Prius-C at Theatricum Botanicum

 We rolled into Oysterville about dinnertime last night with 2,650.9 more miles on our new Prius-C than when we had started a week ago.  We had been to Los Angeles with a side trip (really, two side trips) to Healdsburg and back, arriving home with well over twice as many miles on the car as when we had begun.  The new total: 4,190.

The dealer’s estimate when we bought the car in August was that we’d have 5,000 miles on it by January and we’d be ready for our first maintenance appointment.  They scheduled us for January 7^th.  What were they thinking?!  Especially after oohing and aahing that we had racked up 255,000+ miles on our trade-in P.T. Cruiser in just eleven years.

We loved the Cruiser and would have replaced it in a Nano-second had Chrysler not inexplicably stopped making them.  Failing a Cruiser, we decided to ‘go green’ this time and, although we are still convinced that it was the responsible thing to do, we are not at all enamored with this new car.  The only plus (yes, only) is that it requires less gas.  In all other ways, at least so far, it does not hold a candle (or in this case maybe a torque wrench) to the Cruiser.

Prius-C Control Panel

First and foremost it has an automatic transmission which neither Nyel nor I like.  “You’ll learn to love it,” said many of our friends – some of whom have only driven a manual transmission once or twice in their lives.  So far, we haven’t grown to love or even like it.  In fact, we’ve made a ‘rule’ not to talk about it at all – too many sentences were beginning with “I hate this stupid…”

Secondly – or maybe it’s a part of “first and foremost” – is the noise factor.  When the car is going uphill (and there was a lot of that on this trip) it goes into ROAR mode.  I’m sure it has to do with the automatic transmission and the car’s decision to be on gas-only when doing any serious climbing, but we’ve not yet gotten over the feeling that we were launching into outer space.

I think it’s part of what many people said about how “zippy” the Prius is on hills.  NOT!  It manages them just fine, but it lets you know that it is a big struggle.  A simple, quiet downshift was all the Cruiser needed and she never complained about it.  Thank goodness we don’t have that to contend with on a daily basis on our flat Peninsula!

Then there’s the whole comfort question.  Granted, the ‘C’ is a smaller version of the regukar Prius and it is smaller than the Cruiser.  The sacrifices have been made in the storage/stowage areas – smaller trunk and glove compartment, less ‘elbow room’ for passengers and driver, cup holders annoyingly in the way, and on and on.

Charlie as Starveling

Finally, there are some curiosities – front seats that can be warmed up, yet the driver’s seat will only adjust for short vs. long legs by being manually pumped (and pumped and pumped) up or down.  The outside temperature is only shown on one of the spiffy computerized screens and has to be hunted for and the directional feature is unavailable expect on one of the map view choices. And, our jury is definitely out as to the benefits of the navigation system.

No doubt I’m leaving out some of our observations.  We spent a good many hours and miles in the car and, among the things that we wondered about was whether we had made a mistake in not getting the regular-sized Prius.  But then I would have had to save my shekels for even longer and would have missed seeing son Charlie in three plays in this year’s Theatricum Botanicum season.  So, all-in-all, I think the trade-offs were worth it.  But, I’ve begun saving for an upgrade…

P.S.  What I neglected to say is that we averaged 47.8 miles per gallon during the trip.  Not a bit shabby and probably balances the negatives when all is said and done.