Diver,
The view out the hatchback is a little restricted, but the mirror coverage is good. It is something you adjust to rapidly. I agree with others about the nose. You will generally estimate short as to where the nose is. An easy trick I use is to flip on the headlights when parking in a tight spot. The reflection lets you know exactly where you are.
This car is simply incredible. I've had mine for 10 months and I couldn't be happier. I have experienced no cognitive disonance at all and I continue to be impressed with the quality and performance of the product. I am averaging over 50MPG as you can see below. Currently I'm experiencing the 10k break-in increases. My last tank was 55.9 MPG and included a 140 mile 75-80MPH trip (which is bad for mileage).

2004 Toyota Prius
Package #9, Millenium Silver
"Boo"

Mods: Always-hot Accessory Port, Rockford Fosgate DMP1 60GB MP3 Player
On Order: CoastalETech's Nav Upgrade, CoastalETech's ViewTech