I'm thinking about buying a Toyota Prius, I would like to hear what owners like or don't like about them.

Answer 1

My girlfriend bought one two years ago and she loves it. She averages 58mpg in the city (SF) and 55 on the highway. The things I like about the car,
the storage split fold down seats, hatch
5 adult passenger capabilities
The technology- the most technological commercial car made
Car holds great resale value

What I did not like
engine was zippy but I'm used to driving a performance engine that gets only 25 mpg (V8) that took some getting used too
hatch back door created a blind spot for me while looking out of the rear view mirror.

Answer 2

The Unites States Federal government has already payed out all of the tax credits to Toyota Prius owners so you can't get that anymore.

All Toyota Prius are imported here from Japan,so I don't understand why Americans were given US tax incentives to buy & support Japans economy, But that is beside the point.

Please read Consumer Affairs article about Prius owners problems:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/05/prius_traction.html#top)
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/04/prius_traction.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/02/prius_snow.html

EDIT/CORRECTION:
The IRS will still allow a tax credit of $787.50 if you buy a Prius by Sept 30, 2007.
But the IRS will allow $3000 for a Ford Escape Hybrid which is built in the U.S. by Ford UAW workers at the Kansas City plant.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_hybrid.shtml

Answer 3

I bought a new one 6 months ago, and have to say I have never been happier with any purchase. It's exactly what a car should be- cheap & worry-free- to maintain. It costs less to fill up & a tank lasts longer than any car I know of. My Dad's owned a lot of cars, is somewhat of a "snob" & was skeptical when I bought it-- but after thoroughly checking it out & driving it, says it has a lot more power than he thought it would, and is an excellent car overall. He is thinking of making a Prius or Camry hybrid his next purchase.
My uncle owns a large company, and has bought these cars for company use (traveling salespeople) for years.
I drive A LOT, always have, & I'm confident this was a smart purchase.
Do your research. I almost got a Honda, but a Prius doesn't lose value as quickly (consumerreports.org).
Good luck!

Answer 4

I'm buying one for the same reasons you are thinking about it. The answer that the tax credit is no longer available is bogus. You can get a $700 income tax credit as long as you buy the Prius by Sept. 30th.
By the way, if you are going to pay cash I found the best price through carsdirect on the internet. Going through the internet and getting dealers to bid wasted a lot of time and did not beat what I could get by going to a dealer.

Answer 5

I would say to also look at a Honda Civic Hybrid, since it is a much more attractive vehicle. That being said, the Toyota Prius is a Toyota, so you should know exactly what to expect.

Answer 6

I would suggest you look at the real-world fuel economy vs. your expected driving. Then compare to a Corolla/Civic non-hybrid.

I hear of priuses (prii?) getting 40-45mpg highway...the big bonus is city driving (I've heard reports of 50mpg) which I don't really do. My Corolla got 35mpg highway, with very low repair costs (no unusual hybrid system) and cost under $15k.

I know when I worked it out for my daily drive (about 110 miles per day) it took several years for the hybrid to work out to be cheaper. Add the unknown maintenance requirements/cost/disposal of the batteries after 4 years and 150k miles and it swayed me away from the hybrid.

It may work out for you; you may have reasons other than the economics of it; but the economics are still a "hard sell" compared with the better small cars out there.

Answer 7

For another view, let me recommend the Honda Insight. I LOVE mine. Honda stopped making these last September, but they are supporting them. I found mine on eBay and it was a very successful purchase. I have had it for three years now, and I have a long commute, so the California carpool sticker is invaluable.

But the real thrill is that it's a simple little car, and right now today I am getting 55.2 mpg!

Answer 8

I do not own one, so I cannot tell you about its qualities. Probably it's a nice economical car, but, come on, it is UGLY! This I know without being an owner.