2009 Toyota Prius (Hybrid)
If you are in the position of having to buy a new car, you might want to consider my recent dilemma. I need to purchase a good-looking economy car to commute to the school where I teach. The choice comes between a.) The Toyota Prius, 2009 and b.) The Honda Civic, 2009. Which one to purchase? They both seem so “reasonable.”
The Toyota-Honda rivalry is a classic one. It is made all the more interesting by these trying economic times, with the stock market and gas prices so volatile. I have to really concentrate on the features of each car, as well as the price.
The Prius calls to me strongly. It is super fuel efficient, has extra low emissions, and has a cutting-edge look to it. Package 5 also comes with a built-in GPS navigator (which I love) and a hefty hatch (which is perfect for putting lots of groceries, teaching supplies, or even furniture purchases.) Every Prius owner with whom I’ve spoken loves their car. The Prius is also hard to steal. It has keyless entry and advanced anti-theft features.
With gas prices so low right now, Toyota dealers are slashing their prices. If you’re savy, you can leave with a total purchase price of about $28,500, after registration and taxes.
But the Prius does have some drawbacks. For one, the large hatch makes it hard to see what’s behind you, even with the built-in camera. The car does look cutting-edge now, but it’s still kind of geeky. Ten years from now it might even appear laughable, like some kind of jalopy. In the same way that Model Ts look alike, Priuses look alike. Last, 28K is a large chunk of change. You’re not exactly getting a luxury car here.
So, enter the Honda Civic, 2009. It too is fuel-efficient, with a maximum highway mpg of 36. It doesn’t touch the Prius, but it’s still very respectable. The car handles much better than the Prius, with sporty turning and crisp breaking. You don’t feel as if you’re riding inside an iMac computer. The Civic is extremely well-constructed, with solid materials and heavy doors that make you think of much higher-priced luxury cars. The Civic also sells for about 10K LESS than the Prius. That’s a pretty significant difference.
2009 Honda Civic
As the weeks of our economic nightmare drag on, I have seen two friends outside of my field lose their jobs. Next year, my school is cutting positions, and my head might just be on the chopping block. Considering this rather unpleasant metaphor, the issue of price started looming before me. It went something like this:
“It will take me 8 years of driving for the fuel savings on the Prius to make up for the low price of the Civic. If I lose my job, those 8 years are gonna seem like an eternity. I’m going to be strapped for cash now, not 8 revolutions around the sun from now. I better buy the Civic.”
There you are, my dilemma solved. I’m one of those worst-case scenario people, and the worst case has an ugly way of rearing up.
That’s my analysis. If your job is uncertain, you might want to take my route. If you’ve got the cash and the secure job, the Prius is probably the better choice.
--Ward
