Consumer Reports survey: Hybrids are most reliable vehicles

[explanade]

One of the most appreciated features in my car is the HUD (Head Up Display) that puts my speed (and a few other things as needed) right in my field of vision as I look through the windshield.

I like it so much that I'll never buy another car without it.

I've heard that you can't see HUD displays if you wear polarized sunglasses.

 

[explanade]

Not trying to hijack thread but my 1983 CJ8 Scrambler has the speedo in the center. Hate it. I mount my phone higher and pretty much in front of me with a speedo app running. Does the trick.

There's an app for that?

Must be using the accelerometers in the phone to calculate the speed?

 

[NW-Bound]

One of the most appreciated features in my car is the HUD (Head Up Display) that puts my speed (and a few other things as needed) right in my field of vision as I look through the windshield.

I like it so much that I'll never buy another car without it.

It would be even nicer to display the current speed limit there too.

The Opel Grandland rental car I drove in Europe had the ability to read the speed limit signs. This info is on the dashboard display.

 

[NW-Bound]

There's an app for that?

Must be using the accelerometers in the phone to calculate the speed?

GPS.

Accelerometers do not sense speed but acceleration, and integrating acceleration to get speed does not work well enough.

 

[Bigdawg]

One of the most appreciated features in my car is the HUD (Head Up Display) that puts my speed (and a few other things as needed) right in my field of vision as I look through the windshield.

I like it so much that I'll never buy another car without it.

Great concept. But, at 6'6" the HUD in DW's Mini Cooper does not align to me (not adjustable). So I set the cruise and hope the speedo stays on the set speed. My roomate in college had a Ford Fiesta with a pop out moon roof. Yup, adjusted the back of the seat basically straight up and peeked out the top. Great for most days in MN but not so much Nov-Mar.

 

[Lsbcal]

It would be even nicer to display the current speed limit there too.

The Opel Grandland rental car I drove in Europe had the ability to read the speed limit signs. This info is on the dashboard display.

Apple Carplay shows speed limits but only if you are in navigation mode.

 

[audreyh1]

I see my speed and the current speed limit sign (read by camera) in my dash just above the steering yoke so for me it’s easy to see in my field of view while driving.

I’m sure a heads up display would be even cooler.

 

[explanade]

It would be even nicer to display the current speed limit there too.

The Opel Grandland rental car I drove in Europe had the ability to read the speed limit signs. This info is on the dashboard display.

Would be cool to have that here but you don't see as many speed limit signs in the US, at least where I live, other than on freeways.

And even then it's not as frequent.

But one thing about European highways, there are frequent speed changes, usually as you approach big cities but also when you approach construction, which seems very frequent.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, my HUD reads and displays the speed limit signs (and is usually better at it than I am). It's also completely adjustable for position, so no matter what size you are and what position your seat is in, you can place it where you want it. It also shows me a detail view of upcoming turns when I'm in navigation mode. A wonderful feature, so I would think it will eventually become more common.

 

[Koolau]

How 'bout that! Toyota moved the Prius speedometer from the center of the dash, to in front of the driver, where it belongs!
There's no way I can drive a vehicle with the speedo in the center of the dash. Looking ahead to drive, at speedo in proper location, at inside rear-view mirror, I can do it.

But if the speedo's in the center of the dash, it's too much visual displacement and my floaters are an angry swarm washing all over back and forth. Maybe I could make it a block or two.

Never made any sense to me why the Prius and Toyota's Scion brand put them in the center.

Yeah, had to reposition (think it was) a Yaris. That spedo in the center made me absolutely crazy. Would NEVER buy a car with that "feature." Not even a big fan of Teslas huge screen in the middle, but it's got enough "entertainment" value to keep you interested as long as you don't use it for a spedo. YMMV

 

[ls99]

I've heard that you can't see HUD displays if you wear polarized sunglasses.

It is not true in my 2020 Cadillac ct6. Though the temperature setting display is not readable with Polarized glasses. But it is not an essential display.

 

[braumeister]

My HUD is readable with some polarized sunglasses, but not others. But the same applies to the dashboard displays on many cars.

 

[Alan]

My 2017 Prius has a HUD and I love it.

 

[Koolau]

Has anyone tried cocking their head to read the HUD? I don't have one, but I notice that I do not see rainbows with my polarized sun glasses unless I angle my head about 15 or 20 degrees. I consider missing a rainbow to be tragic in comparison to not being able to read a HUD - and I live in the "Land of Rainbows." Each to his own and YMMV as always.

 

[REWahoo]

This thread has many posts about the Toyota Prius and comments about the new, sleeker 2023 Prius. FWIW, Consumer Reports is out with some observations about their first impressions of the new Prius. CR has not yet completed a full test/review but their initial comments are interesting:

When we asked Toyota about the changes, representatives told us that styling took priority, and the word “aggressive” got a lot of use when describing the car’s new look. There’s just one problem: There are already enough aggressive-looking gas-powered cars, hybrids, and EVs out there for anyone who wants one. The Prius always went against that grain, and Prius drivers perennially picked their goofy little hatchback because they wanted function before form: a cavernous interior, a small footprint, and crazy-good fuel economy.

Toyota made the new Prius quicker, sleeker, and more engaging to drive. That’s great! But it also took away interior space and headroom. In the words of one of our testers, “This car is trying to be too many things to too many of the wrong people.” The people who poked fun at the Prius would never buy one, and the people who bought the Prius loved it for what it was.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

This thread has many posts about the Toyota Prius and comments about the new, sleeker 2023 Prius. FWIW, Consumer Reports is out with some observations about their first impressions of the new Prius. CR has not yet completed a full test/review but their initial comments are interesting:

All you have to do is look at sales numbers to see why Toyota is altering its strategy for the Prius. It hasn't sold 100,000 of them in the US since 2017. Peak years with 230,000+ sold were in 2013 and 2014. In 2021? Fewer than 60,000.

The model got something of a black eye in the 2010s with reports of head gasket failures. And the styling of the most recent version, with fake air ducts in the front bumper and check-mark taillights, was just weird. I wholeheartedly agree with Toyota's decision to start over with a clean slate.

...2007 Prius owner here. Toyota sold 180,000 Prii that year.

 

[Lsbcal]

I have given up on trying to get a RAV4 Hybrid. Too long a delay and we don't drive a car more then about 6k to 8k miles per year.

So have an offer on a Honda 2023 CRV EX-L. It's a very nice driving car, quite and roomy and even has a real spare tire (first trip will be to Death Valley). Gets combined 30 mpg. Consumer rates it #2 of compact SUV's.

 

[audreyh1]

This thread has many posts about the Toyota Prius and comments about the new, sleeker 2023 Prius. FWIW, Consumer Reports is out with some observations about their first impressions of the new Prius. CR has not yet completed a full test/review but their initial comments are interesting:

Toyota seems to really be floundering in this area. Booted their CEO and replaced with the Lexus CEO. Trying to figure out an EV strategy.

But their hybrid technology is so excellent. I hope they keep making them. Too bad the updated Prius took away some major benefits. I hope they can get their mojo back.

 

[Chuckanut]

All you have to do is look at sales numbers to see why Toyota is altering its strategy for the Prius. It hasn't sold 100,000 of them in the US since 2017. Peak years with 230,000+ sold were in 2013 and 2014. In 2021? Fewer than 60,000.



The model got something of a black eye in the 2010s with reports of head gasket failures. And the styling of the most recent version, with fake air ducts in the front bumper and check-mark taillights, was just weird. I wholeheartedly agree with Toyota's decision to start over with a clean slate.



...2007 Prius owner here. Toyota sold 180,000 Prii that year.

Perhaps Prius sales have dropped because Toyota has hybrids in so many more models today. Camry, Highlander, RAV4, etc all have highly desirable hybrid versions of the model.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, suspect that’s a big part of it. I was amazed how many Toyota models have a hybrid option now.

 

[explanade]

I have given up on trying to get a RAV4 Hybrid. Too long a delay and we don't drive a car more then about 6k to 8k miles per year.

So have an offer on a Honda 2023 CRV EX-L. It's a very nice driving car, quite and roomy and even has a real spare tire (first trip will be to Death Valley). Gets combined 30 mpg. Consumer rates it #2 of compact SUV's.

I was looking at the RAV 4 Prime, the plug in version, about a year ago. Dealers around here were looking for at least a $5k markup over MSRP.

So I got the EX-L as a lease.

Thing about hybrids though, you still have all the ICE bits to maintain, like oil changes and various fluids, compared to EVs.

So I don't know about them being the most reliable. I guess the fact that Honda and Toyota are two of the biggest manufacturers of hybrids contributes to their reliability.

 

[Koolau]

This thread has many posts about the Toyota Prius and comments about the new, sleeker 2023 Prius. FWIW, Consumer Reports is out with some observations about their first impressions of the new Prius. CR has not yet completed a full test/review but their initial comments are interesting:

A friend who had a 2012(?) Prius helped me move a mutual friend. I had a '99 CRV. His Prius held almost twice what my CRV would hold, yet the CRV was bigger on the outside. I'm saddened to see Prius go for style over function.

 

[dixonge]

Not necessarily. For many Tesla owners, I suspect it's more important to belong to the "tribe" than to have a more trouble-free vehicle.

That's an interesting theory, that regular people would put up with a bad car because of some concept of brand loyalty. I mean, your suspicion *may* be true, but then again there's some sort of reason their sales keep growing by insane numbers every year while ICE vehicle sales keep falling.

Here's Tesla vs. other EV models:

Here's Tesla vs. all other car OEM's (light vehicles) - 2022 vs 2021:

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Perhaps Prius sales have dropped because Toyota has hybrids in so many more models today. Camry, Highlander, RAV4, etc all have highly desirable hybrid versions of the model.

Perhaps original Prius owners were sold more on the drivetrain than the styling, so other more stylish models are indeed more desirable now that they're available. Perhaps an injection of a little style into the Prius will restore sales numbers.

I do like the Prius hatchback, so I'd prefer it to a Camry or Corolla. The new styling retains the hatch, which is great. I don't care that the roofline is a little lower. It may affect rear-seat headroom, but I see quite a few Prii on the road here in Wisconsin, and the back seat is hardly ever occupied.

 

[explanade]

The thing I don't get are people giving Tesla $15k (used to be less but still significant sum of money) for FSD, with no promises that it will ever work or could be used during the time they own the car.

Those are fanboys.