Disclaimer
I test driven this car with the MR2 (please read about it on my other ePinions). As such, I did not spend a great deal with it, so please keep this in mind.

A Hybrid for Every Tom, Dick, and Joan
At last, a viable hybrid! Unlike the first hybrid introduced here in the states (Honda Insight), the Toyota Prius is actually practical! In a form of a small sub-compact 4-door, it can seat 4 (maybe even 5) relatively comfortably (as comfortable as any sub-compact can get anyways). Trunk size is also pretty decent, as the trunk lid is deceivingly small.

Being a 4-door, this car meets the requirements for my company to allow me to purchase it as a company car. I have always thought that these hybrids make great rental and company cars, since that their high price may steer potential customers away. The benifit of having hybrids in a fleet would be that your customers will not have to pay as much for gas. Of course, the company or rental companies will have to foot the initial bill for the vehicle's 20 grand price tag. Hey, the customers are always right, right? Right? Ahem... okay.

Insight VS Prius
The Insight relies on the gas engine constantly. It works like a regualr car. The electric motor only comes into play when accelerating hard or driving uphill...hence the "assist" indicator on the dash. All it does is assist the underpowered engine. The battery for the electric motor gets charged when you brake, or when the motor is not in use, as the engine always charges the battery as it runs.

The Prius is a more complicated beast. It does not have a "main" source of power. When you first start the car, it is quiet at first, then the engine starts a second later after you turned the key. It's a weird feeling, but you'll get used to it.

So how is the power transfered? The Toyota Hybrid System does all the dirty thinking (get your mind out of the gutter!). It does whatever is necessary to save gas. This includes shutting off the engine whenever possible - even while driving - using just the eletric motor to drive the wheels - letting the wheels and brakes charge the battery - let the engine charge the battery (if it turns on) - use BOTH engine and motor to power the wheels - and if conditions are right, allow the wheels to charge the battery while motor and engine moves the car.

Complicated? YES! There are so many combinations, it is hard to list them all.

Unlike the Insight, which uses the motor as a generator when it is not in use, the Prius have it's own seperate generator to charge the battery. There are many was to charge the battery, too - braking, coasting (wheels), engine (generator)...

Performance
With a total of 114 bhp (70 bhp VVT-i 1.5L I-4 gas engine and 44 bhp electric motor) and a torque of 258 lb-ft for just the electric motor itself, the Prius have a more powerful drivetrain than the Insight, one may actually think the Prius is faster! Not so, actually. I did not feel 258 lb-ft of torque at all! Perhaps it is because of it's CVT auto transmission, pickup isn't as good as the Insight, lagging behind most traffic, even when you try to gun it. The Insight have the advantage of being a stick-shift, which allows the driver to use the engine's power more efficently when starting out from a stop.

Handling is pretty ho-hum for a vehicle of the class it is trying to fit in. Though body roll is noticeable, it won't inhibit you from making turns comfortably.

Conviences
As noted, seating is actually pretty good. Because of the Echo-related design, there is a lot of headroom. Similarly, rear passengers will not be as comfortable as they would like, as legroom is tight (though this reviewer thinks it is adaquate, since I've seen worse on the Celica, and sub-compacts).

I did not have a chance to play with every nook and cranny of the car, but I did notice that everyone complains about the position of the gear selector, which gets in they way of the stereo. This is true, but having not able to play with the stereo in this short drive, (but did get to use the AC-- very cold!), I wouldn't know (thought it looks like it would block access).

The LCD disply was very distracting, but passengers would have something to watch, instead of droning on about their day at work. :) The center-mounted LCD gauges announce to everyone in the car (and maybe even the police, if they follow close enough) how fast you are going, how much gas, and the usual info. A tachameter is not on the gauge, however, since it'd be difficult to implement considering the way the Toyota Hybrid System works. (It very complicated...not even sure if it is reliable that it keeps switching from different sources and charging modes as you drive).

Final Thoughts
This is not a car you would buy if you expect anything beyond great gas mileage. You also must drive green-conscience, as you should lighten on your lead foot if you want super results. This is a car that is very hard to merge into freeways, so be careful. A great city driver. It pickup and coasting feels much like my old Tercel I reviewed.

Would I get it? If my company pays for it, yes. :) I get 10 cents a mile, and with this baby, I am gonna make an extra 2 cent every time I drive a mile for my business trips. :)


Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: All standard