Yes, I Love My Hybrid Car

About My Toyota Prius: Honest Answers to Common Questions

Mini-Review of 2004 Toyota Prius

• Real 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.

You May Be a Hybrid Car Addict If...

1. You find yourself cruising the neighborhood in "Stealth Mode" with the windows down so you can hear how quiet the car is.
2. You actually smile when you see the gas station price over 3 bucks a gallon. (Ha-ha, what do I care? I only have to fill up once a month!)
3. You enjoy talking to the GPS, and randomly search for Chinese restaurants or figure out how long it takes to drive from Los Angeles to Toronto while stuck in traffic jams.
4. You try to puzzle bystanders by saying, "Open Sesame!" as you walk up to the car, causing it to unlock at a touch.
5. You used to sneer at Lexus commercials advertising keyless entry and other frills like they were some sort of newfangled gimmick unique to luxury cars.
6. You enter car sweepstakes hoping to win so you can sell off the car you win and buy a second hybrid.
7. Watching Anakin Skywalker fiddle with the controls on his podracer reminds you of the dashboard display fuel monitor.
8. You can't remember where your key is. Or even your cellphone. It's plugged in somewhere; you just use the car's touchscreen to dial!
9. You enjoy cruising along at 70mph trying to keep your fuel consumption above 45mpg.
10. You count Priuses while out and about, and feel like you can't pull into your driveway until you've passed at least 5.