Thread: Review of the 2012 Toyota Prius C

The Toyota Prius has been quite successful despite the fact that it’s downright hideous. Regardless of this one fact, the engineers at Toyota have been trying to improve its looks every year and this year they may have been successful. We had the chance to review the smaller 2012 Toyota Prius C and here are our thoughts. This Prius uses the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, which, consists of a small four-cylinder gas engine running on the Atkinson cycle, an electric motor, a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, and a continuously variable transaxle.



Instead of the usual 1.8-liter four cylinder that we’re used to seeing in the Prius’s, the C has a 1.5-liter four cylinder and its battery pack now consist of 120 cells versus the usual 168 in order to get rid of 25 pounds. The Prius has a CVT transaxle that also contains the electric motor and is cooled by its own transmission fluid rather than by water, meaning it does not need a radiator.



The 2012 Toyota Prius C is about 500 pounds lighter than the standard Prius but it gets about the same gas mileage of 50 mpg despite being smaller. The annual fuel cost will run you about $1,100, which means you will be spending about $92 a month or $23 a week in gas, which is one of the biggest reason we would choose to buy this hybrid car.



The interior of the Prius C felt pretty roomy even though it’s the compact version of the standard Prius and the interior overall was pretty nice. This car starts as low as $23,230. If you’re looking for something relatively cheap to cruise around town with that won’t cost you much money on gas, than this Prius is the one for you.

By Tabitha Baez


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This car is supposedly selling faster than the original Prius. Toyota is doing something right in leveraging a model to build a family of cars.

The appeal of the Prius C is all about cheap entry point for a Hybrid. It's basically priced the same as an Insight but offers better MPG.

I have not driven this. But I did drive the Insight when it was launched. The tires skidded with mild braking at 40 mph. I would be concerned about safety of cheap hybrids. Safety still comes first no matter if I am driving an exotic or economy.

I would like to set up all the Prius' in a line and then set them all on fire.. That's how I feel about the Prius

Originally Posted by VR1

I would like to set up all the Prius' in a line and then set them all on fire.. That's how I feel about the Prius

^^^ I second that.

As a car it sucks. But as a product it's genius. The car is unique, when you think hybrid you think prius so most people buy it to show off and be smug.

Think The Main Reason People Buy The Prius Is For It's Gas Mileage? Think Again. 'ECO' Car Or An 'EGO' Car? - AutoSpies Auto News

Why Do People Buy Hybrid Cars? : TreeHugger

Originally Posted by DarkVoid

^^^ I second that.

As a car it sucks. But from a business perspective it's genius. The car is unique, when you think hybrid you think prius so most people buy it to show off and be smug.

Think The Main Reason People Buy The Prius Is For It's Gas Mileage? Think Again. 'ECO' Car Or An 'EGO' Car? - AutoSpies Auto News

Why Do People Buy Hybrid Cars? : TreeHugger

Are you serious? Prius, as successful as it is, yields a very low margin per car. How does that make it as a successful busines? It's a successful product, but not so much as a business. This is why most manufacturers never bothered with hybrid or electric cars.

The Prius is actually a nice car on the inside. Great car for the non-enthusiasts or as a commuter.

I think everyone on the 4 can agree that all Priuses need to be burned

Originally Posted by djantlive

Are you serious? Prius, as successful as it is, yields a very low margin per car. How does that make it as a successful busines? It's a successful product, but not so much as a business. This is why most manufacturers never bothered with hybrid or electric cars.

The Prius is actually a nice car on the inside. Great car for the non-enthusiasts or as a commuter.

Yeah product does make more sense. As for the non-enthusiast they should just buy smaller engines or diesels.
And I agree 100% with Imola e39's statement that they need to be burned.

I don't get all the hate towards it ? Personally, I wouldn't buy one. But I think it does it's job well as a low-mpg hybrid car. And while it doesn't really make sense financially to buy one even though you save on gas, it does help the planet a little bit I guess! Between you and me, I'd rather see a non-enthusiast, or anyone who doesn't give a crap about cars, drive a Prius rather than a Suburban. Most of the time, they drive like shit (soccer moms etc.), so it's much safer in the end for us enthusiasts !

Originally Posted by fivehundred

I don't get all the hate towards it ? Personally, I wouldn't buy one. But I think it does it's job well as a low-mpg hybrid car. And while it doesn't really make sense financially to buy one even though you save on gas, it does help the planet a little bit I guess! Between you and me, I'd rather see a non-enthusiast, or anyone who doesn't give a crap about cars, drive a Prius rather than a Suburban. Most of the time, they drive like shit (soccer moms etc.), so it's much safer in the end for us enthusiasts !

All of the chemicals that they use in the battery comletely destroys the "enviromentally friendly" aspect of it. Almost every Prius Pusher I encounter seems to drive with a stick up their a$$ as well. Just because you bought that POS to "save the enviorment" doesnt mean I have to do the same so stop complaining about my car and SUCK MY V8 >=D

That battery acid destroys earth is a myth. Batteries are always properly recycled. Just like your engine oil and other other chemicals. No one is going to throw a used hybrid battery into landfill. And if you think chemical is harmful to environment, you haven't seen a factory. There is much more there.

The reduction on oil use far outweights the battery issue from financial and environmental points.