I can't understand your point. I think you're suggesting that Prius owners are "guinea pigs" (usually meaning unwitting test subjects) for usually less than pleasant experiments. Or perhaps you mean we all know we're making a compromise and the power that be should afford us more tax credit and on-going financial (or other) compensation.
While I think the CA goverment is sending the wrong message to end tax credits for hybrids (especially any vehicle capable of excellent emissions and economy levels) I don't think I'm being too generous in my own choices ... I wanted a new car for daily driving, I wanted all the gadgets (nav, bluetooth, keyless) and I just would not consider any other compact/mid-size five-door on the market -- they're all really bloody boring cars!
As I posted elsewhere on this forum, the only group that should personally thank the average Prius buyer as an "early adopter" is Toyota -- and for that matter, the other car makers, especially companies like GM and Ford wanting to use Toyota technology in their hybrids ... because I think these other companies are very deliberating selling hybrids as a marketing gimmick and little else ... at least Toyota would well be trying to really do something for the world at the same time as they differentiate their fuel-efficient products.
My last "new off the show-room" purchase was a Range Rover a couple of years ago -- and Land Rover showed me a lot of appreciation, I did a focus group to discuss my next car (no, they didn't want to talk about the Prius much ...
) and they ask me about my needs and my various points of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the car -- the first step is to ask ... then listen ... then go and bloody do something! Well, Mr Land Rover (aka Mr Ford) has built my next gas-guzzler pretty much exactly as I asked for it -- more power, lighter, better on-road, uncompromised off-road. Excellent. Now, I just need to find $100K ... didn't I ask for a _reduction_ in sticker shock!?
So my point there is to say that Mr Toyota has come very close to building a vehicle as close to perfect (in its fulfillment of its product design goals) as is possible. Strangely, I don't think the Lexus RX h is anywhere near as close to the target -- at the very least, it's not evern getting 45mpg and it's no real advance, it's just another compact SUV box. Why pay for an RX h over the 330? Certainly not to save money, not to save gas and not to save the environment ... so the RX h is purely "I got a hybrid" cachet. And seriously, I just don't believe there's many Prius owners that bought their car just to brag about the "h" word. But I digress.
I'll conclude by saying that nobody in the last year or two should be breaking their arm to pat themself on the back for buying a Prius -- it's no service to humanity or the community, it's no compromise and it's a financial advantage over just about any remotely comparable vehicle.
Cheers,
