On 21/12/2011 11:35, Tim Streater wrote:
In article ,
"Doctor Drivel" wrote:

"Tim Streater" wrote in message
...

The Prius is better all around in mpg.

But as two of my nephews who own them say, you won't get your money
back on one of these.

They are cost effective in London as they pay no Congestion Charge.
Their emissions are far less than the poisoning crap we now have. The
low noise levels alone are worth.

Most car noise is from tires, not the engine.

Depends a bit on the car and how it is driven.

A rough rule of thumb is that for ordinary combustion engines road noise
exceeds engine noise at around 60km/h or 38 mph (and a bit higher for
diesels). So for most in town driving Prius are quieter.

The alarming thing about Prius at low speeds in carparks is you don't
hear them starting up the engine at all before they move which can be a
bit disconcerting as a pedestrian. They are too quiet when moving off!

Regards,
Martin Brown