Car Tech: Super-green Toyota Prius parks itself

AnonymousMon 12 November, 2007 7:41pm

Remove park assist option it is useless for anyone with normal motor skills.
This Prius gets the same gas mileage as Diesel Golf, that is probably true. The reason I like Prius is becasue it's infinitely more reliable than any modern Golf .

AnonymousTue 13 November, 2007 10:00am

True, the auto parking feature is useless if you're actually able to drive. And it probably takes too long to activate and execute with a long line of traffic waiting for you to get out of the way.

But imagine the kudos you get from your mates for having a car that parks itself?

AnonymousTue 13 November, 2007 7:28pm

Rory awesome article. The toyota hybrid totally rock. But I think it is priced out of the common man price range. Compare to Ford et al

AnonymousTue 13 November, 2007 7:32pm

Hey Rory, we had a good laugh here. Is Honda paying you for this? Actually the prius happens to be Toyota's most heralded car. My customers tell me they have been getting between 45 to 55 miles to the gallon. The other benefits celebrated are 1) the prius requires much less maintenance & 2) the resale or trade value is incredible high.Besides that a hybrid can be tuned for performance or gas mileage. We already know for which the prius was tuned. Nice work.

AnonymousTue 13 November, 2007 7:38pm

Hey rory, great article if only it was not so biased. Shouldn't you at least compare it to similar cars in its category? okay so it can park itself, but take away that component and its just another overpriced hybrid. give me my SUV anytime

AnonymousTue 13 November, 2007 7:43pm

Absolutely brillant. Is this going to become a regular feature of CNET? it would be a shame if it was not. I am looking forward to the next installment.

AnonymousWed 14 November, 2007 3:48pm

Of course Honda isn't paying me :)
I don't think the video was biased at all. I did compare it to similar cars: The Volkswagen Golf offers similar fuel economy for less money. I could have compared it to other hybrids, yes, but i think most people want to know how this particular hybrid compares to 99.9% of 'normal' cars on the road.

AnonymousWed 14 November, 2007 5:13pm

Hey Rory.pretty nice presentation on the prius. we look forward to more car tech.
great job!

AnonymousWed 14 November, 2007 5:52pm

Hey Rory, Question. Whats your definition of a normal car? A Volkswagon Golf? Get real. Shows that you Brits are still one step behind your American counterparts when it comes to knowledge of GREAT RIDES. No wonder we kicked your ass and dumped your tea in the Charles river. You want to know a good hybrid? check out the Ford Escape. "That is the BIG DOG DADDY of Hybrids" and also a KICKASS ride. Hey but you are Brit so we ford lovers won't hold it against you.

AnonymousThu 15 November, 2007 5:06pm

I'd say a Golf is a more "normal" car than a hybrid SUV -- certainly in the UK where I'm from. As for the comment that us Brits are one step behind our US counterparts: HA! British and European cars are consistently better than US cars. No question. Most of the US cars I've driven handle like newborn donkeys, and god forbid you ever try to go round a corner at speed. It actually pains me to say it because my favourite car is a Chevy Corvette.

Name any American car and I'll point you to a better European model. I've got to give it to the yanks though -- they make great SUVs. Shame they can't fit on our roads... I'd love to drive an enormous barn on wheels that only gets 2MPG. Keep that up. It's sensible, seriously.

I'm off to drink some tea, good day.

AnonymousThu 15 November, 2007 7:11pm

Rory, I am a soccer mom and I own a SUV for safety and reliability. I will take our Barn on wheels over your European death traps or Toyotas cheap imports anytime. Check out our safety records or better yet test drive a SUV. You are prejudiced by your obvious ignorance. Ditch the tea its so overrated and last century. OOps I forgot you guys still think you have an Empire and still rule the world.

AnonymousFri 16 November, 2007 7:26pm

Are all soccer moms failed lobotomy patients? Is that why they don't have real jobs?

AnonymousSun 18 November, 2007 11:37pm

To soccer mom, the bad car sales man, hybrid escapee, get a grip mates. You have lost the plot. It is only a review, Its suppose to evoke intelligent discussion not bleeding patriotic rhetorics? Will some one from CNET please set the record straight Hybrids are not real cars they are prototype from the movie Back to the future.
They are not real are they?

AnonymousMon 19 November, 2007 3:05pm

Voice of reason, of course it is not real. A car cannot park itself idiot. Even the car sales man did not admit it. If that was so he would be falling over himself to sell that option. If we cannot find a cure for cancer, with the most brilliant scientist in the world working on it. How would they invent the technology to design a cark that park it self.

AnonymousMon 19 November, 2007 3:25pm

Guys, read the article again. Specifically the last five words of the second paragraph. Picard was captain of the Star ship enterprise. This was a movie. They were not really in outer space. This is a clue that Rory is just using gimmicks to add spice to his article.

AnonymousTue 20 November, 2007 12:42am

Rory, a new born donkey, barn on wheels I am laughing my*** off. You've really pissed the yanks off. Great review. Keep up the good work mate.

AnonymousTue 4 December, 2007 2:54am

£17777 for a T Spirit Prius? - I don't think so! £18500 minimum, even shopping around. RRP £20677.

AnonymousTue 4 December, 2007 2:40pm

Americans in self-love fest shocker!

I can barely believe it!

Soccer mum's hilarious tea tipping comments would hammer home a little more if we cared about America. If truth be told I think about our fallen 'empire' once a......... oh no wait I dont give a crap.

Rory great article, the prius looks quite good in its styling if you ask me but then again I am a dad post midlife crisis :)

AnonymousTue 4 December, 2007 7:03pm

Gimme a break! how dare you criticize Soccer moms. We are the backbone of the American car industry. Yes it is proven that our SUV's are the best thing to happen to the transport industry. Dont knock them until you have driven one. Rory Why dont you put your mouth where your review is? Go ahead and test drive one. Then deny that they are the best.

AnonymousTue 4 December, 2007 7:21pm

It's a sad state of affairs when you Brits decide to snub american cars. Gawd dudes is this pay back for us tipping your tea

AnonymousThu 6 December, 2007 10:12am

Soccer mom 2: I have driven several SUVs. Apart from the ridiculously low gas mileage, expensive insurance, numerous blind spots, circus car handling, and the potential to roll over in corners and kill everyone, they're AMAZING! you're right!

AnonymousThu 6 December, 2007 5:22pm

You need to check into review rehab dude, its the cheaply, unsafely unreliable foreign made SUVs that roll over not American SUVs own it.

AnonymousTue 15 April, 2008 4:45am

To all the Yanks, see the docu "Who killed Electric Car" made by your fellow yanks.. See for yourself where your Car (more like Trucks!!) industry has taken your country and the global environment.. and See how the Japanese overtook Americans in developing Hybrids, when probably your GM's were building world conquerers for US Rambo's..

Soccer mom, are you driving around in Iraq, that you need safety of an armoured vehicle?

suzanTue 8 July, 2008 11:46am

Read the article again.Specifically the last five words of the second paragraph.Ricard was captain of the Star ship enterprise. This was a movie. They were not really in outer space. This is a clue that Rory is just using gimmicks to add spice to his article

AnonymousWed 9 July, 2008 10:07pm

hi, nice review except you failed to test the prius acceleration against let's say a Golf TDI 140 just to see that it is quite the same...
Also the golf is not in the same category than the prius, the Passat is.

AnonymousWed 9 July, 2008 10:22pm

OK kids, time to get serious here. We are not on the Starship Enterprise, Capt Picard is retired, and here we are on Mother Earth. I am an owner of a Touring Prius (heh, heh) and agree with most of this review. My car does not have the auto parking feature so who knows? But what I do disagree with is the comment on acceleration. My US model will not snap your neck, but it will accelerate at a very good clip. It's noisy while doing so, but, hey, it wasn't made for racing. I cruise our interstates at between 129 and 145 kph and get 40 mpg whilst doing so. I'm a happy camper.

AnonymousWed 9 July, 2008 10:59pm

First of all the person in the video doesn't understand that the reason the gas engine is kicking in so soon is because he has a heavy foot on the accelerator. if you slowly push it down the electric motor will do most of the work. Secondly, if you compare the prius to a class of cars you really should compare it to a bmw 3 series or mercedes c class, or even an audi a4. that is the segment it is going after. even if you compare it to a cheaper golf or something you are still getting better mpg, and far less emissions. But its features are meant to appeal to someone who wants luxury items without the price tag, AND better for the environment.

And the car isnt really that slow, you just have to know how to properly use both motors to give you the torque needed

AnonymousMon 14 July, 2008 1:56pm

Hey everybody, evil American here...

I just stumbled across this video "review" and found it interesting. Consequently, I figured that I might check the comments list.

What I can't believe is that so many people (presumptively from the UK) have fallen prey to the obvious baiting being done by the person who is posing as an American, or perhaps multiple Americans, here. It's pretty clear that aren't made in sincerity outside of thier being conceived as a mere device to try and "stir the pot", if you will.

Settle down, chaps. Methinks you're being a bit hyperreactive here.

Considering gasoline prices, I'd have to say that the Hybrid is the car of the immediate future, and will function as a bridge to automobiles powered by other means.