Thread: Toyota Prius vs Jeep Patriot fuel consumption

A recent episode of Top Gear compared the Prius and a BMW M3.

It won't surprise anyone who is a TG fan that they managed to create a test where the M3 used less fuel than the Prius. They just drove the Prius flat out round the track.

It was good entertainment, but did actually make a serious point at the end.


If you ever wanted proof that Americans either have no sense of humour at all or else they just don't get British humour, have a look at this article.

Why Top Gear got it ALL WRONG in 'Prius vs. BMW M3' : TreeHugger

They complain that the test was unfair. Well duhh!

yeah i saw that one too. I found this more interesting coz it's a "real world" situation, and the prius still came out second best.

Components that have been added for fuel economy

isn't it strange that with the progress of computer add-ons ... Extra engineering breakthrough technology ... plus the 40 years difference between a 1968 Mini and a Prius

Now what was the fuel economy of a Mini???

So in other words, I would be better off going back to a 120Y than a Prius if it was fuel consumption I was concerned about.

Consistant 45 to 50Mpg out of the 120y driving the wheels off the thing.










As much as you can drive the wheels off a 120y


The coupe wasnt as good, twin webbers and a cam in a 1400 meant that I could only achieve 40Mpg on a long trip and 30 odd driving it like hell

Originally Posted by mcrover

So in other words, I would be better off going back to a 120Y than a Prius if it was fuel consumption I was concerned about.

Consistant 45 to 50Mpg out of the 120y driving the wheels off the thing.

As much as you can drive the wheels off a 120y


The coupe wasnt as good, twin webbers and a cam in a 1400 meant that I could only achieve 40Mpg on a long trip and 30 odd driving it like hell

The Prius is ALL ABOUT FUEL ECONOMY and as you just mentioned the fuel numbers from 36 years ago
You can now see how conned we all are in their "acheivements"

The 120Y ... I remember them ... Sit in the front seat to drive and your head was looking out through the rear door window to see whats coming left & right

Yep .. they were big on space but were great to carve up & slip in a chevy motor

Hang on ... Have a look at how Datsun 120 should really go like
YouTube - v8 datsun 120y burnout

Now theres progress!!!

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

The Prius is ALL ABOUT FUEL ECONOMY and as you just mentioned the fuel numbers from 36 years ago
You can now see how conned we all are in their "acheivements"

The 120Y ... I remember them ... Sit in the front seat to drive and your head was looking out through the rear door window to see whats coming left & right

Yep .. they were big on space but were great to carve up & slip in a chevy motor

Hang on ... Have a look at how Datsun 120 should really go like
YouTube - v8 datsun 120y burnout

Now theres progress!!!

My Coupe could pull a good burn out.....and it had a tiny little 1400cc engine......and weighed 700kgs


The Prius would be much better if you could charge it up from the mains grid over night rather than relying on the engine to charge the battery bank.

The problem I see with Hybrids is the "you dont get nothing for nothing" principle.

You will always make less energy through driving a car and charging a battery bank than if you were driving the car alone.

On top of that, the extra weight and load from the electronics, the engine is working relatively hard all the time.

MCROVER

I actually don't think that manufacturers / want to / are doing the right thing

You've seen the Full electrics being made via Porsche (Arnold Schwarzenegger drives one) plus that documentary on "Who killed the electric car" where GMC tested about 150 on the public then crushed the lot

I think that there real main issue is that they can't bear to remove the dependence of the internal combustion engine

To do that: then this would be the demise of the entire Auto mechanical market
Mechanics , service stations , Auto parts , manufacturers , Aftermarket companies etc would all be unemployed /// Global!!

The only industry that would survive is the electronics industry and to be a Auto spark would be in a very commanding position

If you noticed, GM is on the verge of bankruptcy due to there shortsightedness of the changing market

THE technology IS there .... They just don't want the Electric company to be the energy source

Enjoy the full force of the mighty V8 while you can

My thought's anyway

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

MCROVER

I actually don't think that manufacturers / want to / are doing the right thing

You've seen the Full electrics being made via Porsche (Arnold Schwarzenegger drives one) plus that documentary on "Who killed the electric car" where GMC tested about 150 on the public then crushed the lot

I think that there real main issue is that they can't bear to remove the dependence of the internal combustion engine

To do that: then this would be the demise of the entire Auto mechanical market
Mechanics , service stations , Auto parts , manufacturers , Aftermarket companies etc would all be unemployed /// Global!!
The only industry that would survive is the electronics industry and to be a Auto spark would be in a very commanding position

If you noticed, GM is on the verge of bankruptcy due to there shortsightedness of the changing market

THE technology IS there .... They just don't want the Electric company to be the energy source


My thought's anyway

The rest I pretty much agree with but what I have highlighted in red wouldnt be true.

Cars have a lot more parts on them than just engines and gearboxes and a car cant be a car without wheels brakes and suspention.

Im a mechanic on a golf course, I have had electric greens mowers that can operate on heavy load for 5hrs before needing a recharge and golf carts that can drive stop start for 8hrs before a recharge so the technology has been around for a lot longer than people realise.

Electric forklifts and other transport and maintenance machinery have been around for decades and the only real changes have been in the control systems have gone from relays and variable resistors then to solid state electronics to computer controled.

The parts suppliers etc wont be halmed other than the oil companies as they wont sell as much fuel and engine oil but companies that make engines and engine parts may have to look at making something else.

As far as mechainics go, it is just looking at it from a different way, you send the rewinding jobs to the Auto sparky and you replace brushes your self, you buy the testing tools and do a bit of learning.

Even saying all this..........I hate electronics on 4wds so as far as Im concerned.......I will still have my Disco but for the second car, I would do an electric conversion on the carolla......If there was one available