Three Aussie cars ruled out of award.....

[Fiesta_Man69]

Originally Posted by Ugg

"Almost identical?"


The Fiesta is 1121kg....and thats being generous assuming an auto transmission...
The Prius is 1565kg........almost as much as a G6

The Fiesta has an ADR81/02 fuel consumption figure of 6.1L/100km
The Prius has an ADR81/02 fuel consumption figure of 3.9L/100km


So the much heavier car that gets 40% better fuel consumption is no good?

Must be something wrong, could it be the Fiesta ain't all that economical?

Why in the hell would anyone buy a Fiesta when the ecoBoost Falcon is almost the same fuel consumption, safer, more room,more power on tap?


I know this is a Ford forum but let's not bury our heads in the sand making up delusional reasons why Ford shouldn't have a hybrid in it's line up.

And that is one of the reasons sales are down, it's all about beeing seen as a relevant manufacturer instead of a dinosaur in denial.

The extra weight in the Prius is mostly down do the batteries (a fear that the hybrid system's weight will ruin the upcoming Porsche 918).

The Fiesta is as economical as its competitors. I regularly get between 5.5-6.5L. Its down to how you drive the car (like that infamous top gear test that proved this, with an M3 being more economical than a Prius when one was driven gently, the other thrashed).

Why would someone buy a Fiesta over a EB Falcon? Really? A Fiesta is a small car. The Falcon is a large car. The Fiesta starts at half the Falcon's price. They appeal to two completely different markets. Need any more?

Perhaps you should just go out and buy that Prius (and join a Toyota forum). Or have we already, and are trying to defend our purchase?

[zilo]

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

The extra weight in the Prius is mostly down do the batteries (a fear that the hybrid system's weight will ruin the upcoming Porsche 918).

LOL...I think I'll go with the Porsche engineers instead of your fears.

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

The Fiesta is as economical as its competitors.

I'll take your word for it, I would never step into a Fiesta or similar sized small car, have attended too many automobile crashes to risk travelling in one.

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

I regularly get between 5.5-6.5L. Its down to how you drive the car (like that infamous top gear test that proved this, with an M3 being more economical than a Prius when one was driven gently, the other thrashed).

Sure... but ..a Prius will always flog a Fiesta in fuel economy, regardless of how either is driven.

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

Why would someone buy a Fiesta over a EB Falcon? Really? A Fiesta is a small car. The Falcon is a large car. The Fiesta starts at half the Falcon's price. They appeal to two completely different markets. Need any more?

The falcon is a safe family car the Fiesta is just a small car with no particular merits in terms of innovation.
Even a drovers dog can make 1100kgs use 6.5L/100km.
Put 6 adults in the Festa (scarey) and you'll weigh as much as the Prius with one.

Originally Posted by Fiesta_Man69

Perhaps you should just go out and buy that Prius (and join a Toyota forum). Or have we already, and are trying to defend our purchase?

Defending your Fiesta purchase isn't doing Ford Australia any long term favours, as I and others have mentioned, the future is electric/hybrid models added in a line up for any car manufacturer that wants to survive.

[Olbucko]

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Didn't realise anybody still read Wheels!

I have been reading it for the last 52 years but now I only read it because they gave me a free Sidchrome socket set for renewing my subscription. I doubt if I will renew next year.

I find this forum far more informative

[Fiesta_Man69]

Ugg - I think you'll find the Fiesta is rated 5 star in ANCAP crash ratings. I think that's pretty decent from memory, but don't take my word for it.

The fear towards the new Porsche is centred around the extra weight and the very little the electric engine will actually do for performance. These fears aren't mine but, apart from other industry insiders, are from Harry Metcalfe - founder of EVO magazine, owener of dozens of supercars and an experienced writer/driver/car tester. But I'm sure you're more qualified.

Yes, a Prius is slightly more economical than a Fiesta. It is also more expensive. How many years of Prius ownership does it take to recoup the difference? I believe compared to the Corolla, the original Prius required an ownership period of over 20 years to recoup the difference before you were ahead. (The batteries have a warranty of 8 years, I believe.. then you pay, big bucks...)

Maybe you would like to break the law and put 6 adults in a 5 seater Fiesta, but's hey, it's your license....

The future isn't electric/hybrids. It's actually hydrogen, the most abundant fuel in the universe..... with a CO2 emission of... just water. There's a truckload of hydrogen pumps in California atm, with more to come.

Enjoy your Prius...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Ugg

Sure... but ..a Prius will always flog a Fiesta in fuel economy, regardless of how either is driven.

You really do like making absolute statements that have no evidence to support them.

A couple of years ago Top Gear (UK) did a comparison of a Prius against a BMW M3 V8 for fuel consumption.

The test consisted of the Prius driving round their track for 10 laps while the BMW just had to follow.

The results were the BMW got 2MPG better than the Prius.

Yes it was a V8 sports saloon not a Fiesta, the Fiesta weighs a lot less and would use far less fuel to do the same thing.

Prius is really only for Taxis or people for whom Camrys and cardigans are just too ostentatious.......

Here is the Top Gear excerpt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badoMjA_rW0

[tranquilized]

Geez Ugg I share your enthusiasm for the new wave of Electric and Hybrid cars (well, some of them anyway) but you need to keep things in perspective!

A deisel Festiva could probably match or beat a Prius in fuel economy on any 100% highway drive, but wouldn't get close around town.

I get what you're saying about Ford not having a hybrid on sale in Australia - but they will soon no doubt, and hopefully one thats more affordable than Holdens effort.

Hybrids are not the future, they are merely a bridge to get us there. No more, no less.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by flappist

You really do like making absolute statements that have no evidence to support them.

Funny i thought you were the expert at that.

Just look few posts up where you made an outlandish claim that the two cars were identical (Prius and Fiesta)....

Originally Posted by flappist

A couple of years ago Top Gear (UK) did a comparison of a Prius against a BMW M3 V8 for fuel consumption.

So that's it? That's your expert review? Top Gear?

Didn't you hear that Top Gear won a court battle about spreading lies on the basis that they were an entertainment show rather than a factual review?

Originally Posted by flappist

Prius is really only for car manufacturers who are in tune with what sells and want to stay relevant.......

Fixed it for ya'

[zilo]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Geez Ugg I share your enthusiasm for the new wave of Electric and Hybrid cars
A deisel Festiva could probably match or beat a Prius in fuel economy on any 100% highway drive, but wouldn't get close around town.

But the point is that most people are in town so a hybrid is relevant in a model line up for any car maker.
My point is just contesting the very vocal starements of people like flappist who claim that they are merely for latte sipping soft membered city folk who are wasting their money.

All the other manufacturers except Ford are going down the hybrid/electric path.

And are seen as a relevant car manufacturer.

surely ford can see that a V8 supercar presence ain't all there is to buyers?

Originally Posted by tranquilized

I get what you're saying about Ford not having a hybrid on sale in Australia - but they will soon no doubt, and hopefully one thats more affordable than Holdens effort.

Doesn't seem like it to me mate, especially with the opinions expressed here.

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Hybrids are not the future, they are merely a bridge to get us there. No more, no less.

That opinion is fine...but in the mean time millions are sold by Ford's competitors and we all sit on this forum looking at the previous months sales numbers and getting excited about Territory and ranger sales?

[Grunter]

Originally Posted by Ugg

But the point is that most people are in town so a hybrid is relevant in a model line up for any car maker....

Not the most fuel efficient.

As such, the title of Australia’s most fuel-efficient new car continues to be jointly held by larger diesel-powered manuals in Volkswagen’s Golf BlueMotion, the Mini Cooper D, Audi A1 1.6 TDI and Volvo C30 DRIVe, all of which return 3.8L/100km but emit more CO2.

Source: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2579CF0080426D

Not worth the extra cost.
http://moneysmartguides.com/are-hybr...orth-the-price
http://www.investopedia.com/financia...#axzz2Ar0v8MY8

I'm not saying that Hybrids are not any good, but as many (most) of the posters are saying in this thread, they are a bridge between technologies only.

EDIT: oh and Wheels criteria is bad.

[zilo]

Grunter thanks for the links but....petrol/diesel is not $4 a gallon in australia..

More like closer to $7 a gallon.

When we get to $2.50 a litre like europe ($11 a gallon) it will be real expensive to fill a lot of petrol/diesel only cars.

The whole point is that when sitting in traffic there is no fuel consumption in a hybrid....so the fuel consumption comparison becomes huge...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Ugg

Funny i thought you were the expert at that.

Just look few posts up where you made an outlandish claim that the two cars were identical (Prius and Fiesta)....





So that's it? That's your expert review? Top Gear?

Didn't you hear that Top Gear won a court battle about spreading lies on the basis that they were an entertainment show rather than a factual review?




Fixed it for ya'

Yeh John, but the thing I am good at is hunting.......

[Auslandau]

Nothing wrong with sitting back and watching the development and money spent of new technology ...... then stepping in when that tech is ready for the mainstream. Nothing at all. Ford are doing their own development with the ECO series. Rightly or wrongly, time will tell but I am sure all will be revealed over the next 10-20 odd years

....... apart from that how did it get to this subject anyway? Please re read what its all about at the very beginning but really, everyone has had a say by the looks anyways.