I've been crazy about this car since I read about it a year and a half. I finally bought it a month ago.
SULEV emissions rating stands for super ultra low emission vehicle, which is next up from zero emissions. It gets the lowest emissions of any gas car on the road.
Hybrid system is very cool. It has a 44hp electric motor and a 4 cyl engine. The intelligent transmission system constantly monitors and varies the ratio between the motor and gas engine to achieve the most efficient ratio. The coolest thing is what we call "stealth" mode, where you are accelerating slow, stopped, decelerating or coasting under a condition where the engine is not needed and shuts off and you drive purely on electric. After the first minute or so when the engine warms up the triple-stage catalytic converter, every red-light or stop you come to is complete silence. The engine only turns on when needed.
There is an LCD screen on the center console which displays all this as you drive. It's a touch screen which can be switched over to a consumption screen which monitors your miles-per-gallon. Or can be switched to controlling your radio, tape or cd player. If you get a cd player option, you will have both that and a tape player which is very convenient.
It's even got a hepa filter for the a/c air intake so you can breathe smogless air even in LA. This goes along with precise climate controls.
It's got sensors under the seats, and alarm, and remote entry.
all the displays are digital and located along the center just below the windsheild line.
Overall this is the coolest car in existence in my opinion. I've been doing demonstrations for friends and family since i got it and everybody is very impressed. Several expressed strong interest in getting one as their next car b/c they thought it was so amazing.
Amount Paid (US$): 20,100
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002