to fit under 75g...
Is that the reason the salary sacrifice work lease car quote has gone up by 70 quid a month since 4 weeks ago?oop north said:
Watch out for the changes in measurement of Prius emissions - from Feb production (not sure of that date) the official co2 figures are increasing because of new measurement method. Might make it impossible to fit under 75g...
This. New Prius is no longer London Congestion charge exempt.If you're doing big miles the Prius is the most suited car of the Hybrid choices, just because Toyota have put a lot of effort into the motorway efficiency in the latest model.
"The Prius used to officially produce 70g/km of CO2 when running on 15-inch wheels. This made it a favourite of private hire owners, as they could drive into London while escaping the Congestion Charge. But that figure has now increased to 78g/km , while CO2 levels for a Prius running on 17-inch alloys have increased from 76 to 82g/km."
Jesus H.
Back to the drawing board then.
Jesus H.
Back to the drawing board then.
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