We bought our Prius primarily for the gas mileage. We'd heard the reports that it takes years to make back the premium, but since we owned our last car for 13 years, I figured it's a safe bet that I'll get my money's worth. Especially because I think gas is going to $3 a gallon -- but that's another story.

The wait in South Florida for a Prius wasn't too bad. I was able to find several dealerships that had one or two on the lot. Usually it wasn't the color or option package I wanted, but after a week of making calls I put a deposit on a Prius with Package One.

After about 1,500 miles, the car runs great. The sticker estimates 51-60 mpg. I had read 45 is more realistic. However, I've been consistently getting 50 mpg commuting 30 miles each way to work. The drive is sort of a combination between highway and city. I'm on city roads with stop lights, but the speed limit is 55 and you can drive for several miles without hitting a light.

It's important to remember that although the technology is advanced, the rest of the car is pretty much an economy car. The interior is comfortable but hardly luxurious. The LED display that shows your mileage and how the technology is working is cool. You have to be careful to make sure you watch the road instead of the display.

As you drive the Prius (and watch the display) you learn how to operate it to get the most fuel efficiency. At certain points, if you lighten up on the gas pedal just slightly, you'll see the current mpg shoot up. I find that when I drive our other car (not a hybrid), the muscle memory kicks in as I subconsciously try to maximize the mileage.

One drag is that there is no indoor lever to pop the hatchback. It's not a big deal, but seems like a simple convenience.

The sound system is decent, although heavy on the bass. You can adjust the sound to your liking.

The car is a little loud. Driving at higher speeds can be fairly noisy as you pick up the road noise. The A/C is also quite loud if you have it on any but the lowest two settings. Obviously when the car is in hybrid mode only, it is extremely quiet.

The Prius doesn't have a lot of giddyap when you accelerate. In fact I felt like I was driving a rocket when I was in my Accord after driving the Prius for a week. That being said, it gets the job done and can get you where you need to be. The brakes are a bit touchy, but that could be because it's a new car. Cornering is another area that is fine, but not exceptional.


I like the car alot. It looks nice, drives well, and I'm getting the mileage that I expected. It's a good solid car. Because of the futuristic technology, it's easy to have your expectations higher than reality. Just keep in mind, it's a pretty basic car that happens to have some cool technology.
UPDATE -- 60K miles later, the car still runs fine. I still get around 45 mpg, sometimes a bit more, sometimes less.  My only complaint is that the light colored cloth interior gets dirty very easily.  I'd go for leather next time.
I get the car serviced according to manufacturer recommendations and haven't had any problems so far.  Hopefully, that will continue.
The brakes issue must have been because it was new.  I haven't noticed it in years.
Great car for the money.
Amount Paid (US$): 23,300
Condition: New
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: Package One