Hybrid Cars, Hybrid Trucks, Hybrid Vans and Hybrid Motorcycles

This review of the Toyota Prius discusses Zipcars, driver comfort, hybrid car styling, MPG and styling.

It’s not surprising the Prius Hybrid is so popular — not only is it good for the environment, but it’s fun to drive.

I like that a lot of green-minded celebrities have a Prius, and whenever I see someone driving a Prius, I always smile.I actually don’t own a car because I live in an area where I don’t need one, but I’ve driven a Prius several times through my Zipcar membership. When they moved the Prius parked at my building to another location, I was really bummed out.

I’m tall and generously proportioned, but am very comfortable in the driver’s seat. The instrument panel was easy to read and very intuitive the first time I drove the car — no fumbling around trying to figure out the controls, and everything within easy reach. The handling was quick and responsive — such fun to drive around town! Sightlines were excellent (a real pet peeve of mine in a lot of newer cars is that they have really bad blind spots and poor rear-view visibility — not so with the Prius ).

Probably the most surprising and disconcerting thing is that the car turns off when it’s stopped — total silence. But as soon as you press the gas, it responds immediately. Quite a difference from a traditional car, but after a few minutes, it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

I also think the Prius is very attractive — the styling distinctive, in a good way, with a great selection of colors, including a really nice metallic red, and a gorgeous glue called "seaside pearl". Probably the only drawback is the fairly small trunk area, but the design maximizes the space, and I know from experience that it will hold a surprising amount of shopping bags.

Personally, since I am a city driver, the smaller size is a big advantage , making it easier to squeeze into small spaces and parallel park .

The Prius is definitely at the top of my list for my next car purchase, especially given gas prices . This would be even more important if I had a long commute. 45-50 MPG would make a big difference for anyone driving more than a few miles a day. Another bonus is that in some areas, including the DC area where I live, Prius drivers can use the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes.

I think the pricing is very reasonable considering the fuel savings, not to mention the peace of mind knowing that you are supporting green technology.

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