Buying the Prius as an Advertisement of One's Political Correctness

“I like that people stop and ask me how I like my car.”

Source of graphs: online version of the NYT article cited below. A riddle: Why has the Toyota Prius enjoyed such success, with sales of more than 400,000 in the United States, when most other hybrid models ... via Artdiamondblog.com

[unlazyamerican]

no - it is simply a fashion statement of smugness. If many Americans would switch to manual transmissions instead, it would resolve two problems: mild exercise and increased gas mileage, without the high egos and cost of ownership.

[Lola]

I bought my Prius $21,000, stripped, in 2004. I put a lot of miles on it in travel,each week, to work and visiting the kids, out of state. (54,000 odm) I knew gas prices were only gonna go up, up ,up, even in 2004. I also get paid for mileage from my work. The hatchback is convenient for carrying my test materials for work and luggage for trips...easy to get in and out. I service it every 5000 miles and run 500 on a tank of gas, which is running less than $25 a fill up, right now. That is neither an ego trip nor smugness. It is intelligence. It is a fun car to drive, practical, and fits my life/work style. I am not going back to manual, thank you, nor without air conditioning, either. I don't need to. I own a dependable, fuel efficient, roomy hybrid, with a great service schedule. I will trade it in on one that gets 100 mpg, when they come out. The trade in value is phenomenial, by the way. I don't have to second guess other peoples' opinions. I am a happy owner.

[Happy]

Great info....I like hearing from actual owners.

[rouity]

Sure people buy em for practical reasonsi would too if i thought it was needed.But there is the crowd of Hummer haters,you should se the literal hatred.(odd becuase there are millions of SUV's on the road other than hummers wich are just as or more expensive to drive with as bad or worse mileage).
Trust me these people drive a Prius or desiree too because it is a socio-political-religous expresion.And in their eyes you are much less of a moral person if you don't.