I'm currently in search of a hybrid, and have heard good things and not so good things about the Toyota Prius. I'm waiting information for people who actually own one. Please let me know what you like and dislike about it? Also, for anyone that has battery problems, let me know about them. Thanks for your time and energy.

I have a 2006 Prius-18,000 miles,almost 2 years.The only dislike is the rear view.We do have the rear view camera, but I'm 57 yo,the wrong generation,so I don't really use it.I have pivot around 180 degrees to get a good rear view(just like any other car, but even when pivoting and looking backwards the view is partially obstructed). It is perfect other than the rear view.It gets better mpg(esp city) than the HCH 2 ,has more room, is easier to get in and out if you are older,accelerates faster.and is a hatchback so you can put in some larger items, and you sit more upright in the front seats.The HCH 2 is its only competition,and it is better than it in most ways you can measure,so it wasn't a hard choice.
Honda folks will disagree, of course.The Honda does have a more sporty feel,and the braking is a little better.
Charlie

I have a 2005 model with 77,000kms on it (a few things have changed of course for 2006+)

Likes:

• roomy (in every dimension except shoulder room)
• versatile cargo area (fold flat seats can fit a fullsize mountain bike)
• lots of storage bins (inside the cabin and in the cargo area)
• Smart Key System
• compact in size (great for parking in tight spots)
• easy to drive
• EV mode
• fuel efficient (of course)
• location of speedo makes it easier to read without moving the eyes too far from the road
• 7" MFD (lotsa potential there for mods. backup camera, DVD player, playstation hehe)

Dislikes:

• a little low to the ground (2 people in the back and you gotta watch those bumps)
• crappy stock tyres (upgrade if you can)
• unsorted stiff suspension (doesn't feel as nice as other cars with a "stiff"-ish suspension such as the Legacy or the TSX)
• A tad noisy at highway speeds (I'm coming from a Camry which is quiet so that's my reference)
• foglights are more decorative than they are functional
• 9-speaker JBL audio doesn't sound as great as our 6-speaker JBL system in the Camry. I think the JBL's been upgraded for 2006+ models but I haven't heard it myself.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

Does it handle well in the snow and ice?

I have the 2008 Touring Model Silver Pine Mica Pkg#6. with Bisque Leather.
We currently average 42- 45 MPG. 60% highway, 40% city driving with 2800 miles on it.
We Love the Prius, It handles like a dream, is easy to park practically anywhere, has lots of room in the hatch area, and the stereo and Nav system w/backup camera work great!
Yes, if I had the opportunity again, I definately would buy this car. Good Luck, Robert

i have had mine almost a week. i have owned the hch 2 and now the prius. the hch 2 drives more sporty and has the fun to drive feel...out of these 2 hybrids. i like how the prius is a hatch. so, that lets you carry bigger items. i feel the civic has better pickup even though the engine is smaller. just go drive both and see which one suits you. there should be plenty of both on the lots.

With stock tyres, they're ok when new. Ice... well no 2WD car with all season tyres will do well on ice.

I swapped mine out for Nokian WRs. World of difference on snow and ice.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

Others have pointed out that the HCH 2 feels more sporty.Now some "feel" the HCH 2 has better acceleration.I don't doubt that they feel that way, but feelings aren't objective.The Prius accelerates MUCH, MUCH faster-2 seconds faster 0-60 according to CR's testing,and other moto mag testing.I have seen at least one post here where the owner of a HCH 2 got rid of it because he felt the slow acceleration was potentially dangerous in situations where you have to merge. Of course the car isn't dangerous,the driver who doesn't take into account his car's performance is dangerous.
My point-the Prius is a lot faster accelerating than the HCH 2 in the 0-70 range.In low speed roll ons-10-45 miles per hour) the Prius actually feels "quick" because of the way the electric motor "kicks' in with that instant torque.My "Feel" in that case is also wrong.A Prius isn't quick; it is actually bit slower than an average car, but it is adequate.
Numbers say the Prius is quicker, has more room,and gets better mpg that the HCH 2.
I would buy(and did) the one that felt most comfortable to me.They are close enough in most respects that it should come down to which do you.
like.
If you plan to drive it mainly in the city,and plan to drive it like a normal USA driver,the Prius will give you noticeably better mpg.The Honda takes a bit more effort to give you good city mpg numbers.
If you have older-45 or older- friends/relatives-they will find the Prius a lot easier to get in and out of.
Charlie

Well, I can't say much about how I like or dislike the Prius since I own an HCH2. However, someone I know purchased a Prius (I started him on the hybrid thing) and he loves the car. The pickup seems adequate, as compared to any other "economy" 4 cyl sedan. I have sat in the back seat several times and have always had sufficient room. I got to drive the car once, and it did seem to me that it picked up *slightly* faster than my HCH. Anytime you have additional torque at lower speeds, it will seem that way I believe. As someone pointed out, you need to know how your car handles and you will be as safe as you can be based upon your actions. Not quite the same words, but I belive the same point, none the less. I did find that funky back end rear view awkward, but would probably get used to it as it was driven. One thing I thought was that the Prius cornered much better than my HCH. The braking seemed better to, but it could be suspension, etc as well. Or maybe just my imagination haha.

Again, test drive all the vehicles that are in your price range and type of car. It never hurts to see what feels best to you. I traded in my regular civic for the HCH. I am loving the car everytime I have to drive. I tend to hover around 40-45 MPG depending on the season with a typical drive averaging around 5-7 miles each way. That's a bad drive no matter what car you own because you barely get up to operating temperature for the engine (in the case of hybrid, the rest of the system too).

Not trying to jump threads, as I typically stay on the HCH one because it's what I own. Was checking whats here to see what people say about the Prius and stuff.

The original poster also asked about battery issues. No one I've read so far addressed them, probably because, well, we haven't had any. I've got 42,000 miles on my 2005 Prius, with no problems. My brother has 140,000 miles on his 2004 Prius (he drives a LOT for work), and no problems. The batteries are designed for the life of the vehicle, and tend to last as far as I've heard (widespread myths to the contrary notwithstanding).

A link I ran into about a leasing fleet maintenance company had the following (Full link):