Toyota Prius - 2007 Review

Mine is fully loaded, since I wanted GPS and leather, and those options mean a full package. I haven't regretted the decision once however. The options are very reasonably priced as is this car.

I highly recommend shopping online via the Toyota web site, and get dealership quotes emailed to you, as I got lower quotes this way - much lower than going to the dealership and trying to haggle down. I tried this too, but ended up going with the email quote as it was over $2000 less. Additionally, it makes for a no-stress shopping experience when you go to purchase your car - just sign some paperwork, decide on a couple of warranty options and you're done.

I bought this car for the mileage, and give it 4 stars out of 5 for mileage. Only 4, because for average driving needs you will only get about 51 mpg. However, I average 55-59 mpg, for two reasons: one, I am careful about acceleration; two, I drive mostly freeway miles.

How can that be, you wonder, when the commercials say it gets better city mileage than freeway? It really depends on the distances you drive (and you must keep around 60 mph on the freeway, or wind resistance will lower your mileage).

The battery isn't the most powerful, and the gas engine needs to run for awhile when the car is cold in order to get better than about 35-40 mpg. If you're running around town, going from store to store and parking in between, you're going to get so-so mileage.

But, if you commute 40 miles to work like I do (each way), you will start off bad the first couple of miles but then your mileage will keep rising. My commute is basically flat freeway miles, a few steep hills here and there, and no it's not downhill both ways.

You also have to get to know how the acceleration works, which takes practice. If you have a lead foot your mpg will likely be in the 40s, but if that's true, you're not driving it right.

It's also important not to completely rely on the onboard indicator to determine actual MPG. It's only accurate to about 6 mpg, in either direction though. I divide the amount of gas I put in at fill-up time into the number of miles I drove since the last fill-up, and reset the mileage.

Getting back to the battery, I asked a dealer how they can offer what is basically a lifetime warranty on the battery - is it that good? No, he said, but in the 5-10 years or so it will take for it to need to be replaced, Toyota is convinced they'll come up with a more technologically advanced battery they can swap out for Prius owners at no charge to us.

The biggest concern I had about buying a Prius was the interior size, but all my fears quickly evaporated. It seems like such a small car, but you have to take a look at interior measurements (available on the Toyota web site). The interior is comparable and in most cases surpasses that of the Honda CRV and Ford Escape hybrid.

The hatchback design has been GREAT, and because both seats fold down (and split for convenience), you can fit absolutely huge items in back. Even without folding down the seats, I can go spend $300 on groceries at Costco and not be at all concerned it will fit. The other day I bought a TV, which came in a tall box that needed to be upright and would not fit in the back of my husband's pickup (with camper top). But it fit just fine in my Prius, which has enormous head room. My 6'2" husband has plenty of room to spare overhead and loves to drive my car.

One feature I wish this car had would be to have the rear seats be completely removable, like the Ford Escape hybrid, because you would get a little more space that way. But, I don't know of any non-SUV/minivan that would have this feature, except the Honda Element (and maybe that is an SUV?)

Features I appreciate and in some cases love are: Bluetooth capability; MP3 input jack; backup camera with BIG viewscreen; everything you need is on the steering wheel, so you almost never need to take your hands off the wheel; the "shift" knob on the console is really cool, as is the power button which looks like the one on my Mac.

And I LOVE that you don't need to dig for your keys when going to open the door - a sensor senses the key in your purse/pocket and as soon as you touch the handle, the door magically opens. Even the back hatch. Awesome!! Same for starting the car, the key only has to be somewhere in the car - all you have to do is hit the power button and go.

It is fuel-efficient, but if you step on the gas you have plenty of power. When going to the mountains, we never even notice the steep hills, even with 4 people in the car and luggage. It is remarkable for such a fuel-efficient car (though if putting on the gas don't expect good mileage).

Safety-speaking (and this is important to us as we're trying to start a family), it has all airbags including curtain, and even warns you if your tire pressure gets low. Of course the Prius is smaller than trucks and SUVs, so if in an accident you have to take physics into account. The Prius has an excellent crash safety record however.

I have the green exterior/beige leather interior, which has gotten a lot of praise from strangers in parking lots so I think it was a good choice myself. The only criticism I have of the leather seats is that they have tiny holes as part of the pattern, maybe to provide breathability. But, if I ever spill something on the seat, I have to wonder if it will be harder to clean with all the holes..?

My friend has an older Prius, 2001, and her fabric interior is holding up well, so I can say the fabric is durable as well. But there are a few tiny spots. Actually it was driving my friend's Prius that made me consider buying one myself, as we took it on a long trip and couldn't believe the mileage we were getting.

Cosmetically, it's very cool and futuristic-looking console wows everyone, and makes me feel like I'm in a James Bond car. It's no Porsche, but when I drive up to the golf course my car gets positive comments and lots of questions from people interested in buying one. And there are several Priuses (Prii?) in the lot there.

There are a few minor niggles. One, the voice-activation system is pretty weak - reminds me of the Apple Newton the way it gets some commands wrong.

Two, and this is a personal preference issue, but if I had to do it over again I might get a portable GPS instead. They are cheaper and transferable between cars, and because the Prius has an MP3 audio input jack, you could plug in a GPS system and have it play over the car speakers just like an onboard one would do (and you could program while driving). That said, the huge, on-board, touch-screen GPS screen *is* a nice feature to have.

Three, and I realize Toyota is probably rightfully afraid of lawsuits here, but I wish you could program the GPS while driving. It seems more dangerous to try and exit off the freeway in a dangerous area or pull to the side of a narrow road to park and adjust the GPS than to just reach over and give a few clicks. Once you get to know the GPS it's just as easy as working a radio, so I don't understand the extra safety concerns here. But that's just me.

Four, I wish the backup "beep" (like trucks have) would be audible on the OUTSIDE of the car instead of the inside - don't you need it outside, to warn people you're backing up, especially since you might be running silent on battery power? My friend actually had the dealer disengage this feature on her Prius because it annoyed her. I will probably do the same.

Five, it would be nice if you could have the option of rear-view mirror defrost, but this feature isn't available. On cold mornings or trips to the mountains it would be useful.

The details on my car are below:

07 PRIUS
COLOR:SIVER PINE MICA
OPTIONS:
Package #6 Includes: Leather-Trimmed Seats .
and Steering Wheel; Voice-Activated DVD ....
GPS Navigation System; JBL AM/FM 6-Disc ....
CD Changer with 9 Speakers, Aux Audio ......
Input Miniplug, MP3/WMA Playback ...........
Capability, Satellite Radio Capability, ....
and Hands-Free PhoneCapability via ........
Bluetooth; Vehicle Stability Control; .....
Backup Camera; Smart Key System; ..........
Anti-Theft System; Auto-Dimming ...........
Rearview Mirror with HomeLink; High .......
Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlamps; ......
Integrated Fog Lamp ........................
Carpet Floor Mats & Cargo Mat ..............

Amount Paid (US$): 26,400
Condition: New
Model Year: 2007