The Prius owners I have met aren't a particularly smug bunch, which is odd; they certainly have every right to be. If you own a late-model mid-size sedan, chances are the average Prius owner is getting roughly twice the gas mileage you do, and with tax incentives he or she paid about the same as you did for their car, maybe less. The Prius is no longer a novelty, but it's still a fantastic family car that does wonders for your budget -- and the environment. Base price $22,796, $29,614 as tested, EPA fuel economy 60 MPG city, 51 MPG highway, real-world mileage closer to 45 MPG.
First Glance: Whatever you think of hybrids, Prius' charms are hard to ignore
Larger photos: Front rearI am a hybrid cynic. I don't think gas-electric hybrids are the be-all and end-all, because they have one major problem: They rely on gasoline, a non-renewable resource. Show me a hybrid with a modern diesel engine -- they can run on vegetable-based biodiesel with no modifications -- and then you'll see me jumping for joy.
Still, it's hard not to come away from a week-long test of the Toyota Prius without an appreciation for the car. The Prius may use non-renewable gasoline, but it uses very little of it. I drove like I usually do and averaged just over 45 MPG, same as I've averaged in every other Prius I've tested (this was my 3rd or 4th) and same as most of the Prius owners I've spoken to. Compare that to the mileage I typically see in mid-size sedans -- low 20s for V6-powered cars and mid-20s for four-cylinder cars -- and you'll see that the Prius really can double your mileage.
The 2nd-generation Prius is now in its 4th model year. Toyota has attempted to jazz the Prius up a bit by introducing the Prius Touring Edition, which costs an extra $895 and includes snazzier wheels (link goes to photo), a slightly larger trunk spoiler, and what Toyota calls a "European-tuned" suspension. The idea is to make the Prius more enjoyable to drive -- a goal which seems akin to making prune juice more enjoyable to drink. The Prius is a wonderful car in many ways, but driver appeal is not high on its list of priorities.
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In the Driver's Seat: Futuristic styling doesn't impinge on practicality
If you've never sat in a Prius, I'd love to see the look on your face the first time you do. Toyota designed the Prius to look like the car of the future. Both driver and passenger sit before large expanses of plastic (textured, I think, to look like that coarse recycled stuff they make playground equipment out of). The shifter is a tiny little joystick that juts out of the dash, and the digital speedometer and warning lights are grouped right below the windshield towards the center of the car. Climate controls are accessed through the Prius' color LCD touch-screen, which also controls the optional navigation system and stereo (though the latter also has buttons lower on the center console). And the Prius has storage spaces galore: A CD bin below the stereo, two hidden cupholders and a huge cubby in the center armrest, and two glove boxes ahead of the passenger.
Standard safety features include airbags all around, antilock brakes and traction control; power windows, locks and mirrors, a CD player and automatic climate control are also standard. My test car had an option package that included leather seats, navigation, an upgraded stereo with CD changer, backup camera, electronic stability control, and hands-free Bluetooth phone capability -- all nice stuff that raised the Prius' price to nearly $30,000. Yowch! Though Toyotas are usually pretty well screwed together, my test car wasn't perfect -- the digital display seemed to vibrate over bumpy roads and the driver's side mirror whistled annoyingly in the wind.
On the Road: Does Touring Edition make a difference?
The Prius' hybrid powertrain employs a small (1.5 liter) gasoline engine and an electric motor that power the car either separately or in tandem. Electricity comes from a big battery that is charged by the motion of the car or the engine. (You can't plug the Prius in.) At low speeds, i.e. stop-and-go traffic, the Prius can run on pure battery power. It also shuts the gas engine off when it's not in use. Acceleration isn't thrilling, but it's more than adequate so long as you're not drag-racing.Driving the Prius is a novelty at first: the soft clicks, whirrs and whines, the engine starting and stopping at will, the silence at red lights (wasteful engine idling is a no-no in the Prius' universe). But once the novelty wears off, it's easy to ignore -- aside from a slight shudder as the engine starts and stops, hybrid operation is pretty much transparent. That's what I like about the Prius: You can drive like you always do and still get 45 MPG.
To determine the merits of the new Touring Edition, I called on my friend Joel, a seasoned hybrid driver who just bought his second Prius. The two of us drove my Touring Edition and his base model over the same roads, and neither of us could feel any significant difference. In theory, the Touring Edition's firmer suspension and lower profile tires should give it sharper steering response and a harder ride. In reality, between the peculiar-feeling electric power steering and the hard-compound high-MPG tires on the base Prius, it's almost impossible to tell the difference. The best reason to buy the Touring Edition is the nicer wheels.
Journey's End: Until we get more diesels, Prius is your best bet
What I like best about the Prius is that, despite its futuristic styling, it's an amazingly functional car. In terms of day-to-day livability, the Prius gives up nothing to mid-size mainstreamers like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. The wind-cheating hatchback shape provides lots of luggage space and a generous back seat. The Prius may not be thrilling to drive, but it's not taxing, either. Buy it, drive it, and start saving -- end of story.
Toyota also makes a hybrid version of the Camry; it's more mainstream and a bit quicker, but fuel economy is lower -- I test-drove one and averaged 30 MPG (still a great showing, but it's no Prius). The Honda Civic Hybrid will probably eek out the Prius in terms of real-world fuel economy, but it offers less space. Hybrid versions of the Nissan Altima and Saturn Aura are on the way, but don't expect them to be anywhere near as frugal as the Prius.
I'm still a hybrid cynic. I believe that synthetic fuels, particularly biodiesel, are the future. The Prius is not the final answer, but it is a giant leap in the right direction. Gasoline is only going to get more expensive, folks. The Prius does everything a regular mid-size car does on half the fuel. Can you think of a good reason not to buy one? I sure can't.
