2002 Toyota Prius

I love my Toyota Prius more than any other car I have drive or owned. I find the car a pleasure to drive and have found so far (7 years later) that it requires very little maintenance and that the premium I paid for a Prius has easily paid for itself based on the reduced need for gas (especially during times when gas prices were sky high). The best thing about the Prius is that it is easy to drive and easy to car for. I own a green 2002 Prius and every time I drive it, I am glad that it was the car I chose.

One of my favorite things about the Prius is the ergonomics. I am very small person and so I find the Prius a comfortable car to drive. It is easy to get close enough to the steering wheel, and I enjoy being low to the ground. The car also has an enormous windshield so you can see everything coming and avoid accidents. Being low to the ground allows me to see things (or people) that are low to the ground and certainly stopped me from driving into curbs etc. Having the speedometer in the middle – instead of behind the steering wheel—has become second nature to me. I like it better because I don’t need to move my eyes away from the road to see my speed.

I also love the car because it is light and petty. It accelerates quickly and can stop on a dime. I enjoy its amazing turning radius. It can easy make the tightest turn, and it allows me to do U-Turns practically everywhere. Because it is small, it is also really easy to park. Living in the city, having a small car is really convenient. Parallel parking and parking garages are no issues because the Prius can fit anywhere.

The only issue I have ever had with the Prius is getting flat tires. Because the wheel base is so low, I think the car is more prone to getting flat tires. I live in area that has terrible potholes and unfortunately I have found my way into a couple of them and gotten flats. The good news is that I know from personal experience that the Prius’ spare donut is perfectly fine to drive on.

Having a hybrid is certainly not a necessity, but if you’re going to buy a hybrid, I think Toyota Prius is the one to buy. It comes with all the amenities of a regular car—I have a GPS which I love, climate control etc.—and it also has great fuel efficiency. (I average about 38-42 miles in the city/highway.) There have been no issues for me with the any of the hybrid technology. Any work that I have had done on the car would also needed to be done on a regular car. I love the Prius mostly because it is a great car, easy and fun to drive. The fact that it is a hybrid is a nice perk and is certainly the reason I bought. But since buying it, I’ve realized that the Prius is a great car, not just a great hybrid.