We are just thinking of buying a Prius and this is really going to help us with in-depth info.

Thanks

Graham

Welcome.

I do not have a Prius but I have a friend who does and he LOVES it. Good luck with your decision.

If you can, see if you can rent a car you are thinking about buying. For less than $100, you'll get a chance to do a serious evaluation including your significant other and a 'day trip'. This will make sure the car meets your expectations.

http://groups.google.com/group/hsv.tech/browse_frm/thread/79582d3039955434/1071b26cc942e0a5?lnk=st&q=Prius+rent+test+group%Ah sv.*&rnum=1&hl=en#1071b26cc942e0a5

"Last night, I brought our Camary to Bill Penny's Toyota and they were adding a new Prius, the hybrid-electric car, to their rental pool. It had 17 miles on and though a little pricey, $37/day, I really wanted to try an extended test drive and I'm still smiling! . . ."

Feb. 8-10, 2001, in 'hsv.*' news group.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

I think that a rental is a great idea as far as "Do I like the car" but I do not think that it would be a good representation of the MPG...as anyone can see by lots of posts here most people are disappointed until they learn to drive it in a more efficient way.

I only got 35 MPG with that rental and thought that maybe my wife had driven around in "B" instead of "D". After buying our 03 Prius in September, I learned the Prius fuel tank has 'variable' capacity which could also have been part of the problem. Regardless, the car has to 'fit' and once bought, then the education begins.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

Have you considered the Honda Civic Hybrid? (my car- I love it!) In most ways it's as good as or better than the Prius and it's a lot cheaper, so if you're looking for a hybrid, don't forget that there are other options out there now.

When I say most ways, it depends on what you want- the Civic is a little smaller, for instance. But when I had to decide between the two cars, I went with the Civic for lots of reasons- the difference in real-life fuel efficiency is smaller than you might think (see our database) and the car you get for the price you pay is just a great buy. There's lots of information out there on the pluses and minuses of each, so don't just take my word for it (try Consumer Reports, maybe, which named the Civic the 'Car of the Year') and good luck in making your decision!

Welcome to the forum!