Since I own a Prius C, I have a few corrections and additions to make to your review so far. First, the Prius C has the smallest turning circle of any subcompact (a distinction it shares with the Yaris) when equipped with the standard 15" wheels. The optional 16" wheels on your test vehicle increase the turning radius 20%. Second, I would be very surprised if the 16" tires on your car are low rolling resistance (LRR) because the standard 15" tires (Bridgestone Turanza EL400) are not. Most Prius C owners will replace the Turanzas with LRR tires when they wear out to improve mpg 5-10%. Third, if you find the car noisier than a Miata, you are trying to drive it like a Miata. I drive my car mostly in the city (Ottawa), where I am able to operate on the electric motor alone (i.e. gas engine shut off) more than 50% of the time, which gives me city fuel consumption of 3.5l/100km (81 mpg) or better routinely. Provided the car is not driven with a lead foot, the engine is so quiet it is very difficult to tell when it is running without looking at the dash display. I have noticed that the fuel consumption figures obtained by owners (many of whom are recording their mpg on fuelly.com) are typically get much higher than those obtained by most car reviewers, which I suspect is because the latter tend to have two driving styles, fast and faster.
