YOU miss the whole big thread and _we're_ being a.ses?  Do a Google
Groups search.

We're not talking about luxury, we're talking about size.  The Prius is
specified a midsize car, not a subcompact or compact.

Well, no.  What are you basing that on?  The passenger compartment of
the Prius is about the size of a Camry, and when I bought my 2004 Prius
it cost almost exactly the same as a comparably equipped Camry.  The
ones you've listed are all smaller.

No, if it were not for its hybrid portion, it's in line with the Camry
and the Accord.

Zeek,
After your first ...and second post, your grammar and syntax remained so
screwed up that I wonder that anyone was able to figure out what you were
asking.
Are you trying to say you own a Prius, and wonder why it's so expensive, or
just WHAT?
and if you're trying to ask a question, it might behoove you to speak a
little more politely, and not call the other members of the ng "a.s(!)s" if
you want to hear a polite answer.    Remember, members aren't required to
answer your questions, and for some odd reason, don't respond well to being
called "a.s(!)s".

You may want to get yourself a better newsfeed, then.

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.toyota.prius/browse_frm/thread/6241b10e
bbd59574/5767bff4617086f1#5767bff4617086f1

you might have missed it because you replied to (and changed the
subject) a thread about the 2006-2007 Prius' MP3/CD player, so your
post and all replies may have been seen as in that thread.

Dodge no longer has the Neon, but it was a compact car.  Both the
Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla are also compact cars.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2005_Dodge_Neon.shtml
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2007_Honda_Civic.shtml
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2007_Toyota_Corolla.shtml

The Prius since the 2004 model year has been a midsize car, comparable
to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/Midsize_Cars2007.shtml

seems like a good time to repost the Corolla vs. Prius comparison
again...

Based on an older post:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/2007_Prius/message/8468
and using US figures

2007 Prius:  http://www.toyota.com/prius/specs.html
2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid:  http://www.toyota.com/camry/specs.html
2007 Corolla:  http://www.toyota.com/corolla/specs.html

I'm not quite sure why you are comparing the Prius with the Corolla...
The Prius is a mid-size, and the Corolla is a compact.  A better
comparison is to the Camry.  And the EPA tests are standardized, so
you should use the same tests for comparason (city to city or highway
to highway or combined to combined).

Car     Sum (interior+cargo volume) Diff to Prius
---------------------------------------------
Prius   110.6 (96.2+14.4)       +0.0
Camry   116.4 (101.4+15.0)      +5.8
CamryH  112.0 (101.4+10.6)      +1.4
Corolla 103.9 (90.3+13.6)       -6.7
all listings in cu. ft.

EPA MPG
Car     City    Highway
-----------------------
Prius   60      51
Camry   24      33
CamryH  40      38
Corolla 30      38

150,000 EPA miles, @ $3/gallon:
Prius @ 60MPG (city): 2500 gallons, $7500
Camry @ 24MPG (city): 6250 gallons, $18750, diff +$11250 to Prius
CamryH @ 40MPG (city): 3750 gallons, $11250, diff +$3750 to Prius
Corolla @ 30MPG (city): 5000 gallons, $15000, diff +$7500 to Prius
Prius @ 51MPG (highway): 2941 gallons, $8824
Camry @ 33MPG (highway): 4545 gallons, $13625, $4811 diff to Prius
CamryH @ 38MPG (highway): 3947 gallons, $11842, $3018 diff to Prius
Corolla @ 38MPG (highway): 3947 gallons, $11842, $3018 diff to Prius

But since you are comparing to a Corolla, we should use an accurate
comparison of the Prius and the Corolla, which means comparible
options.  Since the Prius is an automatic (eCVT) v4 engine (MSRP
$22795 including the $620 Delivery, Processing, and Handling fee),
I'll use automatic Corolla LE (v4 engine) (MSRP $16935 with same $620
DPH fee).

Then start adding in options.  It looks like a number are standard
between the Corolla LE and the Prius: Power Windows, Power Door Locks,
Engine Immobilizer, Power Side Mirrors (Prius' is heated too), AC,
Remote Keyless Entry, 6 Speaker AM/FM/CD, Tilt Steering Wheel, and
Dual front airbags.

The Prius also includes ABS with tire pressure monitors, Traction
Control, Cruise Control, side and curtain air bags, a Rear Spoiler
(it's small, but it's there,) and Alloy wheels, which the Corolla LE
doesn't have standard, but available as options.  ABS/tire pressure
monitor/traction control is package AB (MSRP $390), Cruise contol is
only available in the audio  value package VV (MSRP $200) (this will
replace the Corolla's AM/FM/CD with a AM/FM/6 disc CD (same speakers)
so we add $589 for a 6-disc CD changer accessory to the Prius (which
then has a 7- disc CD capacity fyi)).  Rear Spoiler accessory RF for
the Corolla is $425, and Alloy Wheels are package AW (accessory price
$499, package MSRP $390).  The side airbags is package BE (MSRP
$655).  To summarize, 390+200+425+390+655 = $2060 to add to the
Corolla to make it comparable to the Prius, while adding $589 to make
it comparable to the Corolla.

So that's 16935+2060 = $18995 for the Corolla LE w/ the appropriate
options and accessories.  The Prius with the 6-disc changer is
22795+589 = $23384.  The difference in MSRP is $4389 more for the
Prius than the Corolla.

Now, there's also tax incentives for the Prius.  The US Federal Income
tax Hybrid Credit comes into effect, which for the 2007 Prius
purchased now through March 31, 2007 is $1575.
http://www.toyota.com/prius/tax.html
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=157557,00.html

There's also state incentives, depending on where you live (CO gives a
$3,013 credit for a 2007 Prius (see http://www.revenue.state.co.us/fyi/html/income09.html
), for instance), but I'll ignore those state incentives for now since
it's location dependent.
So with the current $1575 Fed income tax credit as stated above, the
price difference drops from $4389 to $2814.

So, if you always drove your car according to the EPA highway test
cycle, and gasoline was a stagnant $3/gallon over the time it takes
you to drive 150,000 miles, and you purchased a vehicle today, and
ignoring sales or excise taxes (based on the vehicle price):  To
purchase the Prius you'd spend $2814 more than on the comparable
Corolla LE, but after 150,000 highway miles you'd spend $3018 more on
the Corolla LE than on the Prius.

So, just comparing similar vehicles MSRP with their expected fuel use,
you'd pay $204 more for the comparable 2007 Corolla LE than for the
2007 Prius.

YMMV with state incentives of course.  Also, for really calculating
ROI on a vehicle (not just purchase price and gasoline cost), you'd
need to calculate the different cost for maintenance, insurance, and
the big one: depreciation, which definitely makes the Prius even more
attractive.

See also:
http://www.intellichoice.com/press/Hybrid-Survey-2006
http://www.intellichoice.com/carBuying101/HypeOverHybrids
http://www.kbb.com/kbb/Advice/GenericContent.aspx?ContentUniqueName=KbbWebConten
t%3a912&linkId=hp_resale_text

Nope.  I've owned Corollas since '84.  Although the Prius looks about the
same size on the outside (I don't have the exact dimensions on hand. but
they look approx. the same to me - just different configuration), it's
bigger on the inside.  I don't know exactly how they did it, but the Prius's
interior is definitely roomier than that of the Corolla.

Cathy

Lots of replies came the first time.

I think the numbers speak for themselves. A hybrid carries a several
thousand dollar premium over the same make and model in standard engine
trim. The Prius hasn't got a standard engine, but you should be able to
follow along. In any case, the premium for the hybrid option takes something
on the order of 200,000 miles to recover in fuel savings.

Bottom line is, you buy hybrid because you want to help wean us from foreign
oil. Your contribution is helpful, but costly. Thanks for your sacrafice.

It just hit me, you want us to email you replies to your quiry. That's not
the way it works. You post here, we reply here. There are people that 1.)
have the same question and hope somebody else asks it, 2.) have an answer
the is flat out wrong, and others jump in and try to help you more and
correct the worng answer at the same time.

You post.
We answer.
You come back and check answers and ask follow up questions.
That's how it works.