(Jason's response)
I had many reasons for getting the Prius. Its eco-friendliness was simply one of them.
Without the Prius, the national and even global trend toward sustainable energy sources for motor vehicles would be much smaller. People make fun of the Prius being a "statement". But it is. The Prius is a front runner for environmentally-friendly vehicles, leading the way to the next stage of sustainable vehicles.
The Prius opened up the market for the Nissan Leaf, Chevy EVO, and the expanded line of Prius plug-ins.
It's not just about my vehicle being less environmentally destructive than yours (although in many aspects, it is), but by supporting the Prius, I am helping convince automakers of the market for good.
Your Soul can be thrown into a basket of hundreds of other cars merely abiding by governmental regulations - slightly more eco-friendly than a similar car built 5 years ago.
And doesn't your Soul only follow your $/good argument if you spend the difference on micronutrients?