I'm thinking about buying a Toyota Prius. What is your experience with them?

Question

I'm about to buy my first car. I will put $6,000 down-payment but before I do this I want to make sure that the Prius is worth buying.

1) Does it really save you gas? Is it worth it?
2) When you drive it does it feel comfortable?
3) Does it break down often?
4) Have you had problems with the battery?
5) Is the car nice to drive?
6) Is it roomy?
7) Do you love it?

I'm getting such great answers. Please people give me more of your experience.

Answer 1

I get 50 mpg in mixed freeway/city driving from March to November, 60 mpg when I drive slower. Drops to around 43-46 in Michigan winter (gas is blended differently in winter, plus the heater causes engine to run even when the car is stopped). Driving 500 miles on a 10-gallon fillup is mighty handy. Twenty Priuses produce as much pollution as one ordinary car. Unfortunately, this is the only high-mileage vehicle made. The Honda Insight is no longer made, and all other hybrid vehicles are 'performance' vehicles or just not hybridized properly.
It's very comfortable, quiet, and has more rear seat legroom than any other car I've ever ever seen, big or small (except the Maybach). The only noise depends on the road surface; it's just about as quiet at 80 mph as it is at 20, unless the road is rough. There is some extremely minor wind noise at 80. And when you go downhill, it's quiet, since the engine shuts off (but even with the engine running, it's very hard to hear it). Ground clearance is 5 inches, so if you have a steep driveway with a nasty bump at the bottom, go slow and at an angle or you'll scrape the front end. Many cars are like this.
I've had two warranty claims; the dealer replaced the pushbutton for the lower glove box (there are two glove boxes) after a passenger carelessly scratched it with her shoe, and the rear cargo cover was replaced after I pulled on it too hard and popped a spring. Hurt me. No charge.
Traction batteries go for about $300 on eBay, pulled from wrecked cars, and the dealer gets $200 for an old one to recycle, so you can do the math. If a cell should fail, they replace the cell, not the whole darn battery pack of 170 cells. I've gone over 50,000 miles (of pretty hard driving) and don't expect to have any issues with the battery. The scuttlebutt is that it will outlast the car. I believe it. The only people worried about the battery don't drive a Prius.
It's a real dream to drive. Everything is very intuitive. Responsive steering and braking, traction control, ABS. My only complaint is that I can't gun the engine and rip-tear into traffic if there's a lot of snow on the ground, as the traction control kicks in to slow me down (can't turn it off). Throttle is not connected to the engine; it controls computers that change electricity and gasoline flows.
It's quick (not sports-car quick, but quicker than any other car I've owned, and I'm 55 yrs. old). Torque is 295 ft-lbs, more than most trucks. Electric motors have full torque even when they're not turning, and the engine doesn't have to rise to a screaming pitch and downshift twice just to pass another car -- it just takes off right now! You should not pull a trailer, but a bike rack is fine (and they sell small trailer hitches). Max load is just under 1200 lbs. If you put three full-size guys in the back seat, the middle one will probably sit a little forward. Three ordinary people will fit. A really big guy fits fine up front.
It is very roomy. The back seat has headroom that prevents anyone over 6' 2" from sitting comfortably for long trips. The windshield is huge, with minor blind spots on each side at the 'A' pillar, but I've gotten used to it. The rear view seemed a little cramped at first, but I've gotten used to that, and it's fine. Headlight glare from the car behind me is usually blocked by a feature between the two rear glasses (nice), and the lower one lets me see a car behind me very easily when parking (double-nice). The passenger's windshield wiper pivots on a special hinge that keeps it out of the driver's vision. (These guys thought of .) There's a hidden drawer under the console. It has explosive seat belts to tighten them snug against you if the air bags pop. Cabin air goes through a HEPA filter (I just vaccuum mine). The DVD navigation is intuitive and easy to use. Center touchscreen display for radio/discs/tape (6 discs in the dash), heater-A/C, navigation, calendar with notes, phone, maintenance records, and more, so dash is uncluttered but still has more features than you will ever use. Consider getting the hardware hack from ecoastaltech.com to let (the passenger) make map changes while moving. Bluetooth cellphone turns into a speakerphone and copies my phonebook to the car. It has voice commands for everything you can think of, and a few hundred more. All important controls are on the steering wheel. Leave the headlights on all the time -- they turn off when you Power down and exit the car. Get the 'loaded' version. Two 12-volt outlets, but no cigar lighter or ashtray, but you can buy one for one of the cup holders (two in front, two in rear). I put an MP3 player with an FM transmitter plugged into the 12 volt tap, all inside the console. No factory sunroof. New models have leather seats available, and a standard backup camera that shows in the center display when you put it in Reverse. I put my remote in a little velvet bag and stuff it in my sock each morning; no sense keeping it in my pocket, since I never take it out. The front of the car is so short you can't see it. Maintenance is just like any ordinary car, but it goes 100,000 miles on a radiator coolant change. There's no transmission or shifting. Turning radius is VERY small. No power steering pump or belt (power steering and air-conditioning are electric). No starter, starter relay, solenoid, or alternator and belt. You cannot cover a small grille on the extreme right side of the rear seat, as that's the air intake to cool the battery if it's worked hard.
I love it. I plan on keeping this one for 10 years, giving it to my son, and getting another one.

Answer 2

1) I average 52mpg on mine. I used to drive a Jeep Cherokee 4.0L which gets 18mpg at best.

2) Comfort is subjective. I feel comfortable in my Prius, so do a lot others, but there are also those who don't feel comfortable in one.

3) Nope. As a matter of fact, a Prius is very low maintenance, because the gasoline engine is not running all the time (so you get longer intervals between oil changes), and the regenerative braking means the mechanical brake pads will last virtually for the lifetime of the car.

4) Nope. And if I get battery problems, I'm not worried-- Toyota has an 8-year warranty on the battery.

5) It's subjective. The Prius isn't for everyone. If you like driving high-performance sporty cars like Mustangs or Cameros, you probably won't like the Prius. Personally I love how my Prius drives because it's so quiet (especially when on electrical power).

6) The Prius is quite roomy-- it has about the same interior room as a Camry, believe it or not. About the same amount of headroom and legroom, but a bit narrower.

7) It's the perfect car for me (high-tech, ridiculously fuel efficient, suits my purposes well). Of course I love it!

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

I've had my Prius for nearly three years now (it's an '05) and have over 50,000 miles on it.
I average 46mpg without even trying to be conservative.

1. Yes, it gets great mileage.
2. Yes (I'm a woman, 5' 5" --so I don't know how it would be for a really large man).
3. So far it has never broken down.
4. No problem with the battery
5. Yes, it's nice to drive.
6. It seems to be bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.
7. If it were possible to love a car passionately, I would feel that way about my Prius. It's the best car I've ever had.

Answer 5

I think the Prius is a completely amazing car. I have an '07 and it's already averaging over 60 mpg. All I did was add extra air to the tires. It's supposed to get better mpg once it's broken in. It's fun to drive, it's so quiet, powerful, roomy, and versatile. The hatchback with the folding rear seats let you fit all kinds of things inside....bikes, guitars, amps...anything!

The engineering on this car is unreal. It has a better coefficient of drag than the new Corvette. The drivetrain is completely amazing. And it comes with all kinds of features.

The smart key feature is really nice--no more digging around to find the keys. You never have to take the key out of your pocket--the car knows you have it. The back-up camera is a nice touch too.

It's supposed to be the most reliable car on the road. Most of the things that go wrong on other cars, the Prius doesn't even have. No transmission, starter, alternator, or power steering pump. It never needs a timing belt, and the brakes last practically forever because the regenerative braking does most of the work.

The high-voltage battery is designed to last the life of the car. It's extremely rare that it ever needs any attention.

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Answer 6

I just gotta jump in here and make a couple of minor additions.

First, toyodave, Eric P and cgoshbiz did really good jobs with their answers, and Thao Y really screwed the pooch. Thao Y, you said many people traded them in at 80,000 miles because the battery would wear out. Well, where's your proof? Where are the "many people" that you cite? I have been involved with Toyota hybrids since about six months before I bought my first Prius, in April 2002, and am a member of multiple Yahoo Groups dedicated to the Prius, and I gotta tell you that the facts do not in any way support your contentions. People put a lot of miles on these cars with very few failures. Where do you get this garbage about 80,000 mile battery failures? I hated my Prius so much that I bought a 2004 Prius and a 2007 Camry Hybrid to go along with it! Please, before you spout your nonsense, get your facts straight.

cgoshbiz, your answer was one of the succinct and correct of any that I have EVER seen about the Prius, and pretty much mirrors my experience. One minor correction, though, the Honda Civic Hybrid is still sold out there, and is a pretty darned good car, though I think it pales in comparison to the Prius, but that is just my opinion. The Nissan Altima Hybrid is also sold in 8 states, though it is based on leased Toyota first generation technology - Toyota is on the 3rd generation. At least Honda used their own design.

To answer the questions, specifically:
1) Yes, I average about 50 mpg with my 2004.
2) It feels just like any other car, other than the silence.
3) No hybrid I have ever owned has ever broken down. I have put over 170,000 miles on my three hybrids without a maintenance problem. Consumer Reports rates it one of the most reliable cars sold in the U.S.
4) Never, not even once. I even have the original 12V battery in the 2004.
5) It is the same as any other sedan. It is probably sprung similarly to a minivan, not harsh, but not too soft.
6) It is amazingly roomy. You really need to drive one for a week or so (rent it) before you put any money in it. You will be pleasantly surprised.
7) I wll never own anything but a hybrid again. Consumer Reports says that it has one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings ever. I totally agree, without reservation.

You should do some reading about it in Consumer Reports, and talk to owners, before plunking down your money. I think you will be pleased with it.

Answer 7

Lots of good answers (and a couple of bad ones, as have been mentioned and corrected). Good luck picking a best answer! Here are my experiences:

1) It saves me a ton of gas. With my old '95 Altima I barely got over 20 mpg. Now I've more than doubled my mileage to 50 mpg. It's great to only have to buy 9 gallons worth of gas every 450 miles.

As for being worth it (I assume you mean the higher initial cost), the answer is yes.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/08/22/bc.autos.hybrids.reut/index.html

You'll make up for the initial cost in about 5 years (depending how much you drive and what car you're comparing it to). So if you pay for the car with a 5 year loan, your higher monthly payments are offset by your monthly gas savings, and after that you're saving money.

2) It feels very comfortable to drive. Really just like any other well-built new car.

3) Priuses rarely break down because they have fewer parts than regular cars. They rely less on the internal combustion engine because of the electric engine, which has fewer moving parts. The regenerative braking system saves on brake pads. It's a very reliable car.

4) The battery is no problem. It's under warranty for 8-10 years, and Priuses used as taxis have gone over 200,000 miles on the original battery. They're designed to last the lifetime of the car.

5) It's very nice to drive. Contrary to popular opinion, the Prius can accelerate quite well if you need it to. The dashboard computer can tell you instantaneous and average mileage, so you can adapt your driving habits to maximize your mileage efficiency, too.

6) It's a very roomy car. Almost everyone who's ridden in mine has commented on how roomy and comfortable it is. Additionally, I can fit 2 bicycles inside with the back seats down due to the hatchback design.

7) I absolutely love the car. I'm an environmentalist, and the Prius was recently named the greenest car on the planet:

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2733658020070727?feedType=RSS

There's really nothing not to love about the car, and I haven't heard of a single Prius owner who isn't happy about the purchase. Go ahead and buy one - you won't regret it.

Answer 8

I just love the way people answer these questions ("What is YOUR experience with them....) when they in fact have none. (And here I am, I don't have one either..... But since I service them daily, I feel qualified to add my 2 cents worth....) To add to Eric P's accurate assessment, I just saw an 02 Prius (which isn't as good a the 04 and up) come through the shop a couple of days ago. It had 165,000miles on it, with the original battery, and drove perfectly. To reiterate what I have said before, in the 5 states of the SouthEast Region, we have NEVER seen a battery fail that had to be replaced by the customer, regardless of mileage. And isn't that what counts? Who cares if Toyota has to pay for one (or the insurance Co, in the case of an accident). The real kicker is, "did the customer have to pay?" And the answer is NOT ONCE SINCE 2001! Oh, and by the way, the customer was bringing his 02 in because he was really concerned that the brakes MUST have worn out by now, at 165,000 miles. But we looked at them, measured them and found about 50% remaining, and sent them back out on the road. I have never replaced pads on a Prius that were worn out. Never.

In response to the third question, we see an occasional 1st generation car (01-03) that gets towed in on rare occasion, but virtually never a 2nd Gen. They did have some bugs to work out in the 1st gen, but haven't seen any evidence of them in the 04 up. But again I agree with Eric, they appear to be one of the most reliable cars on the road, even among Toyotas.

Try to rent one before making a final decision. I cannot understand the statement that people make that the car is under powered. I wonder how many of those saying that have actually driven one for any distance, or are just parroting what they have read. Most of the car mags want V-8 performance out of a 4 cyl, with 100 mpg. I have driven 4 cylinders all my life and the Prius does exceptionally well in power to me. But only your experience matters, so go drive one for yourself! I think you will agree.

Have fun, and God Bless!

Answer 9

1.dont' expect more than 44 mpg no matter what. unless you can find a road that is constantly going downhilll.
2. don't have one
3. you have 2 engines (gas & electric), a extra generator and more batteries. you have twice as many moving parts so the chance of stuff breaking down will increase.
4. the battery supposedly only last 6 years
5. dont' have one
6. sat in one its just an regular sedan size.
7. i dont' like the prius at all.

Answer 10

It lacks power but it's not made to be fast.
Buy it BRAND NEW!!!!!! do not buy it used.
A lot of people trade the car in around 80,000 miles
because they say the battery pack only last for 100,000 miles.
it cost like $2-6,000 to replace the battery pack.