2001 Toyota Prius

Hybrids. The word itself does one of three things to the average consumer. Frightens them, thinking about all of the new technology; drives curiosity into their minds with all of the new shiny toys available with them; or angers them with the thoughts of higher repair costs and untested technology. Wherever you sit on the fence, one thing is sure and for certain; Hybrid vehicles are here to stay. With the right mindset, and a good bit of knowledge, these vehicles should not be feared but embraced as the future, and the Toyota Prius has given us a good base to start our learning with.

With gas prices getting near the four dollar a gallon range, a car that will average 50+ miles per gallon sounds pretty good. In 2001, following Honda, Toyota released the first Prius Hybrid which had some pretty impressive figures on paper. After people drove the first few, they realized that the figures were right, and they were getting the mileage that Toyota had claimed. While it lacked in the performance department, with small passenger compartments, and little to no cargo room, it was okay because they were saving money. The cool thing about these vehicles is that they combine an electric and a gas powered engine to make the perfect package. At lower speeds, the electric motor kicks in and powers the vehicle until around 20 to 30 miles a hour, when the gas engine goes into effect. This has a specialized charging system on it to charge the nickel plated batteries on the hybrid while the vehicle is braking called regenerative braking. Cool Stuff.

While this car is definitely a hot seller, it does have its downsides. With new and specialized technology comes new and more expensive repair bills. I will tell you that it does require expensive tools, and safety equipment to work on these vehicles, and this is one of those cars I would almost require you to take back to the dealership for repair, or a reputable shop who keeps their technicians up to date on the latest releases. This is not going to be a do it your self vehicle, even down to the oil changes. There are procedures to disengage the electric start motor while doing a oil change, that if not followed can cause serious engine damage. Summary: DONT WORK ON IT YOURSELF!!!!!

But enough with the technical garbage, on to the stuff you want to know. This car gets great gas mileage, being beaten only by the redesigned models being put out in 2004-2007. The passenger compartment has many cool features such as easy to read gauges, adjustable seats for the driver and passenger, and the front and side airbags that were introduced in 2002. Safety is great on these cars with the impact ratings higher than average in this class. There is no noise at low speeds in the cabin, and even at highway speeds road noise is minimal, and airstream noise is unheard.

Overall, there has been no major issues with this vehicle other than standard maintenance. This is a smaller, lighter car, so if you are a larger person such as myself expect to encounter some alignment and tire wear problems, but as for major mechanical defects, this car is clean. Some things to look for when purchasing this vehicle used are Maintenance Records from day one. As we discussed earlier, you dont want Joe Blow under the hood of this thing. Make sure it has been serviced by a dealer, or reputable shop. Failure to do this could cost thousands of dollars down the line, and could be the reason for selling the vehicle. I mean in this day and age, why sell a vehicle getting 50 + miles per gallon on the highway? Be very cautious and thorough in your purchase. And as with any new or used car, please have it inspected by a ASE certified technician for any defects prior to purchase. Again, this may save you money in the long run. Just remember that your vehicle will only treat you as good as you treat it..Keep on Driving.....