Yes, I am a rabid Prius owner. I still love my car, despite misgivings about Toyota. I got it for the environment. I love it for the mileage, especially after the gas prices here jumped over $3!
When hybrid cars first came out in Japan, I thought I’d wait a few years until they’d worked out all the kinks. The first models were smaller than a Toyota Corolla and had the battery hogging the trunk. Once I saw the 2004 liftback Prius with the battery hidden under the seat, I said, “It’s time.” I was lucky enough not to have to wait long, although I wound up paying more since the only model available was fully-loaded. In retrospect, the extras I got (GPS, keyless entry, bluetooth connection allowing hands-free cellphone use) are some of my favorite features.
The Prius is a leap forward, but in fact I’m hoping for cleaner alternatives in the next decade. The great thing about hybrids is that they’re convincing car companies that alternative technologies are viable. When I first got mine, it was the only one in my neighborhood. Now they’re everywhere. Increasing customer demand will encourage companies to compete in developing more gas-efficient and eco-friendly systems.
Yes, I still love my Prius. After six years its mileage has dropped to about 38 mpg in town, but *knock wood* I’ve had no maintenance issues. I am not impressed with Toyota right now, but I think I bought my Prius before they started to get sloppy. I plan to hold onto it and coddle it so that, hopefully, by the time I need a new car, Toyota will have returned to the reliability and quality I expect and demand from them.
About My Toyota Prius: Honest Answers to Common Questions Mini-Review of 2005 Toyota PriusReal honest-to-gosh mileage: About 40-42 mpg. Tank is about 10 gallons, and I usually go about 370-400 miles on it. Handling and pickup comparable to a well-maintained Corolla or Camry. Switch between electric and gas feels like changing gears in automatic transmission. My friends in Boston say theirs works perfectly well on snow and ice. Gasoline engine turns on automatically when battery drops to about 1/8th charge or when accelerating. Turns off while idling, driving at low speeds, or (sometimes) coasting. Keyless entry means the key is a transmitter, and car unlocks when you touch the door handle. Can be disabled (key includes old-fashioned key inside). TONS of cargo space, including two glove compartments and hidden suitcase compartment. GPS system stored on DVD, which can be replaced/upgraded. Works like Google Maps, including yellow pages. Directions provided via voice and/or moving dashboard map. Spare tire and jack under floor of trunk. Usual crummy jack, but the spare’s good up to 50 mph. Most Priuses sold with a warranty on the battery for 8 years or 80,000 miles. I haven’t had any maintenance problems in the first three years (knock wood) except for a couple flat tires, which may be due to heavy construction around here. Bridgestone tires I replaced them with seem sturdier.