Be Wary of Toyota Prius Advertised Mileage
Thanks to stricter testing methods designed to better reflect "real world" conditions, the government's fuel economy ratings on 2008 models have gone down considerably.
The Toyota Prius hybrid, for example, had been rated at 60/51 mpg city/highway for 2007, numbers that drew motorists to showrooms like a magnet when gas prices tickled and then topped $3 a gallon at the neighborhood filling station.
Under the 2008 rating system, the Prius window sticker now reads 48/45 mpg city/highway, which is closer to the truth, but some Toyota dealers and their staffs aren't telling folks the truth.
A survey of 200 Toyota dealers nationwide found a third told folks who called to ask the mileage rating of a Prius that it gets "up to 60 mpg," says Art Spinella, general manager of CNW Marketing Research, a company that studies why people buy what they do. The company conducted the survey earlier this month.
Those dealers also make the same 60 mpg claim in their radio and TV advertising, Spinella said.
"It's underhanded and deceptive,” he said. “Toyota isn't doing it. The ads aren't in newspapers where you can cut them out and have proof they did wrong. The ads are usually on radio or TV where you don't have a copy, so that if anyone complains all the dealer has to do is stop running the ad for a while."
Ironically, consumers haven't complained because many of them still don't realize the 2008 mileage ratings have gone down or what the rating should be - -either the old or the new one.
But dealers who advertise the Prius at 48/45 have taken their fellow dealers to task and are the ones calling either local dealer trade associations or their state attorney general's office to complain and force offending dealers to clean up their act.
The survey results show it's time for Toyota to call the offending dealers as well, Spinella says.
Related
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Unfortunately the manufacturers have little control over the dealers' actions because of Federal laws that prevent such things. They could withhold incentives, such as bonuses, but my guess those might be in a contract somewhere.
We all know dealers are smarmy and will do whatever it takes to get people in the door. Now, if the customer doesn't read the sticker right on the window, then shame on them.
Finally, there are plenty of Prius drivers who do attain over 50mpg, just don't get caught behind them =)
It is all how you drive the car and take care of the car that contorls how much miliage you get.
Oh and what a surpirse, a dealership lying.
Three cheers for ignorance!
If people don't research their car enough to discover something like this before buying it, I really can't feel bad for them.
I'd also like to point out that the double standard of foreign VS domestic also extends to showrooms/dealers apparently. I can remember a number of "shady dealer" stories that were about domestic dealers, and the general sentiment seemed to be "Corrupt corporate culture extends to dealerships". However, it seems that for foreign makers the sentiment is shaping up to be "Dealers are independent so the corporation is not to blame".
Interesting...
DG: That wasn't the makers claim - that was my claim.
To clarify, federal laws prevent makers from selling vehicles as retailers, creating a middle man. That middle man is pretty powerful - I'm sure you've heard of turf wars between dealers.
Generally, makers have little control over dealers, except that they can withhold cars or money, but that's all.
Hmmmm, I wonder how many of these TV/radio adds were cut months in advance and the dealer's are just too cheap/lazy to pull them now that they're obsolite.
Besides, technically they're STILL selling '07's which LEAGALY go by the old ratings untill the end of December.
Just playing Devil's Advocate
It is funny that Art is only attacking Toyota dealerships.
Isn't he the same person that authored "Dust to Dust" and that was refuted by the Pacific Institute "a real authority on the subject" as well as several other sceintific organizations.
It seems that Mr Spinella has it out for one particular make and model. As one of the other posters has said Mileage is not so much a factor of the vehicle but the individuals behind the wheel. It is a sad state of affairs that the posted MPG is not a goal that can be attained by the vehicle if driven at a certain standard and with proper maintenance and something to strive for but has been relageted to This is what you get if you continue to not change your habits. I have researched several vehicles and can cite known individuals that exceed the posted MPG figures of the Prius as well as other non hybreds. The only factor that makes these vehicles attain the MPG posted is the fact that the drivers changed their habiots to drive the speed limit and learned to anticipate as well as not jump the accelerator when they want the vehicle to move
OK I am off the soap box
hey, a 2007 prius gets 60mpg. the dealer has a few in stock and it is those they are talking about.
I highly doubt ANY Prius can get 60mpg. Maybe be with 1/4 tank, and skinny female driver, driving down a hill... with wind pushing from behind...
The question is that almost nobody would buy this car if it wasn't for the gas mileage and to make a statement. Or just to show off.
It is like the cars that get 30 mpg, come one, in the real world you are lucky if you get 25.
The Prius is built to encourage you to drive to get better gas mileage. If you change your driving to do so, it is very possible to get the 2007 figures of 60/51. If you drive the same way the most people do, then you are more likely to get the 2008 figures of 48/45. It makes you realize that almost everyone can get at least 10% better mileage (and longer life of their car) just by driving in a safer more relaxed manner, but if they also change to a Prius they can probably get about double their old mileage like we did.
Congratulations Jim!
http://www.priusownersgroup.com/?p=3087
Your check from GM should be on the way to you soon.
Hey Sanchez,
In your scenario a Prius would get infinite MPG - the gas engine would most likely be off.
Have you ever driven one? It's actually quite easy to get 60mpg over a decent period of time. Drive on a flat road at 45 mph with the A/C off in "pulse-and-glide" mode.
If you don't know what that is, then you haven't driven or researched driving a Toyota hybrid system and you or anyone else on here shouldn't be saying it can't do 'this' or do 'that'.
Is evidence piling up that cars.com is Big Three-biased based on the link above? Any words Jim or DT?
Wow,
I used to really despise the iPhone/iPod crowd as being overly obnoxious consumers, but I think I've found a new "Most Obnoxious Consumer" group for the crown. Congrats Prius owners!
That link from Prius Owners Group is really scary....
I find that link funny because they say this site is bias against the three t's. If anything it is the opposite. The Prius is not a great car. Get over yourself already.
It's always funny to hear someone say something like this, "I used to really despise the iPhone/iPod crowd as being overly obnoxious consumers" It generally indicates they don't and can't afford the device or product in question.
How could you despise someone because they own something? Bizarre.
The Prius is what it is. I think it's great and I've regularly said that's my opinion based on my experience. I've also repeatedly said that I find the Prius suits my unique needs very well. I've never made claims that the Prius is the best car in the world or that all other vehicles are somehow beneath the Prius.
So when someone, someone who almost certainly has never even been inside a Prius says something like, "The Prius is not a great car. Get over yourself already." It makes me laugh. I can't imagine going to a thread about Chevy's and saying Chevy's suck. But with the Prius, you see it all the time. The ire the car raises is curious indeed.
But hey, thanks for visiting my site.
I hate ipods and obnoxious ipod owners because of the commercials, the culture, the ridiculous attitudes and claims.
I actually own 2 ipods, a shuffle and a video. But to me it's just a product that I've bought. It's not a fashion statement, an extension of my personality or something worth getting upset over when someone pokes fun at it.
I guess my point is, when you get upset and blog about perceived bias and attacks against something you own on someone elses blog, you are probably an obnoxious consumer. The product that you bought isn't just a product - It's an important part of your self perception.
What? What??? Dealer's might lie? Not like a marketing firm, right?
The source of this revelation is "CNW Marketing" who as recently as August 21, 2007 continues to claim Prius are driven 6,700 miles per year. In contrast, Ebay shows used Prius averaging in excess of 10,000 miles per year and many cases, even higher. The facts and data are as clear as they are unambiguous.
Personally, I look for folks who believe CNW Marketing nonsense . . . and curiously cars.com seems to attract them. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
Bob Wilson
I like the idea of hybrids for city driving like taxicabs or delivery vans... I also like the idea of hybrids as a technology before depeloping hydrogen or other alternative engines.... what I dislike is the holier than thou attitude of some of their owners.
Sanchez: And you're telling me 5'1" blond haired soccer moms don't think they're the $hit driving their huge SUVS through the mall parking lot thinking they own the road? People's things get to their head.
I drive a Prius and I have found that you can't trust the calculated MPG. I conisitently get 47 = 49 on the meter but I always divide my odometer miles by the number of gallons purchased.... almost always kicks me up into the mid fifties. The error is in the 99 mpg calculation while you're on batteries. Using a calculator, I get 55 every tank.