Toyota Prius - 2004 Review

Overall 4.88 of 5 view all 8 reviews

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DianeAndCharlie
Saratoga, CA

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I won't ever drive a gas-only vehicle again

commuter, willing to pay for quality, cares for the environment

Pros

Easy handling, surprisingly roomy, close to zero emissions

Cons

annoying blind spots when backing up

AUG

2007

There's little to say about the 2004 Prius that hasn't already been said. While the gas mileage is surely a plus, for me an even bigger plus is the almost-zero emissions this car puts out. The fact that it's surprisingly roomy cannot be stressed enough: my family includes males of height 6'4", 6'6", and 6'9", and all four of us can fit comfortably into the Prius with legroom to spare. We've put lots of luggage, bicycles, a drum kit, and furniture in the car to move, and it's performed flawlessly: the trunk space is quite roomy. It has a fantastic turning radius, and once you've gotten used to sitting at a traffic light without the engine idling, it will be hard to go back to a gasoline-only engine again.

There are a few blind spots to get used to before backing up, and the beeping in reverse is a little annoying, but the beeping can be silenced and you get used to the need to look twice to get past the blind spots. Small price to pay for such a great vehicle.

We've had Prius cars since Oct. 2000, and I expect we'll always have hybrids (or their follow-ons!) from here on out. There really isn't much reason for gas-only engines for daily commuting and around-town cars anymore!