Wasn't sure about the Prius.
Disclaimer: I cannot afford new vehicles so when I need a vehicle I fly to Arizona, buy a used Toyota and drive it back to Minnesota. 'Makes for a nice vacation too. And, I'll say this up-front so dealerships and everybody else can read it firsthand without wading through the rest of this review: there is NO reason for the cost of the combination of an extra key, fob and programming to be so stupid expensive. Near as I can tell, dealers charge north of $300 for additional means to lock, unlock and start a Prius. This is plain stupid.
I came to the Prius from a Toyota Matrix that had been totaled in a wreck. I had hoped to buy another Matrix but, because Toyota discontinued the model in 2013 or so, I had a difficult time finding one with low enough miles. So, after a great deal of research and indecision, I decided to test a few Prius models. I had hoped to find a Prius C since it is most like the Matrix but there weren't many of those available on the used market. So, I ended up buying a regular 2009 with 151k.
My first impression of the 2009 Prius was, "This is weird." Not used to push button start; inserting a key-fob and a two-position, dash-mounted 'joy stick'. That, and I had to get used to the motor shutting off at stop lights & signs! So, it was a major departure from what I was used to but the car didn't lack for anything. Acceleration was fine in traffic, road noise wasn't all that bad, everything in the vehicle worked just fine. The clear coat was peeling when I bought it and got progressively worse; not sure if it was a poor paint job or if it was just a common result of too much Arizona heat and sun. In time, I sold the 2009 and bought a 2010 that had a restored title with fewer miles in a lot better shape (repainted too).
The 2010 Prius is a re-design of previous body styles & models. They don't resemble prior models even though the technology is largely the same. There is more space in the 2010 model; it rides better; the displays are much more technical with a monochrome green - not sure if there are better options or not. MPG is about the same but with a larger motor: the 09 had a 1.5 L, the 10 has a 1.8 L. Quite a bit more snort with the 2010.
My advice for anyone considering the purchase of a Toyota Prius: go for it! Just be aware that, in your research, you'll run into a lot of negative comments and reports about these cars. Weigh those against the positive and you'll find a car that people are largely happy with. Especially, do NOT believe the negative winter reports about these cars: I believe they're written by folks trying to get through winter with all-season radials or summer tires. Further, the only downsides I can see in a Toyota Prius during winter are; 1) low ground clearance (common to all compact cars) and 2); how the additional warm-up robs MPG, (you'll 'only' get 35 to 40 mpg in a northern Minnesota winter where temps get south of -40 Fahrenheit and wind chills go to 50 below - best not to be out in that anyway.) Take the usual winter precautions with a Prius that you'd take with any other vehicle, (dedicated snow tires all around and a $36 block heater) and you'll be fine. It acts just like any other car once the driver gets used to the technology.
I've found this car to be relatively cheap to own and drive. I'm very happy with any affordable technology that decreases my cost per mile. A personal note: I never spend more than $7000 on a vehicle.
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