(I wasn't sure where to post this, maybe I should have put it on the FEH board, or the Prius board... mods can decide...)

Well, I finally got to drive a Prius yesterday, and it was awesome ! I am SO psyched that I am first on the waiting list for after 1/1/06. As proud owner of a FEH (which I do love, it's been everything I expected and more) since April '05, what struck me about the Prius (aside from the obvious, the size difference and more "bells and whistles" on the high-end Prius that was available to test drive) was (1) the smoothness and silence that marks changes in power path (i.e., when the ICE turns on and off), and (2) its apparently much less conservative use of "EV-only" mode (ICE off). It just shuts off ALL the time (compared to the FEH - see numerous threads on that board about "why won't ICE cut off" etc.)

The Prius is just a fantastic, wonderful car, even worth giving up 4WD (I'm a little trepidatious about the snow)! And the "star trek"-like attributes ("smart key" system, dashboard layout with the display WAY out there, controls on the steering wheel) just add to the overall coolness.

I urge anyone (particularly FEH drivers) who hasn't driven a Prius, to give it a try, just for the fun of it.