Howdy:
Bottom Line
OK if you hate driving or you are indifferent to driving.
Intro
I just had an all-expense-paid-trip to Twentynine Palms, CA, courtesy of my employer.
When I got to the rental car counter, they asked me if a Prius was OK and I was game.
Context
To put my review in context, I researched and test-drove pretty many of the autos in the Prius class late last year for my mother's auto purchase:
Honda Civic
Mazda 3
Volkswagen Jetta
Ford Fusion & Focus
Nissan Sentra
Chevy Cobalt & HHR
Interior & Controls
The first thing you notice is its goofy controls.
Startup requires that the keyfob be placed in its slot, your foot on the brake, and a press on the "Start" button.
The next thing one notices is the computer/control LCD touchscreen. This is less goofy than the start-up sequence but still odd, in a "lets put all the controls in a menu/button-driven LCD touchscreen" sort of way. Instead of reaching over and mashing a radio station "seek/scan" you must traverse the LCD operating system. Be careful to use only one finger and do not touch any surrounding LCD or control button, else you will end up in someplace other than the radio controller. To repeat: you gotta place your attention on the LCD and precisely place your finger on the touchscreen. MUCH more distracting from driving than any cellphone conversation.
Last, the gearshift is what I would describe as, "Straight Outta Cushman." As in golf-cart-like.
The upholstery, seats, etc. are all competent in a Toyota-boring sort of way. They get the job done with no fuss or panache.
It is definitely a compact/sub-compact, interior size-wise. It has less storage space you might expect for the class, however.
For some reason, it is classed as, "mid-sized" by fueleconomy.gov. You couldn't tell that by the usable interior space.
Exterior
Toyota-boring. 'Nuff said on that subject.
Drive
In town, it gets the job done without offense and with competence. It is not quick, but not pokey. It handles sedately, but without wallowing. One thing that I noticed was some hesitation when I would mash the accelerator and the gas engine was invoked to help the electric.
On the road and especially in the hills, the Prius is a rolling annoyance. Its buzzy, weak gas engine is a constant reminder that this auto is built for fuel economy, not performance. Did I mention the buzzy engine? If you took a 2-stroke weed-whacker and placed it a 1/2 block away, behind one turn, you would understand how it sounds under load. Where it was sedate and non-wallowy in town, it got more & more bloated-feeling as it got steeper & twisty-er.
This is not a car for "drivers," but for commuters or operators. If you demand a positive tactile experience while driving, this car is not for you. If you consider an auto merely a way to get from point A to point B, the Prius may be your thing in town.
Relative to Other Autos
ANY of the autos I mentioned above, with the exception of the Nissan Sentra, will provide a better driving experience. The Jetta and 3 blow it outta the water, while the Civic, Ford & Chevy entrants are merely superior.
Let me say again, the Chevy Cobalt/HHR has a more rewarding driving experience.
The Prius does get ~10MPG more than the others, with the exception of the Jetta turbo diesel, which is comparable. The Jetta provides a much more rewarding driving experience, though, it is hard to compare.
I guess the Prius has green cachet, but the effective impact over the lifetime of the two vehicles is likely the same or slightly in the Jetta's favor, as a turbo diesel will soldier on long after similar gasoline engines are scrap. The environmental impact of building two or three Priuses and operating them over the lifetime of one Jetta TDI is likely much greater than keeping your TDI in running order.
(Heck, keeping one's currently-owned auto in running condition is likely more environmentally-friendly than buying a new anything.)
Conclusion
See the bottom line, above.
