Why drive anything else!

I have had mine now for just over a year and have put about 23,000 miles on it. I have read other reviews of folks getting far lower mileage than I do. I typically get about 50 to 51 miles per gallon commuting in the San Francisco area. My commute is about 50% freeway and 50% city streets. Generally I get better mileage on city streets and on drives of over 20 miles. I would guess if you just use it for short hops, your mileage will suffer because the gas engine runs until it is warmed up. The worst mileage I have ever gotten was during a trip to Phoenix. I averaged 43 MPG during that trip while running the AC continuously and driving fast on freeways.

I am generally very happy with the car. Most people comment on how quiet and roomy it is. The sound system is great (I don’t have the optional CD). The car has plenty of zip. It comes with both front and side impact air bags and feels very safe. There is lots of passenger room in both the front and back seats and the trunk is huge for a car of this size. One great benefit of its short wheel base is the turning radius. The first time you have to make a U-turn with this car you will fall in love with it all over again. Toyota service on the car is great, you get 37,500 miles of free normal service (oil changes and the like). Also there is a federal $2000 tax deduction for alternative vehicle that can save you bucks, its tough to find because it is in the business section of the tax code, but it applies to private individuals as well as businesses so hunt for it.

On the negative side, I really like a cruise control and miss that. Occasionally I have missed folding rear seats, but even without that feature I was able to cram a windsurfing board, sail, and boom into it with only a little hanging out the window. I find the steering a little bit sensitive. The car’s short wheel base makes small steering corrections cause bigger direction changes than most cars. What that means is that the driver needs to pay attention, especially when going fast. My battery pack failed at about 20,000 miles, fortunately it is warranted for 100,000 miles or eight years, because the replacement would have cost me $4,000, under warrantee was it was $0 and no hassle.

One of the most significant facts for me is the ultra low emission rating of the car. What that means is that it puts out about 25X lower emissions than a typical passenger car and 100X less emissions than a typical SUV. You can check this out for yourself on the EPA web site. That makes me feel good that I am doing my part to reduce air pollution. Over the life of my car, it will pollute less than an SUV driven just 2000 miles!