October 18, 2011

Kia Soul vs. Prius: Eco-Friendly Challenge Pt. 2

This is Part 2 of a 5-part back-and-forth between my friend Jason and myself as we compare the eco-friendliness of the Kia Soul and the Toyota Prius.


(Jason's response)

It's not just a miles-per-gallon game. When you're comparing the eco-friendliness of two vehicles, you also need to think through the amount and type of raw materials necessary to produce the vehicle, and the vehicle's respective weight effect on road maintenance.

Unfortunately... the Soul's 2,778 lb curb weight actually slightly edges out the Prius' 3,042 lb curb weight.

You also need to take into account the origin of manufacturing and how far the vehicle needs to travel to reach its destination and the environmental costs of that. The Prius is made in Japan, whereas the Soul is made in South Korea - a slight distance edge to the Prius.

Miles-per-gallon is just the simplest comparison. And all else being slightly equal, the mpg environmental cost-of-driving analysis helps the Prius reign victorious.
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