<p>We bought a Yaris about 18 mo. ago and love it. The mileage is great and we mostly use it for distance driving, so the hybrid is not as advantageous. H did the calculation and figured we’d have to keep the car of 7-8 years (which we intend to do) before the gas savings compensated for the increased cost. Of course, that was before recent gas price increases! Also they didn’t have any Prius in stock and we wanted to drive off with the car. Also got 0% financing–no brainer. The Yaris is just about as big inside as our 2002 Corolla and our 6 ft son says the back seat is even roomier. Trunk is small but quite deep.</p>
<p>I read that the major car companies in Japan are shutting down production so that they can assess damage, check on the condition of their employees, and check their supply chains so we could see shortages of Japanese cars that are built in Japan for a while.</p>
<p>Hmmm… make sure your D really needs a car at college. Many students don’t, and often it is a hassle.</p>
<p>The only complaint I’ve heard about Prius (other than cost) is bad handling in the snow. This comment is from somebody who has to climb some pretty big hills to get home. He has to leave work early when snow is coming. The tires are made to be very light, so perhaps replacement tires could help things.</p>
<p>you got her that car cause you thought insurance was high for her in the first place, wait till you get an insurance quote on a new prius. it’ll probably be through the roof. </p>
<p>Can your husband find the parts at a junk yard or cheap online and have somebody install them if he doesn’t know how? That’s what my family tends to do when they need a part like that.</p>
<p>I’m glad I had my car in college. Some schools you may not need them but in most places they are nice to have. That being said, my sister and I always purchased our own cars and paid our own bills. Having my car in college allowed me to go grocery shopping, go to work, etc. How was I supposed to work without my car? Plus it allowed me to come home and visit on weekends without having to inconvenience my parents (i was 2 hrs away.) I bought a “new” used car during my senior year and I still have it now. It’s 9 years old and currently has 125k miles on it and still going strong. I paid it off in less then two years so it’s nice to have no payments!</p>
<p>We just replaced a 11 yo Subaru Outback with a 2011 Prius and the difference in insurance is only around $200 more per year. Of course, insurance cost is all regional so YMMV. Prius is a nice car but seriously, in its eco mode, it’s a slug on the road! Yesterday, I took it for a drive for the first time and at the red light, it took forever to get going from a complete stop. The jerk behind me swerved around to get in front of me and gave me a dirty look in the process. I told my H I won’t get any speeding ticket but will be responsible for lots of road rage if I don’t adjust my driving habit. My D’s friend actually preferred her Hyundai Elentra over the family Prius, claiming that it’s underpowered. Hmm, maybe ALL teenagers are required to drive Prius instead …</p>
<p>My Prius is an '05 and I don’t know anything about ECO mode. I didn’t find the car to be sluggish - after a period of adjustment and I didn’t expect to gun off from a stop. That is where you really lose your gas mileage numbers. My D went from a sporty Mazda 3 to the Prius and complained at first but now she doesn’t want to give up the Prius. She drives on the interstate a lot on trips home and doesn’t feel like she’s at any disadvantage with merging, etc. She likes challenging herself with the gas mileage. I consistently get about 52 mpg highway and closer to 60 around town. I replaced the OEM tires with better ones that were not low rolling resistance tires so I lost a couple MPGs.</p>
<p>200 a year more for an adult is probably equivalent to like 600 a year more for a teenager. although maybe not if she has a convertible right now…</p>