After driving my Prius for around 7,000 miles over the last 4 months, I can honestly say that I will never purchase another non-hybrid automobile ever again. Having driven this car through every imaginable traffic situation (including +5,000 foot vertical climbs into the Oregon Cascades), the Prius has exceeded every one of my expectations in terms of room, comfort, handling, power and especially fuel economy.
While many have written about achieving disappointing fuel economy with the Prius, I have been averaging a lifetime fuel economy of around 52 MPG. Admittedly, not all will be able to achieve anywhere near the EPA MPG estimates with the Prius. While taking short trips hurt the fuel economy of any car, the negative impacts of such trips can be more far more noticeable in a full hybrid such as the Prius, which does not begin to achieve it’s full potential economy until the gasoline engine warms up fully (and tops off the batteries) allowing for more efficient usage of the electric engine. Thankfully, my daily commute is 22 miles with a nice mix of suburban, highway and city traffic.
In terms of interior room, the passenger and cargo space is quite impressive for a car with the same exterior dimensions. My only complaint in terms of space would be the limited headroom in the rear seat, though the legroom is downright vast. In addition, there are quite a few hidden cargo areas throughout the Prius that make up for lack of private storage inherent in a hatchback.
While the Prius is certainly not a sports car with respect to acceleration, the pickup is on par with most cars I’ve owned in the past. Surprisingly, the hill climbing capability of the Prius is greater than one would expect having only driven one on flatter terrain due to both the gasoline and electric motors being engaged. With my daily commute including a +500 foot climb, I have never been left with the feeling of a lack of power getting up the hill. The rear visibility out of the Prius can be rather intimidating at first with the spilt window, but I was able to adapt to this oddity quite quickly.
While I love the ability to cruise through any parking lot in pure electric mode, I’ve had to learn to be especially careful around pedestrians who often will not hear you driving up behind them.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 23000
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: AM
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