The Toyota Prius is Toyota’s mid sized gas electric hybrid car and is a joy to drive. It relies on a combination of a gas engine, electric motor and battery pack to move it down the road. Prices start at $20,875 for the base model and go up to $25,940. The Prius demand has outpaced production, leaving some buyers waiting weeks or months for their chance to own a Prius. Toyota has increased production, and as most owners will tell you, even if you have to wait, the Prius is well worth it.
Technology
When driving the Prius it is hard to not be amazed by the Prius’ use of technology. Starting the Prius is not done by turning a key in a traditional ignition; instead it is initiated by pressing the round “Power” button on the dash. There is an interactive, touch sensitive, Multi-Information display screen mounted in the center console. The display has many modes and can show things like the energy flow between the powertrain components, fuel consumption, radio settings, climate control, or many of the Prius’ other functions. But the technology, like the Prius’ futuristic styling, can be seen positively or negatively depending on your point of view.
The Ride
Cargo/Hatchback Area of the 2005 Toyota Prius - With LuggageToyota Overall the Prius delivers a smooth ride and has an ample amount of passenger room. The 112.3 cubic ft of interior volume is very versatile. The rear liftback hatch and the 60/40 fold down rear seats make carrying larger items easy. Although the Prius can seat five adults, I would limit the back seat to only two adults if I were planning a long trip. The headroom up front is higher than the back due to the rear hatch’s sloping roofline. My 6 foot 3 inch friend had no problem up front, but his head just scraped the roofline in back.
Gas Mileage
In the city under stop and go traffic, I didn’t quite meet the EPA gas mileage estimate of 60 miles per gallon, but with a light foot I did reach a very healthy 58 miles per gallon. The Prius’ ability to run using only the electric motor certainly makes a positive effect on gas mileage when traffic speeds are slow. On the highway, the Prius was adequately powered. With a 0-60 time of about 10 seconds, I was able to merge and pass with absolutely no worries. There was some additional road noise due to the open rear cargo area, but it was still reasonable for a mid sized sedan. I met the EPA gas mileage estimate of 51 miles per gallon on the highway by keeping acceleration slow and easy and not exceeding the speed limit. I did not do any interstate driving or need to use the air conditioning. These factors would have likely reduced the gas mileage. In the real world I’ve seen Toyota Prius drivers getting an average of around 48 miles per gallon. In any case, it was nice to see what was possible when the Prius was driven conservatively under good road conditions.
The Prius Is Good For The Environment
The Toyota Prius is certainly a hybrid car that is good for the environment. It carries an AT-PZEV rating, which makes the Prius one the cleanest production cars on the road today when it comes to emissions. It is 90% cleaner than that of the average car. Combined with the Prius’ excellent gas mileage, it is a great choice if you want to promote environmentalism.
Toyota Prius Options
The Prius I drove was nicely appointed with safety features such as front and rear side curtain air bags, integrated fog lights, high intensity discharge headlamps, and Vehicle Stability Control. Other goodies included a JBL 6-disc in dash CD Changer, and hands free phone capability via Bluetooth technology. One of the favorite features, though, was the voice activated navigation system. The maps were extremely accurate and the voice activated commands were fun to try. Nothing beats saying “I’m hungry” and having a map of the nearest restaurants pop up on screen.
2005 Toyota Prius Summary
The Toyota Prius has continued to be a popular car since being named Motor Trend’s 2004 car of the year, and the 2005 Toyota Prius has continued that popularity. It‘s easy to see why. With its use of technology, environmentally friendly features, seating for five, and great gas mileage, the Toyota Prius will remain one of the top picks when it comes to hybrid cars.
Source: hybridcars.about.com
