I just came back from AZ and on my way there and on the way back I was astounded at how slow they are... I was driving my CRV and no one in these cars seems to go above 65. I passed many while I was driving 75 and it was like they were standing still.


I know its about conservation (I guess) but can these things go faster or is 65/70 the top speed?

I just came back from AZ and on my way there and on the way back I was astounded at how slow they are... I was driving my CRV and no one in these cars seems to go above 65. I passed many while I was driving 75 and it was like they were standing still.


I know its about conservation (I guess) but can these things go faster or is 65/70 the top speed?


They do not go faster because the average age of the drivers of prius/pt cruiser is between 65/70 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

They do not go faster because the average age of the drivers of prius/pt cruiser is between 65/70 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D




;D  'cept in Cali where, apparently, its hip to be green  ;)

I don't see too many Priuses or PT Cruisers out here. I do remember someone driving a PT blasted right past me at a high rate of speed a couple of years ago. Other than that, most I've seen driving either vehicle goes at or slightly below the speed limit.

I just came back from AZ and on my way there and on the way back I was astounded at how slow they are...


"Arizona" might be part of it.  I hear they have photo radar up there.  Yuck.  There's a mutual respect when it's between cop-with-LIDAR and speeder, but even I'll humbly shrug my shoulders and toddle along at the speed limit-1mph when I'm up against an army of cybernetic drones that never sleep.

To answer your original question, yes, they can go faster.

A PT Cruiser is really a Dodge Neon with a bunch of fancy (and heavy, and wind-resistant) body panels onto it.  Not sure what the top speed is, but I can't imagining it being much fun at triple digits in anything other than a very straight/flat road.  PT Cruiser buyers buy them because they enjoy its 50s-era-woody-wagon/hot-rod looks, not for performance.

A Prius is definitely capable of triple digits.  Shortly after it came out, I rented one for a weekend.  Fun drive.  In theory, gobs of torque from the electrical motors, but the software doesn't let you take full advantage of it.  Once rolling, however, I enjoyed watching the mileage indicator drop from 50 to 40 while exploring sustained cruising speeds of 80-90+ "to see what the car could do".  Achieving those mileages at those speeds is incredible, but the car is about as aerodynamic as it's possible for a car to be. 

(Side rant:  I hate it when people call the Prius "ugly".  It's not ugly, it's the shape a fuel-efficient car has to be.  It's basically a cross-section of an airplane wing.  Form follows function; it's not beautiful, but it's elegant.)

Back to the Prius.  Its computerized dashboard is really engrossing.  Having satisfied myself that there was enough car under there to get me a big speeding ticket, I ended up pulling out of the fast lane, and I spent the rest of the weekend trying to optimize for mileage, and spent the rest of the weekend in the slow lane at 65-70.  Unlike anything else I've ever driven, it was more fun that way.  It was like a video game on wheels, it's just that I was trying to optimize for efficiency rather than speed.

Prius buyers buy 'em for the mileage, not for performance.  Even Prius renters quickly find themselves playing with basic hypermiling techniques.  (And in an era where most family sedans can go 0-60 in 6 seconds and are electronically limited to 120mph, why not - so long as I'm not obstructing traffic - use mileage as the metric by which I measure driving skill?)

"Arizona" might be part of it.  I hear they have photo radar up there.  Yuck.  There's a mutual respect when it's between cop-with-LIDAR and speeder, but even I'll humbly shrug my shoulders and toddle along at the speed limit-1mph when I'm up against an army of cybernetic drones that never sleep.

To answer your original question, yes, they can go faster.

A PT Cruiser is really a Dodge Neon with a bunch of fancy (and heavy, and wind-resistant) body panels onto it.  Not sure what the top speed is, but I can't imagining it being much fun at triple digits in anything other than a very straight/flat road.  PT Cruiser buyers buy them because they enjoy its 50s-era-woody-wagon/hot-rod looks, not for performance.

A Prius is definitely capable of triple digits.  Shortly after it came out, I rented one for a weekend.  Fun drive.  In theory, gobs of torque from the electrical motors, but the software doesn't let you take full advantage of it.  Once rolling, however, I enjoyed watching the mileage indicator drop from 50 to 40 while exploring sustained cruising speeds of 80-90+ "to see what the car could do".  Achieving those mileages at those speeds is incredible, but the car is about as aerodynamic as it's possible for a car to be. 

(Side rant:  I hate it when people call the Prius "ugly".  It's not ugly, it's the shape a fuel-efficient car has to be.  It's basically a cross-section of an airplane wing.  Form follows function; it's not beautiful, but it's elegant.)

Back to the Prius.  Its computerized dashboard is really engrossing.  Having satisfied myself that there was enough car under there to get me a big speeding ticket, I ended up pulling out of the fast lane, and I spent the rest of the weekend trying to optimize for mileage, and spent the rest of the weekend in the slow lane at 65-70.  Unlike anything else I've ever driven, it was more fun that way.   It was like a video game on wheels, it's just that I was trying to optimize for efficiency rather than speed.

Prius buyers buy 'em for the mileage, not for performance.  Even Prius renters quickly find themselves playing with basic hypermiling techniques.  (And in an era where most family sedans can go 0-60 in 6 seconds and are electronically limited to 120mph, why not - so long as I'm not obstructing traffic - use mileage as the metric by which I measure driving skill?)


they do have photo radar....every where  ::) but this was in California too... no one in those cars inched above 70


The rest of your post is interesting too. I might find the Prius fun if I were just tooling around LA but when I'm headed to AZ I just want to get there... fast... so watching the dash and thinking of it like a video game wouldn't help me.... unless I was playing Need for Speed in my head  ;D

Hey...I just realized. This is my 12 month anniversary of joining these boards (well it IS 29/12 in OZ....or if you're in the US 12/29). :) I'm sorta glad I didn't delete my account a few months back...

Of course, I'm presently at work...working REAL hard.  ::)


and decided to jack my thread to make your announcement?  ;)

and decided to jack my thread to make your announcement?   ;)






No.....I thought I posted this in the News for December thread. I AM getting old! :o  Apologies Q....this post really was off subject. ;D

No.....I thought I posted this in the News for December thread. I AM getting old! :o  Apologies Q....this post really was off subject. ;D


actually there's no such thing as off subject in my threads. I welcome jacking I find it follows the natural lines of communication. In real life people always go off on tangents. So why is it taboo to do so online?  I never got it. You read something, it reminds you of something else, you discuss that other thing and then go on back to the original subject.

Jeff Dunham drives a Prius! ;D ;D


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQcSOP2AzXU

I don't drive either type of car, but I do have a friend who owns a PT Cruiser. She says she likes how it handles.

I don't drive either type of car, but I do have a friend who owns a PT Cruiser. She says she likes how it handles.


Does she say what it tops out at?

Does she say what it tops out at?



No. I didn't ask her about that.

I just came back from AZ and on my way there and on the way back I was astounded at how slow they are... I was driving my CRV and no one in these cars seems to go above 65. I passed many while I was driving 75 and it was like they were standing still.


I know its about conservation (I guess) but can these things go faster or is 65/70 the top speed?




I've seen them go faster than 70 outside photo radar limits but the more important subject is where in AZ did you visit and if you were in the PHX why not let me know?  :\'(  :D  I see this thread was started after Christmas and I understand if yous were busy. ;)

I've seen them go faster than 70 outside photo radar limits but the more important subject is where in AZ did you visit and if you were in the PHX why not let me know?  :\'(  :D  I see this thread was started after Christmas and I understand if yous were busy. ;)


Honestly I would have told you but I went to Mesa for 2 1/2 days... Christmas Eve until the 26th... I really didn't have time... promise I will let you know about my next visit!

Honestly I would have told you but I went to Mesa for 2 1/2 days... Christmas Eve until the 26th... I really didn't have time... promise I will let you know about my next visit!


It's all good.  I'm about 45 minutes away from Mesa  :)

It's all good.  I'm about 45 minutes away from Mesa  :)


That's not bad... are you on the way out (I10? Avondale/Goodyear area) I could always do a time management thing and hit you one the way home....or are you in the other direction?

That's not bad... are you on the way out (I10? Avondale/Goodyear area) I could always do a time management thing and hit you one the way home....or are you in the other direction?


I'm in the city of Maricopa (basically between I-10 and I-8) but I'm always up in the Valley.

I'm in the city of Maricopa (basically between I-10 and I-8) but I'm always up in the Valley.



cool I  will shoot you a pm or a facebook line telling you when I am due for a visit... I think Sept...