7th Jul 2006, 11:29
I know what the poster is talking about with the lazy speedometer in cold weather. It is digital, liquid crystal display to be exact, and when something LCD is exposed to cold temperatures, it can be slower to respond. That's just the "nature of the beast" so to speak. Try leaving a cell phone in the car over night during the winter (35 degrees or lower) and then when you get in the next morning, try dialing numbers on your cell phone. That will act "lazy" as well. That complaint really isn't the car's fault, it's just the way the speedometer is made. I agree with the poster about the transmission failing. The dealer said it was a component failure, so therefore, they SHOULD pay this person's deductible for them. Lord knows it's not going to hurt Toyota any! Especially if it was a mechanical failure.
These hybrids are not all they are cracked up to be. I drive my 2004 Chevy Malibu LT V6 to work everyday to Buffalo, NY, and my car CONSISTENTLY gets 40 MPG on the highway, and about 24 in the city. The window sticker says city 21 highway 32, and my car beats both of those figures daily. And that's in a vehicle with 201 hp. God Bless the Malibu... I sure love it... And I didn't have to spend a crazy amount of money for it either. And it has been super reliable! 74,000 miles and counting with NO trouble, whatsoever. Thank you.
19th Jul 2006, 12:52
To the June 24th poster:
First off, the reviewer never mentioned letting his 17 year old daughter "practice" driving in his Prius. She's obviously a licensed driver, in which we all know you have to pass tests to achieve, because insurance wouldn't cover any of the damages resulting by an uninsured driver causing them. So it's not really fair to say the reviewer lacks proper judgement.
If the dealership mechanics even stated it was a bad controller box, it doesn't matter who tried to park the car in that same exact spot, the car would've done the same exact thing.
If the 17 year old girl (or even you) had been driving down the interstate, even at the posted speed limit, and the front wheel fell off, causing her (or you) to drift into oncoming traffic resulting in a head-on collision, would it be safe for you to blame the girl for the accident just because she wasn't skillfully able to keep the car from drifting into oncoming traffic? No, it was an ACCIDENT caused by a faulty vehicle part(s). Either way, the reviewer would've most likely have had to pay his insurance deductible, causing a rise in his rates. Though a head-on collision and a cracked front bumper are two obvious different scenarios, they are still the same situation; an accident caused by a defective part.
Second, though it's not stated specifically, it's obvious to anybody when he is saying "Toyota", that when it comes to installation/repair work, the reviewer is speaking in regards to the dealership.
To the reviewer:
Thank you for the detailed review. Though I only own a 2003 Chevy Silverado, this review has helped me in making a decision in my new vehicle purchase I will be making within the next few months. (Including Mazda 3, VW Golf, Jetta, or Rabbit, and I've toyed with the thought of MAYBE looking at a Prius)
22nd Jul 2006, 08:15
I tested a Prius yesterday for about two hours. Once I understood the starting procedure, it was easy to drive. As for the air conditioning, very easy to operate and the screen had simple touch features for everything. This vehicle got about 42 mpg in the driving I did. The one complaint I have is the driver's seat didn't have enough room when it was fully back for me, I am 6-2.
6th Aug 2006, 23:15
Question for Prius owners: as a passenger in one once I noticed a "surge" as engine moved to gas from electric.. I couldn't figure if it was the driver or the car... very annoying to say the least.
9th Aug 2006, 20:45
To the last poster (8/6) : be aware that this car has a CVT (continuously variable transmission). It is a highly efficient design, and actually much simpler than the cone-belt CVTs which are appearing with greater and greater frequency in other cars. Anyway, the CVT does not have to "shift" like a regular automatic. It looks at the overall situation, sets an effective "gear" ratio and with the ECU, it allows the engine to surge to its most efficient rpm, and then keeps adjusting both as you reach your target steady speed. It can take a tad of getting used to (I just bought a Prius about 10 days ago myself), but it's OK when you realize what it's up to (saving you gas!).
29th Dec 2006, 01:03
Wow! This is shocking! First of all, just about every car on the road gets better gas mileage on the highway than it does in the city. Well, Prius would be the exception. So to buy a Prius for (mainly) highway use is almost as insane as getting a rental and pouring premium fuel in it. Why not buy a far, far cheaper alternative (a Corolla would be a good example), because fuel savings will never ever offset the purchase price. My Saturn SC gets over 50 MPG on the highway! No, I am not kidding, nor am I exaggerating. Actually my record trip was 54 MPG, that's because my car is in tip top shape and I do care about getting as good a gas mileage as I can. Oh, and no, to keep my car in great shape it does not cost a lot either, just because I know a lot of import buyers will be quick to point that out. Other than regular maintenance, plus new tires and ignition wires and plugs I've spent nothing on it. Not bad for a six year old (american) car. Yes, the Saturn SC and its amazing economy is one of those little known secrets of the industry.
Back to the Prius. I am glad I didn't make a mistake of purchasing one of these, yes, they are nice, but you certainly pay for the technology, and the above review is not an isolated case when a manufacturer's optimal MPG ratings are far off what you might end up with in a real world.
29th Dec 2006, 09:05
Yes, the Prius is not a wise decision if you do highway driving a lot, since its fuel economy with the regenerative brakes is found in stop and go traffic.
That said, my friend is averaging 47 mpg in his and that is significantly better than virtually any car out there. Again, we are talking AVERAGE.
The EPA listings have always been wildly exaggerated and that is changing with revised rules next year.
You buy a Prius for its technology and not for the economic argument behind it. You are paying almost exclusively for what's under the hood than what's in the interior.
8th Aug 2007, 17:20
We have a 2004 Prius with 55,000 miles of mixed hi-way and city driving. It has been one of the most dependable autos we have owned. We always keep detailed records on all our cars. The Prius has averaged 47.4 in mixed city driving and 50 on long hi-way trips at legal speeds over a period of 50,000 miles. Most recently I took a road trip to Chico from San Jose (245+miles each way) and got 47.8 against a headwind up and 51.3 returning the next day mostly at California freeway speeds. Gasoline economy is important, but we think reduction in green-house gasses is equally important. This automobile enables us to maximize both and still have a dependable, comfortable,safe 5 passenger family sedan. Kudos to Toyota!
24th Jun 2006, 14:00
Poor judgement to let a 17 year old to practice driving on a new car, especially an advanced hybrid such as the 2005 Prius. My 2006 Prius manual parking brake needs to be pressed firmly to stop the car on a slope like my Mom's 1995 Ford Taurus. Park button on the hybrid transmission is just to lock the transmission, not to stop the car, just like my Mom's 1995 Ford Taurus. My Mom's Taurus will still roll forward slightly without the pushing the manual parking brake. Toyota was being extra nice to fix the car for you. Please remember consequential damage from operational mistakes or lack of driving experience is not covered by warranty. Even your insurance company raised your premium and qualify this event as your daughter's fault, not the car's.
The speedometer and VIN number complaints do not make sense and sounds suspicious. The digital speedometer only displays a number, not like the older style analog dial that moves slowly. The VIN number is clearly visible both on the dash and on the door frame. Fake wood dash trim is not a factory accessory and therefore only the dealer is responsible for poor installation, not Toyota. Installing a non-Toyota accessory is completely at your own risk.
Posted EPA mileage are not reached by any car. The EPA test assumes no A/C, very light acceleration, moderate weather and obeying all legal speed limits. I would suggest car buyers to look at Consumer report for the real world gas mileage. For Corolla they had 29 mpg average and Prius had 44 mpg, better than 50% improvement!
Given the usage of the car, Corolla would have been much wiser choice than the Prius. Your comment about the climate control sounds like you do not own a Prius. The temperature control is right on the steering wheel. I change it constantly in my 2006 Prius.
Overall, I am suspicious this review was more of a smearing campaign than a real review from a real Prius owner.