Base 5dr Sedan
2005 Toyota Prius Review
As an automotive journalist I felt completely derelict of duty for not having tested a hybrid vehicle. The entire trend is one of the most talked about and potentially revolutionary automotive innovations since the assembly line. Am I going a bit overboard here? Probably, but even if all this is over exaggerated there is still no reason for not testing the most popular hybrid of the day, the Toyota Prius.
My first impression didn?t come from the car itself, it came from an instruction sheet I was given with the key. The Prius has a ?valet? sheet that basically uses pictograms to explain how to start the thing. And not to sound like a moron but I certainly needed the walk-through. You insert the key fob/key into a slot in the dash where a key would normally go, push the power button and seemingly nothing happens.
Sure the lights go on but the engine doesn?t come to life. You have to wait until you hit the gas pedal for that to happen. I?ve already become addicted to the display that constantly tells you your gas mileage. When you coast, it shoots up to 100 mpg. Hopefully this won?t influence the way I drive but I?m guessing it will.
I?ve read too many reviews of the car and they all say pretty much the same thing so I?m going open this test up to the readers. What are the most burning questions you have about driving a hybrid? What would you want answered in a review? Let us know through the comments section.
