Surprise: Prius Makes A Statement About Buyer
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07. 4.07
Perhaps all those real environmentalists are right; the polls show that even those most obvious environmental consumers, the Prius drivers, are buying them for the wrong reasons, not to save the world but to make a statement. According to the New York Times:
“I really want people to know that I care about the environment,” said Joy Feasley of Philadelphia, owner of a green 2006 Prius. “I like that people stop and ask me how I like my car.” Mary Gatch of Charleston, S.C., chose the car over a hybrid version of the Toyota Camry after trading in a Lexus sedan. “I felt like the Camry Hybrid was too subtle for the message I wanted to put out there,” Ms. Gatch said. “I wanted to have the biggest impact that I could, and the Prius puts out a clearer message.”
Competitors have had little luck matching the cache of the Prius with Civic hybrids or Ford Escapes; even Toyota is having trouble with the hybrid Camry. Evidently when it comes to hybrids, "if you've got it, flaunt it." ::New York Times
I think this is a fine thing. People buy giant SUVs because they want to make a statement about who they are too. Why not instead of decrying this tendency, exploit it? Make the next gen hybrids even MORE obviously futuristic and statement-making. Don't just put hybrid engines in normal cars. Make driving a hybrid a personal image thing and make it trendy and sexy and cool, which is what is happening with the Prius, and it helps the environment. Make it look like bland boringness, or tell people they shouldn't be driving at all, and there won't be a lot of uptake. I'll take mindless trendoids jumping on the bandwagon if it means environmental progress.
"real" environmentalists should LEARN from this rather than pooh-poohing it. Humans do things for stupid reasons like keeping up with the Jonses. If you want them to "do the right thing," make "the right thing" what "everyone wants to do" and then people will do it just to show everyone else they're normal and good.
Isn't that what Treehugger is all about? Making green stylish?
Now get to work on making "not owning a car" even better than "owning a hybrid."
CNW huh? that is so close to "Center for the New West" thats one of Exxons many think tank companies. if they are not associated i wouldnt operate under a name that doesnt closely match this type of stink when they are posting on green topics.
i assume they are not linked as i cant make solid link. but CNW are not the three letters you want to be using in this field.
LA: It does not appear to be the same organization. This one says the initials stand for "Coastal NorthWest" where they live.
It's always seemed obvious to me that Toyota should capitalise on what it's achieved with the Prius name by creating a whole brand from it, just like Lexus. Then they could produce a proper range of hybrids rather than just a few spot models which don't catch the public's imagination very well.
Just one additional point - should we deduce that "To save our environment" just wasn't one of the questions? If that's the case then those people who would have given that answer will have been spread between the second, third and fifth scoring questions in the list, distorting the results.
Was this from the same New York Times poll where they stated that they wanted ONLY to hear from people who bought a Prius to make a statement? Remember, the Times did NOT want to hear from people who bought one because they were worried about gas prices or wanted to modify it for plug in and uninteruptable power supply purposes or who just thought it was good value for the money like my 82 year old dad (USMC 1943-1945, Republican, has hated Detroit iron since 1973 when the tailgate of our 1970 Ford Torino station wagon rusted out, doesn't give damn what people think of him etc.).
The Times skewed the results right from the beginning.
There's nothing wrong with making a statement.
If you think something is right (f.ex. using less fuel), which should you hide it?
The statement thing all sounds cool until you actually get to drive one; then you realize that it's just a better car all around. My sister's Prius is smoother, quieter, and more roomy than my mother's Volvo S-40.
It's just a better ride than anything comparable in size or cost. Now with service and fuel records for Prii used as taxicabs we know that a Prius will cost less to run and be more reliable than any comparably sized or priced car.
Image? A Prius says..."I'm smarter than the average bear."
Perhaps I missed the point. What's wrong with making a statement?
I drive a Prius because I try to be as responsible as I can be, being a driver. That fact aside, all the reasons; emissions, mileage, etc, are all great reasons to choose a Prius.
I hear people say "a vegetarian in a Hummer is better than a meateater in a Prius" I'm a vegetarian but you can't tell by looking at me. So there is some truth to the article.
Oh and Hummers are nasty.
I get that they are making a point.But i drive a jeep wrangler.It is smaller-4wd and most of all can take a use/abuse.Which no 4wd or all wheel drive can.Their is no hybrid option in the working class price or capability wise.As of yet.Do not mention the ford escape.I broke the steering knuckle after a month.At the same time.The passenger side ifs blew.
Sure, I bought my first Prius because it makes a statement about me: I need a car, and this is the best solution I see.
Proud owner of the first Prius purchased in Nebraska.