You're visiting ahybrid cars website and reading a review of theToyota Prius. Of course, you'd expect a ton of praise to get heaped on the Prius, the quintessential hybrid gas-electric car. But that won't help you make a decision about whether or not to buy a Prius. So we'll make short work of the praise and try to point out a few reasons why the Prius might not be the right car for you.
Deserving of Praise
Toyota has sold more Priuses than all other hybrids combined-and for good reason. Since the debut of the second generation Prius in 2003 (as a 2004 model), the midsize hatchback sedan has racked up award after award. Years later, it continues to be a red-hot seller.
The Prius inspires a cult-like devotion from its drivers. Satisfaction rates, consistently at 98 percent, are unparalleled. Prius owners are already looking 20 years ahead, when they can claim with great pride, "Yes. I drove one of the first Priuses."
The Prius drives like a charm, humming along silently in all-electric mode at low speeds and revving up its 110 combined gas-electric horsepower for a respectable 0-to-60 rate of 10.2 seconds. The bean counters argue that the Prius is two to three thousand dollars more than a comparable Camry or Corolla. That's a joke to Prius owners. Those conventional vehicles can't be compared to the Prius in terms of its unique technology and design, and especially in the categories that matter most to the average hybrid buyer:
Fuel economy - EPA combined city/highway rating of 55 mpg
Emissions - 89 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new car, exceeding the standards for a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)
The Prius has plenty of leg room and storage space. Its stability control system makes it very safe. And the Prius has loads of bells and whistles, from keyless entry, high-tech fuel use dash display, and (on the 2006 model) a rear-view camera system to help you squeeze into a tight parking spot. All that in a package in the mid-$20k range-minus a a federal tax credit-and you can feel damn good about getting from Point A to Point B.
Toyota's efforts to ramp-up production and offer dealership incentives have successfully burned off waiting lists for the Prius. Our own Price Pulse tool, which showed long waiting lists through 2006, is now indicating ample supply and plenty of wiggle room to negotiate with the dealership.
This video produced by Toyota UK does a good job of explaining Toyota's hybrid technology-if you can get past the marketing hyperbole and BBC-style narration. Check out other Toyota hybrid videos.
Okay, What's the Catch?
The distinctive look of the Prius sends a message, which can be interpreted any number of ways. For some, it declares that we must take steps to reduce our voracious thirst for oil-with all its negative consequences in terms of the environment and geo-politics. For this camp, the Prius is like a middle-finger-on-wheels aimed at Hummers, Suburbans, Escalades, and the like. For others, the Prius's message is smug: "Aren't I special? Don't I know better?" If you like to blend in, the Prius's unique profile may be a deal-killer. Most Prius drivers like the aesthetics, inside and out, but there are certainly quite a few detractors who think the Prius is gimmicky, if not entirely ugly.
Then, there's the "Prius blind spot." The hatchback design limits the driver's visibility through the rear window. That makes some people crazy and is a non-issue for others. You have to take a test drive to see how it feels to you.
Another issue has to do with your interest in and tolerance for new technology. The Prius has been on the road in Japan since 1997, and in the United States since 2000. The performance of the new technology has been remarkable, but not without a blemish. In Oct. 2005, following a number of reports that Priuses were inexplicably stalling on the highway, Toyota recalled 75,000 Priuses in the United States. Apparently, the vehicle's computer system needed to be reset-and all was well. (Some hybrid drivers complained of reduced mileage after the procedure.) It seemed routine that nearly 17 million vehicles were recalled in the United States last year. But the novelty of the hybrid technology made the recall of the Prius a news item, and made some jittery shoppers leery of the Prius.
Talking About My Generation
The final item is the potential of the third generation Prius, due out in late 2008 as a 2009 model. Can you wait until then? When Toyota released the second generation Prius in 2003, the vehicle was bigger, faster, more efficient, and more stylized than its predecessor. The third generation Prius promises a similar bump in the key metrics. Toyota has already made announcements about the use of better battery technology and hinted at a plug-in option. If these improvements pan out, then the next generation Prius could break the 70 mpg record set by the now-retired Honda Insight. (And that's with new EPA mileage scoring in place.) Time will tell.
There you have it. Whether you take the Prius or leave it, the hybrid wave is not going to stop. Automotive technology is evolving to deal with the world's oil problems. And the Prius will long be credited as thehybrid that started it all. What are you going to tell your grandchildren you drove in 2007?
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