New Here- trying to decide on my first vehicle! 2016 Civic vs 2016 Prius

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I was wondering if anyone ownes both, if so how do they compare for MPG or l/100km? What car do you prefer?

For people who do and don't have both cars, can you tell me what you get with you civic for MPG in city (20 km or 13 mile drive, stop and go traffic)

The 2016 Honda Civic EX-T (1.5L engine) is $30,207.72 (everything included, before negotiating) has an insurance cost of $172 monthly

The 2016 Toyota Prius Base upgrade package is $32,639.18 (everything included, before negotiating) has an insurance cost of $142 monthly

I'm hoping to keep the car for as long as I can 200,000km (160,000 miles) or longer if possible. I need a car that will be able to carry 2 kids with convertable car seats that will be rear facing and a stroller, 2-4 duffle bags and possibly a pack&play. i need a car that will get me good MPG on short commutes (work commute is 20km or 13miles 5 days a week) and good milage for highway commutes (max 500km or 311 miles one way)

Thank you for your input ahead of time :)
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benttable

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If you drive well, you will probably get around 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. The prius on the other hand gets 50-55 mpg. I considered both but went with the civic. I really wanted a hybrid but I couldn't stand the interior and exterior of the prius. Both cars are known to be reliable. You can see 10+ year old civics and priuses driving around. Keep in mind with the prius you will likely have to pay for a new set of batteries if you want to keep the car for a long time.

Btw, those strollers that come with the infant car seats are huge and don't fit well in either civic or prius trunks. You'll need the portable kind. With the volume of things you listed, you might want to consider something bigger like an accord or camry hybrid.
 
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ashleyT2016Civic
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I'll be getting the city select stroller with 2 seats so it's very compact. No infant seat just 2 Chico next fit convertable car seats for extended rear facing which have great review for being very compact in small cars.

I love the exterior and interior of the Prius. One thing I hate about the Honda Civic is that it doesn't have a volume nob which make me very upset (not sure why it just does) I don't have any hates (yet) for the Prius. A deal breaker for me would be if the car scraps when turning to go up a hill (so far during my first test drive in both cars none have, however I didn't take it up the hill I will have to go up to get to the in-laws)
 

Billy4202

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TBH, if one of your primary considerations is MPG in stop-and-go traffic, Prius is your best bet. You'd be getting 15-20 MPG less in the Civic in that type of driving.
 

themzlab

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The Prius is likely to last longer with less maintenance, but the Civic is a nicer vehicle. Well.... nicer than the 2013 Prius. I don't know how much better the new one is.
An important thing about the Prius is the type of transmission that it has. There is no CVT and there are no clutches to wear out. So, obviously just my opinion but especially considering your stop-n-go driving I think the Prius is the better choice.

Really, if you test drive both and check your fit and comfort you may find you can make a clear choice on what is best for you.

PS
Yes, Honda your choice to not have a volume knob is a _fail_.
 


Arkbird

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The Prius is likely to last longer with less maintenance, but the Civic is a nicer vehicle. Well.... nicer than the 2013 Prius. I don't know how much better the new one is.
An important thing about the Prius is the type of transmission that it has. There is no CVT and there are no clutches to wear out. So, obviously just my opinion but especially considering your stop-n-go driving I think the Prius is the better choice.

Really, if you test drive both and check your fit and comfort you may find you can make a clear choice on what is best for you.

PS
Yes, Honda your choice to not have a volume knob is a _fail_.
Since when does the prius not use a CVT? They've been using the CVT for over ten years. Also, is anyone actually getting 30 mpg? The lowest I've ever gotten in my civic is 35. I usually average 37 city and around 43 highway.

The prius is going to be better for mpg like others have said so if that's what you're trying to maximize then go for that. Both cars won't do you wrong but I doubt there are many people who have both a 2016 civic and prius.
 

MalikBrother

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I'm hoping to keep the car for as long as I can 200,000km (160,000 miles) or longer if possible. I need a car that will be able to carry 2 kids with convertable car seats that will be rear facing and a stroller, 2-4 duffle bags and possibly a pack&play. i need a car that will get me good MPG on short commutes (work commute is 20km or 13miles 5 days a week) and good milage for highway commutes (max 500km or 311 miles one way)

Toyota Prius is safe bet if that is the case. All the best
 

jrlnc

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I don't own both cars, but I have been shopping them both extensively and I will share what I've found.
I own the previous Gen 3 Prius (2010) and have owned 5 Hondas (2 Civics, 2 Fits and an Insight).

My Prius is approaching 110k miles so I'm actively shopping since I usually don't keep cars more than 5 years.

My vehicle comparison criteria are:
  • Reliability
  • Interior space (room and comfort for passengers or occasional cargo)
  • MPG (mostly concerned with highway mileage for my commute)
  • VALUE (features, performance, comfort you get for the price paid)
  • Safety (crash rating as well as additional safety features)
  • Looks
Here's how I rank the 2016 Prius against the 2016 Civic:
  • Reliability: Prius (very slightly) - based on ratings/reviews of professionals and my experience with the Prius and past Hondas. One slight concern with the new Civic is NOT Japanese made as were all my previous Hondas and Prius. The new Prius is 100% made in Japan.
  • Interior space: Civic. The two cars are very similar in front seat space (legroom/headroom), but the back seat is where the Civic excels. Civic 37.4" vs Prius 33.4" rear legroom. Also the Civic has 97.8 cu ft vs Prius 93.1 cu ft of passenger volume. The Prius does have more cargo room when then rear seats fold with the hatch accessible. I sat in both cars' back seat after the driver's seat was adjusted for me. The Civic back seat seemed very roomy and big just like my current Prius. Even though the Civic sits lower, I had no problem getting in and sitting down. The first thing I noticed on the 2016 Prius when getting into the back was that I hit my head on the upper doorsill! It seems they cut into the headroom and the doorline of the new Prius too.
  • MPG: Prius is the MPG king. The new model is rated ~2 mpg above the older one. (My 2010 has averaged 51.1 mpg lifetime mostly highway). When comparing the 2 cars (~10 mpg better for the Prius) the fuel cost difference is not that much. The new Prius EPA rating doesn't tell the whole story. Many reviewers report easy 60+ mpg figures.
  • VALUE: Civic - I may get either the EXL w/ sensing or just go all the way and get the Touring. (My time frame is end of this year, so if the hatch is available by then I may get it instead. I imagine the hatch will have most of the same trim levels as the sedan.) I am blown away by the amount of equipment on either the EXL w/ sensing or the Touring. The dual climate zones, heated rear seats and Apple carplay aren't even available on the Prius. Because of the trim and package combinations on the Prius, it is much more expensive to get things I want and will include lots of things I don't want. I test drove a 3 Touring Prius and I was shocked that for the price ($28k+ !) it didn't have power or heated seats. I also want the Honda sensing for safety. Toyota's TSS is only in a package which pushes the sticker price of the 3 up to ~$30k. If the Prius weren't a hybrid, it's price should be ~$4k lower for similar equipment. The Prius is actually a more premium build car and very similar to a Lexus. The top-end model also has features like Auto High Beams, a color HUD, Intelligent Parking Assist and Parking Sonar Sensors around the entire car. It also has Homelink, and a think like OnStar (Toyota Safety Connect).
  • Safety: Prius - the fully loaded Prius 4 w/ ATP & PCP has a few features the Civic lacks: Blind Spot Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (radar sensors in rear bumper that detect cars coming from 90 degrees), Pedestrian Detection.
  • Looks: Civic - As a Prius owner, I know there's a lot of hatred out there for the Prius. (I've even heard people say they wouldn't be caught dead in a Prius!) I think the older gen 3 Prius looks okay. It's aerodynamic for obvious reasons and it looks kind of like a little spaceship which is part of the geekiness of the car. *EXTERIOR* The new Prius is NOT that attractive. (I am open-minded so I had to see it in person before making up my mind.) The front headlights look like an angry/comical cartoon character. The side profile is the most palatable. The wheels are ugly. The body style is a hatchback trying to look like a coupe. The weird crease in the rear fender reminds me of a Ford Probe or a Saturn. Then there is the blacked-out C-pillar that makes the roof appear to float. In comparison, the Civic from every angle (front, side, rear or at an angle) is a beautiful, cohesive looking design. Very upscale and dignified. It can be young and hip, or more sedate and upscale. Whatever way I approach the look of the Civic, it is an attractive car. *INTERIOR* Again the Civic is a much more cohesive, flowing design that is logical and attractive. The soft-touch areas and stitching and colors make it look very upscale, like you're getting more car for your money. To me, it's also serene and peaceful. The interior of the new Prius is okay, but there are a couple of things that are very off-putting, even to a current Prius owner. Above the center stack is a protruding pair of air vents that almost obstruct the view of the central dash instrument display. Below the center stack there is shiny WHITE plastic trim surrounding the gear selector and a few buttons. More of the same white plastic trim is used in the center console and cupholder area and on the steering wheel. It looks out of place - it doesn't match anything else in the car, and could be a problem later for showing scratches and dirt. The wraparound dash is nice, but the interior while better than the older Prius, is definitely a step below the Civic. Granted, looks are a very subjective and personal choice but I showed pictures of both cars to several friends and family members. Every one of them chose the Civic as the nicer looking vehicle.
  • OTHER: Civic - in areas that are more related to driving experience the Civic is the better car. The Prius is weak and slow, and when I floored it to drive a little faster it had an unpleasant engine sound. The new Prius handled better than the old model but was not as good as the Civic. One of the biggest surprises to me was that the Civic was so quiet! The new Prius seems better than my old one, but it is not a performance 'driver's car'.

I'm sure your criteria are slightly different from mine, but the back seat room would really concern me. The Honda back seat is way better and leaning into it to help your children will be much easier. As far as fuel economy goes, the Civic is no slouch but the Prius will win in that area, especially in city driving. But like I said above in my comparison, when you look at the extra fuel cost between a good fuel-economy car and an exceptional one the $ will be less than you thought. (only $250/yr more for me to drive the Civic 20k miles/yr!)

On another note, since you will be frequently transporting children you should also weigh the safety ratings and features. The Civic already has a top crash rating, and as I said earlier, the Honda Sensing package is much more affordable than the comparable one from Toyota.
 
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Pesado44

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Not sure where you live but I was able to score my Civic Touring for 24795 out in Fontana, Ca @Rock Honda. I was able to find it thanks to shopping on Edmunds as it was the best deal I found at the time a little over a month ago! This car had been awesome as I have gone on a few long trips with my kids and have been extremely comfortable and the Honda sensing has been great!
 

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Since when does the prius not use a CVT? They've been using the CVT for over ten years. Also, is anyone actually getting 30 mpg? The lowest I've ever gotten in my civic is 35. I usually average 37 city and around 43 highway.

The prius is going to be better for mpg like others have said so if that's what you're trying to maximize then go for that. Both cars won't do you wrong but I doubt there are many people who have both a 2016 civic and prius.
Regarding the Prius: CVT is just what they call it for consumer purposes. It is not a CVT mechanism like the other things that are called CVT. The gearbox is a planetary gearset and the ratios are accomplished by changing the speeds of the various motors. The reliability of such a gearbox is more close to that of a manual transmission.
 

hunter44102

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If you do a lot of city/stop/go, the Prius is a no brainer. For long highway commutes the Civic will get you 45MPG and is way more fun to drive and better looking.

my buddy with Prius couldn't stop asking me about my Civic after he saw it! Its definitely an eye catcher!
 

mno86

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As other's have gone into great detail, I'll keep it short and sweet.

The Prius is going to win, hands down, in terms of city mileage. You'll get the most bang for the buck there. I usually average about 32-36 mixed driving in my Touring.

The Civic is, far and beyond, the better looking car - I think the new Prius design is absolutely hideous in every sense. The Civic is also likely to be a more engaging, enjoyable drive. Safety ratings, I'm not sure about the Prius - but the Civic has earned great accolades.

There are some bugs with the new tech in the Civic some of us have experienced. You're looking at two completely redesigned models, so keep that in mind.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. My advice is to test drive and thoroughly inspect both cars. The Civic will likely be the more engaged driver, but you'll know which is going to fit your lifestyle better once you look at the driving dynamic, fit and finish, and space flexibility in both cars.
 

MRsm1th

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1. Over $30,000 for either car is crazy must not be in US dollars.
2. What is your order of importance for what you want in a car.
3. For MPG the Prius is not a no brainer. Calculate actual dollars saved in gas based on avg miles driven or go a step further and calculate over life of you will have car 160,000 miles.
4.what are the maintenance cost vs both cars
5. Safety, Reliability , comfort.
6. I have two kids 6&8 and a civic 2012 and if we go any where over 30 miles we taking the 2012 CRV. MPG gets trumped over space and AWD every time. The CRV is a very nice family vic.
7. DON"T BUY A PRIUS BECOUSE THEY ARE SUPER DUPER LAME!
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