The car that sells itself...

The dealer didn't give us much of a discount on our 2006, Seaside Blue, tech package Prius. He didn't have to. The demand for the Prius right now is so unholy that the car we looked at on December 23, 2005, a silver '05 Prius, was gone when we checked back the next day. The car, when put up against other midsize sedans we were looking at, was pretty hard to turn down, assuming its $400 per year gas cost, theoretical 60mpg capability, and the fact that if we drive it instead of our current SUV for many trips it will pay for itself over time. Despite some dealer markup, we figured the car was a sound investment, as most Priuses sell for far more on the used market. We rolled off the lot silently in electric mode.

To start off this review, let's take an exterior and interior tour of the Prius to figure out how it compares to other sedans and hybrids.

Exterior:
The Prius has futuristic-looking headlights and taillights with clear lenses and bright chrome detail. The front has a new chrome grille for 2006. There are sleek doorhandles, a very sloped windshield (for visibility) and front hood unfavorably compared to a mini-minivan by my friends, and a slowly sloping rear window that slightly hampers visibility but integrates into the 5th door, the liftgate. This is technically a hatchback, with a somewhat shallow but nevertheless roomy cargo area with a retractable cover standard. 15" 6 spoke alloy wheels and modestly sized tires are the rolling stock, and one immediately notices the rather tall doors which contrast with the short front and rear overhang. This gives extremely good interior room, especially headroom, and the back seat area is longer than one might assume, giving it a comparable backseat to the Avalon. Our tech package Prius sports a back-up camera that shows what is going on behind the car on the interior display screen when the car is in reverse, handily making up for the slightly odd view out of the rear of the vehicle. Most who are in the market for this sort of car will perhaps even celebrate the slightly polarizing but quite enjoyable styling, since the vehicle stands out (although the car does not necessarily scream 'hybrid' like it's written across its forehead, there are chrome badges indicating the hybrid drivetrain on the side panels).

Interior:
The Prius seats 5, at least 4 comfortably, and the seats are well shaped. Leather upholstery is new for 2006 as an option. The vehicle's interior has loads of storage space and is enhanced by split folding rear seats, the aforementioned cargo hold, dual glove boxes, a front console, and a space in front of the console for a lady's purse. Seating position is very good but has limited adjustability owing to the 4-way manual seats. Most will have good visibility, if not all. Fit and finish is excellent, with a bit of hard plastic on the far forward portion of the dash near the windshield and on the lower parts of the doors by one's shins, but materials quality is overall solid and the car is very tightly and accurately assembled. No squeaks here.
The interior centers around a large high-resolution color touchscreen that gives a detailed fuel economy bar graph and real-time drivetrain schematic showing the hybrid system at work. There are screens for adjusting the stereo, climate control, and optional DVD Navigation System. The stereo is littered with bonus features such as a minijack plugin for your iPod in the center console, and MP3-CD playback capability, so you will have all of your illegally downloaded music at your fingertips. All of the electronic workings of the car are extremely intuitive, as my technologically challenged father was able to learn the various features in about 10 minutes.

Safety:
I may as well throw in a quick primer on how safe this car is. With 6 airbags when the side curtain airbags are ordered (a popular option in most of the Prius's packages), the standard ABS and Brake Assist systems, the optional stability control system added, and the high government crash test scores, there is not much to worry about. Unless the Prius is introduced to the front of a Lincoln Navigator. The optional Xenon high intensity headlights may help to avoid this scenario.

Getting started and driving:
Our tech package Prius had the optional Smart Key system, which lets you keep the keyless entry fob in your pocket and get in and out and started much more easily. One simply marches up to the door of the Prius, touches the inside of the door handle, and assuming one has the remote nearby, the Prius will authenticate the key fob and grant access. When one leaves the Prius, remote in pocket, one merely touches a button on the door handle exterior to lock all doors and arm the security system. Step into the Prius, put your foot on the brake, hit the power button, and the car starts up. There is a rather unique gear shifter akin to the one in the BMW 7-Series, one that's electronically actuated; you merely pull it down to go into drive, up to go into reverse, or press a separate button to go into park. And away you go. The Prius has a very smooth, compliant ride, sharp handling and almost overassisted electric power steering (powered by the electric portion of the drivetrain). It is very comparable to a Camry in how it drives and handles. Acceleration is like a 4-cylinder Camry, taking about 10 seconds to 60mph. The vehicle is very quiet in its operation and it is no punishment to ride long distances in it. But these are just the basics of the Prius.

What's a Hybrid, what does it do, and how does it work?

Now we must get somewhat technical. The Prius is powered by a 76hp, ultra-clean, ultra-high-tech Toyota four cylinder in conjunction with a high-torque, instant-on 50 kilowatt electric motor backed up by a 200 volt NiMH battery pack concealed under the back seat. Together they make about 110hp, enough to make the Prius behave itself and jump to attention. The torquey nature of the electric assist motor means that starting from a stoplight or passing on the highway is no challenge. This vehicle is a "true" hybrid rather than a "mild" hybrid, as it can run on electric alone, and is technically an electric with a gas assist. The car's power is managed by a planetary-gear continuously variable transmission, a new powertrain technology that gets better acceleration and fuel economy over a standard automatic by constantly adjusting its gear ratios to best match the car's RPM. This means no jerks during gear changes, just smooth, quiet acceleration up to the desired speed, and exceptionally smooth cruise control action on the highway.

How does the Prius get better fuel economy?

It's all about efficiency. When you sit at a stoplight, you burn gas. When you brake, you lose kinetic energy as heat. The Prius avoids this, as any sort of braking or slowdowns causes the drivetrain to mesh with the electric motor, and the electric motor is actually spun in reverse, acting as an electric generator. This recovers power and naturally slows down the car, charging the battery and also sparing the disc brakes from excess wear. The Prius has a very special gas engine that can be turned on and off on the fly, so when you release the gas pedal at speed the gas engine will shut off and the car coasts, assisted slightly by the electric motor, if you are prudent with your driving and feather the gas pedal such that you give the car just enough gas to maintain speed. This sort of tactic is used by the Prius fanatics to boast fuel economy numbers of up to 63mpg during city driving. Some even drive shoeless to feel the gas pedal more closely and be better in touch with their beloved hybrid. So what if the battery of the Prius is drained from too much use of the electric motor (say, on the highway)? Well, the gas engine is connected to the electric motor and uses some of its power to maintain battery charge by spinning the motor as a generator. I wish I understood the Prius even more, however one can read up on the specifics in the Priuschat.com forums. The hybrid system is backed by an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty, so no worries. The long and the short of it is that the Prius is miserly with energy and conserves where other cars do not, so it is approximately 4 times cheaper to own a Prius over an SUV in terms of yearly gas bills. I'm no environmentalist myself, but I was tired of paying so much at the pump, being a college student and all, so I introduced this vehicle to my family who was in need of a second car; indeed, it makes driving fun and a challenge to see who can get the best gas mileage.

Need a bigger incentive? Well in many states you can drive the Prius solo in the HOV lanes and laugh at all the other drivers. Also, you get 3100 bucks off your taxes if you buy a Prius in 2006 new, thus closing the price gap between it and a Camry or Corolla perhaps.

FAQs:
Does it need to be plugged in ever? No. The Prius looks after itself.

Do you have to buy it new batteries? They're warranteed for 8 years, after that you may need to buy a new battery pack to the tune of $2000 or so. It's an operating cost, similar to the new transmission your American car may need after 8 years on the road (Our Jeep Grand Cherokee managed to implode its steering pump somehow, resulting in a $3000 repair bill that was footed by the extended warranty we bought on it when we got it used).

Is this a "normal" car? Does it feel "normal" ? Will I ever get used to it being a "hybrid" ?

Toyota made this vehicle as "normal" and "driveable" as possible. Its technology is silent. If you sit back and drive the car as recklessly as possible, odds are you'll still get 35-40mpg in the city, more on the highway, even in the worst of situations. However, the car's gas engine shuts off at low speeds, which will scare young children as they see it prowling along as it turns around in a cul-de-sac or rolls through a Wal-mart parking lot.

How come I don't always get 50-60mpg? I heard the Prius is not all that.
Things such as constantly rolling hills, short trips where the car is not properly warmed up (the Prius eats extra gas to warm up its catalytic converter in order to keep its emissions low, so it is less fuel efficient when first started up), cold weather, suboptimal tire pressure, and of course the initial break-in period all affect the Prius. Furthermore, driving the Prius over-aggressively, like any car, kills its fuel economy. My '98 4-cylinder Dodge Stratus gets horrifying gas mileage because I drive it a bit impatiently and because of the nature of driving in Oklahoma. If it doesn't get its rated gas mileage when driven stupidly, why should the Prius? Frequent some fansites and get some good driving tips.


Please post comments if you have questions and I will answer them in the form of extending this review's Q&A section.