Long term test: 50’000km in a Toyota Prius II
Maintenance and costs
| Fixed yearly costs | |
| Registration Taxes (Vaud, 1725kg, 57kW, 104g/km CO2) | 206 CHF |
| Third party+Casco insurrance | 792 CHF |
| Consummables | |
| Rims + winter tires: Michelin Alpin A3 195/55R16 Jan. 2009 | 1294 CHF |
| Winter tires Continental Dec. 2012 | 479 CHF |
| Unleaded 95 gas: 48604km @ 5.44 L/100km @ 1.69 CHF/L | 4468 CHF |
| Maintenance | |
| Yearly service 2010 23’000km | 260 CHF |
| Yearly service 2011 42’000km | 634 CHF |
| Depreciation | |
| Estimated resale value, 5 years, 50’000km: 15’000 CHF | 33320 CHF |
| Total cost per kilometer: 45’445 CHF over 50’000km | 0.93 CHF/km |
| Incremental cost per kilometer | 0.13 CHF/km |
Depreciation is massive if computed with the official swiss list price at time of purchase, in February 2008. Our Prius did, in fact, cost only 30915 CHF (19240€ at the day’s exchange rate), thanks to the weakness of the US dollar and the favorable sticker price on the US market. The value of the Prius on the swiss used car market is depressed, perhaps a reflection of unwarranted skepticism on reliability and complexity, which makes it an excellent bargain for a used car buyer. Fixed costs rank second in the total budget, just ahead of tires and maintenance. If computed on the basis of the real purchase price, cost per kilometer comes out at a more reasonable 57.3 cents. The first service in the US was free, and servicing in the swiss official network seem rather expensive due to labor rate. The car has had strictly no breakdown or issue of any kind.
Facing competition
| Toyota Prius II | Honda Civic Hybrid | VW Golf V Blue Motion | |
| Thermal engine | L4-1497 cm3 16V Atkinson | L4-1339 cm3 8V | L4-1900 cm3 turbodiesel |
| Electric engine | Synchrone à aimants permanents | N.C. | – |
| Power (hp / rpm) | 78+37ch* | 95+20ch* | 105 / 4000 |
| Torque (Nm / rpm) | 115 + 400 Nm | 123 + 103 Nm | 250 / 1900 |
| Transmission | AV | AV | AV |
| Gearbox | Pseudo-CVT | CVT | BVM 5 |
| PWR (kg/ch) | 12.08 | (11.51) | 13.47 |
| DIN weight (mfr.) | 1354 (1329) 59% AV / 41% AR | (1324) | (1415) |
| 0-100 km/h (sec.) | 10.9 | 12.1 | 11.3 |
| Top speed (km/h) | 170 | 185 | 187 |
| Gas mileage (constr.) | 5.43 (4.3) | (4.6) | (4.3) |
| Tank (l) | 45L | 50L | 55L |
| CO2 Emissions (g/km) | 104 | 109 | 146 |
| Length (mm) | 4445 | 4545 | 4204 |
| Width (mm) | 1725 | 1750 | 1759 |
| Height (mm) | 1490 | 1430 | 1485 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2700 | 2700 | 2578 |
| Trunk (L) | 408 / 1210 | 350 | 305 / 1305 |
| Tires | 195/55/16 | 185/65/15 | 195/65/15 |
| Base price (CHF) | 39’770 | 35’900 | 31’460 |
| Base price (EUR) | 25’950 | 24’250 | 21’350 |
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