Toyota Prius Auto Reviews Hybrids
The best has gotten better. There is really no other way to describe this one. The redesigned Toyota Prius has taken the good attributes from the first generation, and added them to the completely refreshed styling to provide consumers with not only a great, fuel efficient car, but also something they will want to drive. Now I know that last statement seems weird, but thinking back in time, how many vehicles have you had that you drove because you had to, not because you actually wanted to. Treat yourself, not only with savings at the pump, but with the confidence you are driving one of the most attractive, up to date cars on the road today.
Under the hood has pretty much stayed the same. Why change something that isn't broken right? With the peppy 1.5 litre four cylinder engine tag teamed with the nickel plated hybrid battery system, this car easily averages 60 mpg in town, while getting a whopping 51 mpg on the highway. The better milage in town is attributed to the electric motor operating the vehicle until it reaches speeds of about 12-15 miles per hour, and at that point the gas enginekicks in without missing a beat. The transition between the two is smooth, with no residual jerking or noise. The only thing that still concerns me about this one is the amount of people out there who think they can still work on cars themselves. This is definitely not the toy to play with. Along with the multiple ways you can cause severe engine damage to this car without knowing what you are doing, the worst thing possible is the iminent threat of death. The hybrid battery in these vehicles is going to be putting out at maximum capacity around ten thousand volts. Without the proper gloves, grounding straps, and knowledge of what to touch, and what not to you are nothing more than a large grounding pole to the inside of this engine compartment. Electricity can and will kill, so I think that if you can afford to buy a Prius ( I didnt say they were cheap), you can afford to pay someone to work on it who knows what they are doing.
Also, when purchasing this vehicle used, double check all maintenance records to be sure the person you are buying from has followed the previous advice also. The last thing you want is another persons headaches. Some changes that have been in the positive direction for Toyota is the redesign of the passenger compartment in 2004 to give all passengers more head and leg room. Wider door openings, along with more legroom in the back seat have given riders more comfort without taking away from the overall ambiance of this vehicle.
Some negatives on the redesign are the controls, and guages on the dash as they are a bit unfamiliar. It will take some getting used to, but can be overlooked. Other issues that have arose is the uneven tire wear on the rear tires due to lack of weight. As most people use this as a strictly one person commuter car, no weight is evenly distributed towards the rear of the vehicle. This makes it quite "front heavy", leaving the rear tires not making the contact they need on the pavement surface, and wearing unevenly.
Other than the few minor issues that can be easily overlooked, this is a solid and dependable car. While you should be prepared for the cost in a few years for a replacement regenerative battery, this is one of the few things that will go wrong for a long time. As always, have any used vehicle inspected by a ASE certified mechanic, and remember. Your car will only treat you as good as you treat it.
