Opinions on owning the Prius

I've been seriously considering purchasing a Prius. I've read the posts here about different concerns/problems but I am more interested in how those of you who own one feel about your vehicle. Are you happy with it? Compard to conventional cars, how do you find the Prius? Is it much different? Any problems in cold or hot climates? What is your real world fuel economy? I am on Long Island, NY if climate affects your mileage. Any other opinions would be appreciated. TIA

Reply to
sanpablo
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I've got two cars, my 2005 Prius and my 1995 Explorer. I like the fully adjustable leather seats in the Explorer better than the seats in my Prius. Since I live in MN there are times I need the Explorer's 4WD, extra ground clearance, and trailer towing capacity. So far this winter I've burned about a tank of gas in the Explorer. The Prius is a LOT more fun to drive and seems more stable at highway speeds. It goes more than three times as far on a gallon of gas. The heater/defroster in the Explorer is a bit better but then it has that gas guzzling V6 to draw heat from and one would expect it to warm faster. The Explorer also has AstroStart, a very nice feature when its -20F. Would I buy the Prius again? Yes, definitely, and not just because it conserves a rapidly depleting resource and doesn't pump pollutants into the air at nearly the rate other cars do. My "real world" overall fuel economy is about 50 mpg summer, 45 mpg winter but I do have a self-imposed 55 mph speed limit driving either vehicle. From my experience, I'd say if you have a daily 5 mile, one-way commute you will be lucky to average 40. If you have a a daily 30 mile one-way commute, and if you behave yourself, you will probably do better than I do.

Reply to
Bill

We bought a 2004 Prius in December of 2003. We have about 39,000 miles on it including a coast to coast trip. My wife and I both find the car comfortable although the ride is a bit stiff. Most of our driving has been in Southern California but have driven the car at temperatures ranging from the mid 20's to the low 100's. Hot or cold it was fine although the mileage dropped off a little in the cold. My average fuel consumption is about 46 mpg. I generally stay with the flow of traffic and do most of my driving on the freeways. I drove the Prius for the first two years that we had it. I think that my wife was a bit intimidated by the technology and only drove it twice (around the block) in that period. She finally drove it for a significant distance when we made the cross country road trip last November. She got over her reluctance to drive it during the trip. When we got home she decided that she liked it so much that we bought a second Prius for her this January.

Kari

Reply to
kari

It's the most satisfying car I've ever driven, much less owned.

A million more words from Prius owners can be found at

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Reply to
richard schumacher

I have about 20,000 miles on a 2004 Prius. I live in Fargo ND and have driven it 2 winters (and year-round). I love the car. The mileage is about 45 mpg in the summer but is only 28 or so in the winter. But winter driving is only for a mile or 2 at a time. If I drive on the highway in the winter the milage is about 40 mpg. There are 2 points that I don't see mentioned: 1) Driving on an expressway around cities where you're tucked-in behind other vehicles significantly increases the mileage - maybe 2-4 mpg. (and here in Fargo I don't have that advantage mileage-wise) 2) In the city, acceleration from a stoplight is great - I can pull away from most cars if I choose. I know 0-60 mph is about 10 seconds (nothing great), but, somehow the absence of a lag from the get-go - or maybe the 0-40 time is unusually good? Anyway it goes like a rabbit when I wish. I think another thing that is under-discussed is how much fun it is to drive. The visibility forward is good - the absence of any shift-points (because of the continuously variable transmission) provides an unusually smooth acceleration. I'd buy another in a second if something happend to the one I have. My wife feels the same as I. Go for it!

Reply to
parrotjack

I drive in Fargo every month or so and yes, it is hard to imagine a commute that takes more than 10 minutes one-way so the mileage does suffer. I-29 north to Grand Forks and South to the SD border, wind not-with-standing, are perfect tests of the EPA rating at 55 mph and yes, my Prius meets that standard. Coming and going from Fargo on I-94, with the cruise locked on

55, I can see the descent into and the ascent out of the Red River valley in my 5-minute bars. Have you ever encountered a situation where, when the temperature and dew point are close and the temperature is hovering around freezing, the windshield suddenly fogs? It is as if the climate control suddenly switches from outside air to recalculated, pumping the warm, moist interior air onto the cold windshield.
Reply to
Bill

I've had mine since Jan. 06. So far I love It and it is fun to drive.. Mine even has the camerafor when you back up. It automaticly activates when you pt it in reverse, The picture come on the instrument screen.. I'm averaging 47 - 53 mpg. with a lot of contry drivnging. No problems so far and we love it. RWS

Reply to
gpstwo

Thank you, everyone, for repsonding. Very helpful comments. Thank you Richard S. for the links.

Reply to
sanpablo

They're fun to drive. Wicked small turning radius. Brake in less than half the distance. I have very little wear on my brakes after 68,000 miles. My seat belt doesn't retract very well and sometimes it gets caught when I close the door. I wish I could see the temperature along with the speedometer instead of having to turn on the graphics. Small wishes, no big deal. mark_

Reply to
mark digital©

  • Hi! I bought an '05 Prius in January, '05 (after a six-month waiting list) and I am completely happy with it. I now have about
22,000 miles with an average gas mileage of about 50.2 mpg. It tends to get a little more than this in the summer and a little less in the winter. (I keep a very accurate spread sheet with every gallon of gas I purchase.)

I have driven this car over the Donner Summit (7,200 feet), Tioga Pass in the Sierra (10,000 feet), as well as other mountain driving (Sequoia National Park, Grand Canyon, etc.) with no problems whatsoever.

I have not driven it in snow conditions -- most of my travel has been on local highways (maybe about 2/3) and in city travel (about

1/3).

This is the best car I have ever owned. It is completely reliable, safe, and very much fun to drive. The steering/handling is fantastic. It has more room than you might realize. Fold down the back seats and with the hatchback design, you could put a couple of golf bags back there. I believe that two could sleep in the back.

In addition, I really like the small features that are standard: The 'Smart Start/Alarm' system that lets you keep you keys in your pocket and unlocks the doors automatically when you approach the car. It lets you start the car with the keys in your pocket.

The '06 has a back-up camera to show you the view out the rear when you are in Reverse.

All in all, this has been the best car I have ever owned -- which includes two Subarus -- one a 2001 Outback Wagon, one a 1998 Forester, and the Isuzu Trooper, and many Volvos, VWs, Mazda 626, RX-7, and Protege, and various assorted Detroit iron.

Good luck!

earle

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Reply to
Earle Jones

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