We needed a new car. My husband wanted a Prius because of the energy savings. He test drove it and liked everything about the car. I was drawn to the 'idea' of Prius, but after a short test drive, didn't like it much. The steering felt weird, and the ride felt light (compared to my old Volvo V70). The worst part was that I was overwhelmed with all the buttons and lights and gizmos. Driving the Prius took too much mental energy. At my husband's urging and with the dealer's blessing, I took a long half-day test drive, using it like a rental car to run errands and such. I put over 100 miles on it. It took 50 miles for me to understand the feel of the ride and how to use/read the important gadgets. But then I began to LOVE the car. End of story - we bought it a few weeks ago. Great car, great decision, and proof that sometimes the husband is right. 2010 Prius V, BP, w/navigation Added a receiver hitch (for a bike rack) and a block heater. Now I'm looking for some winter floor mats before the snow and slush hits.
They do take some getting used to, that is for sure. As far as the ride goes, you may want to press the tires too about 40 lbs. or a bit more. The ride and handling will feel much better. H
Awesome story. I like the part about men being right. I have to admit, even after a year+ of owneship I still make some silly mistakes, like thinking I put the car in D and wondering wy the car isn't moving, forgetting I'm in B mode, forgetting to release the emergency brake, walking to my car and trying to grab my door handle too quickly (and too far) that it doesn't unlock. Yeah, it takes getting used to.
I agree: we're just acclimatizing to ours. Both the parking brake pedal, as opposed to lever between the 2 front seats that you can see, and shift-by-wire, continue trip me up. I suppose I'll get used to it. A warning light on the dash for the parking brake would help.
Laura: As I was reading your post......I did a double take to see if my own wife was posting a message here. My wife was the same way...only she waited until the week after our dealers incentives were over to agree to purchase our Prius.....costing us to loose $1000.00 She loves it now.......as do I
Laurabird - Welcome to the club of Prius geeks. What most folks don't really understand is that you can basically IGNORE all the fancy buttons and lights and drive it like a traditional "dumb" car. Once you realize how much the car can very easily do for you, you'll start to wonder how you lived without some of the conveniences that can't be found on any car in this price class (and in some cases, any car period). The smart key system (never having to dig the key or fob out of your pocket or purse) is worth the price of admission right there! Add in the totally intuitive (after you've used it twice) shifter, and the game is over. I still contend that there is no better all-around gasoline vehicle than the Toyota Prius. For efficiency, practicality, functionality, conveniences and price. There are a few better *looking* cars out there, certainly! Now... If I can just get my friend Lil on board....
Thanks for that! Checked it out, sure enough: parking brake on, warning light goes on. Still in the early learning stage
