The 2009 Prius is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 3 trims, ranging from the Base to the Touring.
All trims are equipped with a standard 1.5-liter, I4, 110-horsepower, hybrid engine that achieves 48-mpg in the city and 45-mpg on the highway. A variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.
Summary: First thing is , its very noisy when engine turns on and road noise in terrible. Second thing is there is no lumbar seat for the driver! With the new Li-Ion bateries , this car should be geting 100mpg not 48 mpg. Toyota still using old batery technology.
Strengths: Gas mpg very good
Weaknesses: Noisy, lack of lumbar seat, still using old battery technology which reduces mpg by 100%.. Very expensive
Similar Products Used: none
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Summary: I have enjoyed driving this car immensely, I love it more than I thought I would and it's a great city car. I'm a photographer and my photo gear fits perfectly in the hatch trunk. It drives beautifully and I'm glad I bought it even with the gas prices going down.
Strengths: Driving experience, hybrid technology, turning ratios, backup camera
Weaknesses: Two things I really dislike about this car:
- You can't drive and use the nav system at the same time: the car has to be in park. I don't need to be babysat by Toyota (feels a little 'big brother' to me), and when someone is in the passenger seat trying to use navigation it's really frustrating.
- when the package says "Satellite ready" it actually means that you have to spend another $600 to get the Satellite antenna installed. They don't tell you this until you call six months later trying to figure out why your XM isn't working when you try to activate it.
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Summary: Bouth Feb 2007. I LOVE MY PRIUS and I would buy another one in a heartbeat!
First, It's a Hybrid with a lot of built in extras. Elec. everything, camera (but don't count on it for backing up, it's just to check for kids). I avg about 53 to 55 mpg and sometimes I can get 57 mpg. BUT you have to learn to drive it as a Hybrid not like a reg car. Your goal is to get the best mpg. So when you are in the neighborhood, milk it to where you are driving on batt. The engine will always need to have an operating temp, so eng will run. Use A/C, of course eng will run some also. Heat, A/C, eng temp, and gettin and goin will cause gas mpg to go down. MILK IT, MILK IT! So, mpg will vary. If you go on long trips, you will save gas but not as good as in town. If you take long trips, I have to suggest the Honda Civc Hybrid. Prius is built for in town driving. Honda Hybrid is built for hwy driving.
I sometimes drive round trip from Jacksonville, Fl to Fernadina Beach, Fl (100 Miles), I lose about 3 or 4 mpg compared to driving in city.
Without question, I would buy this car again. I absolutely love it. Can I nick and pick this car to death like any other car in the world, yea, but I LOVE IT ALL IN ALL so why niky and piky. This is a great care if you love saving gas and all the other benefits to go along with it. I have to say thank you to Toyota for at least trying and sticking to a principle and not make it a passing fad like Detroit does for things like this.
If you don't have the feelings about saving gas and so forth then you won't like this care, plain and simple.
Every morning when I wake up, I can't wait to get in my Prius and make my way to work.
This is over two (2) years of ownership of the car.
I hope this was helpful to anyone that is thinking about purchasing this car.
Mike
Strengths: Gas
All the extra elec bene's that come with it.
Weaknesses: Sorry, but I can't really think of any that really bothers me. Oh, I will never be an owner of a BMW again in MY LIFE!
Similar Products Used: 2000 BMW 323I - Pull out your wallet. Ohh the wasteful money spent on this car.
2006 Nissan Frontier 4 cyc truck. Good truck, gas mpg sucked - 15 to 17 max in city.
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Rating Reviewed by: Mark Lindsey(Unregistered User)
Review Date September 15, 2007
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 3 of 5
Used product for Less than 1 month
Visitors rate this review 3.65 of 5,
17.00 votes
Review 4 of 32
Price Paid:
$25000.00
from Wilde Toyota-West Al
Year / Model Reviewed: 2007 Prius
Summary: May be the best vehicle I have ever owned. So far has surpassed my high expectations. If you are looking for a car that is embedded with the industry's finest technology, engineering, AND the best fuel economy, then this car is for you.
Strengths: Anyone looking for a Prius and reading this review has obviously decided that hybrid technology and fuel efficiency is their primary focus, or they would likely would not be very interested in paying a premium for that technology. Well, my daily commute is 184 miles so you might imagine that fuel economy was at the top of my list. I just got tired of wasting time and money stopping to fill up, plus I really do not have a desire to be on a first name basis with the gas station guy! The first week I owned this car I was averaging 48.5 mpg. And, that's almost exclusively driving on the interstate, which is projected as the lower of the two mileage estimates (performs even better in urban settings). I'm expecting even better performance over time as the car is broken in and I learn to drive it more efficiently, both of which has been reported by most other consumer reviewers.
A close second strength is all the other technology embedded in this vehicle. I purchase the #4 package and am completely impressed with the long list of technological advancements that make this car so user friendly (did I mention I spend 3 hours of my life in a car every day?), and fun to drive. First, the on-board computer/touch screen display is outstanding. Don't underestimate the importance of how this technology helps the user get the most performance out of the vehicle. The performance data it reports is not just "cool," but usable as a means of informing the driver how to adjust driving habits that impact performance. The smart key system is real nice as I am often loaded down with stuff and don't have to have the key/remote in my hands to gain entry. Push-button start, electronic displays, iPod port, Bluetooth for hands-free cell use, HID headlights (really do make a difference for night driving), and engine immobilizer theft deterrence system are ALL value added features that help me LOVE this car.
Finally, it is comfortable and spacious.
Weaknesses: Truthfully, I am going to have to be a little picky here to even come up with a list of criticisms. But in the interest of providing a balanced review there are a couple of things I can report that an interested buyer might want to know. The cabin noise level at highway speeds on stretches of cement-laden expressways is a little loud (better on paved stretches). From what I've read in editor's reports, this is due to relatively little use of sound deadening materials. That's because they add weight and weight is the arch-enemy of fuel economy. This theory cannot be dismissed as I notice the car's fuel performance actually increases as the gas tank empties (yes, it is that sensitive to weight).
The Bluetooth/hands-free features are a little difficult to use and not user-friendly. It's easy enough to link the system to your phone, but using the other hands-free features like voice-command, and phonebook features are not intuitive. I have a PhD and still haven't completely figured it out. I'll have to sit in the car with the manual this weekend to get the hang of it.
The suspension is a bit tight, which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, this car handles and corners pretty well with little over or under steering. The price to be paid for that, of course, is a medium-harsh ride on rough stretches of road. This is compounded by its light chassis weight, but that's a fair trade-off for increased economy, in my opinion. All in all, this car's highway ride will not feel like your grandfather's Buick Park Avenue.
Like I said, I purchased package #4 with cloth seats. I would have ponied up more $$ for #6 with leather seats, but they weren't that nice and with no heated seat option I opted to save the money.
Only other weakness I can think of is lack of availability. I ideally wanted the #5 in black or gray - not a single one in the Midwest, and red was not an option for me. Buy the ext warranty just in case with all the electronics.
Similar Products Used: I really researched this purchase. I scoped out the Civic and Altima hybrids, but neither came close to Prius' combination of economy, technology, and quality. I used to own an Accord ('90) and drove it for 250K+ miles until it rusted out. It was a great vehicle, and this car reminds me of how satisfied I was with that at the time. I own a 2002 Envoy my wife drives for her short 5 mile commute, so I feel like we have the best of both world's in terms of use and flexibility. Hey, I'm not getting anything for this glowing review other than satisfaction in maybe helping someone else discover what I have about this vehicle. I'm not a tree-hugger by any stretch, but 48.5 mpg, 98% less pollution output, and less quality time spent with the gas station guy is reason enough to cry out from the mountain-top.
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Summary: Gets good milage, but nowhere near the advertised 55 - 60 mpg. I've gotten from 42 to 51 mpg. Seems to get less milage in the winter. Quiet ride, roomy interior (except that eating geometry for driver is very problematic.)Back seat is roomy for me at 6-1. Good sized rear storage area (hatchback).
Strengths: Milage, 42 - 51, but note that unless you drive only on perfectly flat roads you will not get more than 50mpg at best. If you have any hills, and/or lots of stop lights, you will get closer to 40 most of the time. Roomier than the Corolla, except for driver (see below). Large rear storage (hatchback).
Weaknesses: Front seat is too narrow for me (6'1", 210 lbs) so the seat sides dig into my sides. Visability out of windows is much less than my Corolla, but this seems to be a common defect with the new styles of cars. That's why it has a rear camera when in reverse. Driver cockpit is uncomfortable for long drives because 1) seat too narrow, 2) seat not long enough to support thighs. 3) steering wheel is set very low and forward so I my arms are always outstreched. 4) I cannot fully straighten my legs and still reach steering wheel, 5) I cannot adjust seating geometry to a position that allows my to sit correctly for enough leg room and also sit with back fully supported. I sit without much back supported, hunched forward a bit in order to get legroom. I can handle this for my 30 - 40 minute commute, but when I drive it for 2 or more hours I am very sore afterwards in the neck and back. I don't have this problem at all in the Corolla.
Also, having the airconditioning, audio etc all on one screen is a major distraction - takes much longer to do simple things like change heat setting or whatever. Screen controls are NOT an advance in engineering! Luckily it has steering-wheel-mounted controls for the audio.
Similar Products Used: Corolla, Mini Cooper, Honda Civic. All are better for the drivers comfort.
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