You Have to Drive It to Believe It

After writing a few car reviews years ago and thinking that I might want a Chevy Malibu after driving a rental (my former roommate had one and it had several mechanical problems so I don't feel quite the same about it anymore), I have finally found the car of my dreams. Well, maybe not perfect but close to it :)

I bought this car after extensive online research and a test drive. Locally at the time, there wasn't a place in Austin where I could easily test drive one though. I had to go to a dealership in Houston where my parents lived. I first test drove a blue package #5 Pruis with wood grain trim and leather seats (not a good idea for the summer heat though- cracks leather). I loved the way it drove and all the interior features, but I knew it would take some getting used to, especially the very deep dash display and "electric-only" mode where it seems like the car is off. I felt that I didn't need all the extras that package #5 had like a cassette tape player and 6 disc cd changer (base has just a 1 disc cd player). Luckily, there was a black base model Prius with "Extra Mile Package B" that the dealership offered for $500 less than MSRP so I took it and traded in my 1997 Nissan Sentra.

Wow, what an upgrade this car was! It was much roomier of course, the fabric seats were smooth and soft to the touch, it had a nice sized console between the front seats with 2 deep cup holders, 2 glove compartment sections, 2 AC adapters, the dash display keeps your eyes on the road better with the digital speedometer display so much easier to read, and the best part is the touch-sensitive LCD display. This car is so unique that it's hard to write about ALL the neat features included. The base model which I bought already has so many features standard unlike some other cars where almost everything can cost extra. Some standard features on the 2005 Toyota Prius are ABS brakes, 15 in. aluminum alloy wheels, push button start, liquid crystal multi-information display panel with energy monitoring, fuel consumption, climate control, outside temperature and audio status modes, cruise control, remote keyless entry system with 2-stage unlocking, panic function and remote illuminated entry, AM/FM CD with six speakers, tilt steering wheel with audio, climate control and navigation function controls, power windows with driver-side auto-up/down and retained-power features, power automatic door locks with anti-lockout feature, 60/40 split fold-down rear bench seat with fold-down center armrest and adjustable headrests in all seating positions, and a dual compartment glove box.

To drive the car is even a new experience. The key is actually a fob which looks like a car alarm remote, and there is even a traditional cut key inside the fob in case you get locked out and the remote doesn't work. The fob goes inside a slot by the steering wheel, and you must brake while pushing the ON/START button to drive the car or only the accessories will start if you don't brake while pushing the button. To drive, the gears are changed with a small knob near the steering wheel which reminds me a little of manual transmissions expect there's only 1 Drive and there's B which is engine braking for going down steep hills. While reversing the car, it beeps which can be annoying if you're in reverse for a long time. There is a way to turn that feature off too I've read online, but I figure it's a safety feature so I haven't changed it. While driving, you can feel the different modes of the car, quiet electric mode at slow speeds and the running engine at faster speeds. When you stop at a light, the car will often "shudder" off or turn off the engine to conserve gas. When you slow or brake, the battery charges up which can be seen on the LCD display. There's also a fuel consumption display which displays your averge MPG in 5 minute intervals and electric consumption in those intervals. The LCD also is used to make climate control changes and change stereo settings like volume and radio stations, some of which even display the name of the songs and artists currently playing. Climate and stereo settings can be changed with controls on the steering wheel too. To park the car, you push the "Park" button after coming to a complete stop. I also feel that another advantage of this car is it will change the way you drive for many people because with all the information displays, you lean how to drive more efficiently in order to get better gas mileage. You can also feel good about driving an environmentally-friendly car that not only is less dependent on fuel but is an advanced technology partial-zero emission vehicle or AT-PZEV.

There are a few disadvantages to this car though. The rear visibility is somewhat hindered by a bar across the hatchback window. Gas mileage isn't usually above 50 MPG as advertised unless you're going downhill or driving slow around a parking lot. Those mileage tests are done under "ideal conditions" anyway which isn't the world we live in. You almost always get low gas mileage with short trips and in your first 5 minute interval and it usually steadily increases depending on your driving in the next intervals. This car is certainly not the most powerful or fastest, but it isn't as weak and slow as most economy cars or earlier generation hybrids. The steering could also be more precise. The standard warranty is typical basic 3 years/36k miles, 60 months/60k mile powertrain, and 8 years/100k mile for hybrid-related components including the battery. With all the technological features that this car offers, I went ahead and did buy a 7 year/75k mile extended warranty since I'm sure it would expensive to fix and most regular mechanics can't work on this type of car. I also somewhat wish that I did hold out for a package #3 model though which includes side airbags and the smart key system which does not require remote entry or the key to be in the slot to drive, only that it be in on you (purse or pocket). The top of the line package #6 includes about everything, even a voice-activated navigation system, but I've read that some don't think it works too well. The other thing that I somewhat wish is waiting longer to get a 2006 model, but the price does seem to steadily increase for these cars over time. The 2006 model has more features than the 2005 including a tire pressure monitoring system and a reverse back-up camera (In Japan, they also have an automatic parallel parking system; seems interesting!). With the tax credit, the 2006 is even more in demand since it's limited to the first 60k sold so dealers are marking up the cars again. Well, I'm still happy with the lower than MSRP price I got it for and the $2000 tax deduction for my 2005 taxes.