Nuances of a test drive

Firstly, here is my 'who should not buy a Prius' post, the Prius is a nice car, but not for everyone.
considering a Prius | PriusChat
Then you are on the right track,

 

Can't imagine anyone buying a Prius without a goal of saving money on gasoline. It only takes a first drive to realize the Prius operates and drives like regular car. Avoid fast starts, high speeds, and let the high tech Prius maximize fuel mileage. Enjoy the results.

 

Don't know what you're driving now, but a Prius is a bit different from most other cars.
I rented one for a bit before I bought my first one, to get familiar with it and make sure it was what I wanted.

There are buttons to push for different drive modes: electric mode, economy mode, and power mode for when you want it to go fast.
It also has a push button start and the gear shift experience is different, it's automatic, but the shifter is different than other cars and you push a button for park.
Light braking helps recharge the battery, and save brake pads.
You don't need a key to open the driver's door, just have the fob in your pocket.
Make sure you are okay with the line of sight while backing up, there is a bit of obstruction thru the rear hatch.
I would also test drive a model three, it has a back up camera which helps with that issue.
If you find the seats not comfy enough, test drive a model four, much better.

Good luck, hope you like it!

 

Mine does great on the highway, but stop and go traffic jams kill my mileage, regular city driving is ok.
Jimbo's post was good, but I didn't have the same issues with running out of gas that he emphasized. maybe the GEN III is different than his GEN II. I got down to flashing a couple times, with zero miles on the odometer that counts down the miles to go before running out of gas, and still made it to the gas station, never ran out.
I later learned that is bad for it and am more careful now, but had the car for 4 years, 70K miles, no problems.
BTW, I couldn't find any difference between the 2014 and the 2013, so you may want to consider a still new 2013 instead if you can find one, it would save you about 2K, there's a rebate.

 

The North American Gen II had a variable sized gas tank that made filling up more problematical than other Prius. My post tends to biased to the Gen II.

 

That makes sense, good post though - important things to consider.

 

1. 2014 Prius Hatchback base(II) doesn't have it standard but the other versions(III to V) have an integrated backup camera standard. It is a solution for those who find it difficult to see thru the Prius' split rear window arrangement. You & your wife might want to test backing up a Prius with and without a backup camera.

2. Not sure if you want to test the emergency braking performance of the Prius but.... the Prius has a slight delay when switching from regenerative brakes to hydraulic brakes in a emergency hard braking event - one does not pump(old school) the brakes but instead press on and keep your foot firmly down on the brakes . If the Prius' regenerative brakes are used most of the time - the hydraulic brake pads can last almost the life of the car.

3. The Prius Vehicle Stablity Control will automatically brake the Prius on in sharp turns at high speed - this may decreases the Prius' MPGs but it keeps the car safe.

4. The Prius Normal and Power mode button gives the best throttle (accelerator pedal) response and is the mode of choice when driving in hilly terrain, in cold weather, or in a traffic jam. Leave Eco mode for warm driving temperatures in mainly flat driving terrain.

5. Inspect the exterior paint of the car in the afternoon when daylight is the brightest. Flat black and flat white are the easiest colors to repaint. Exterior paint with metallic specks are the hardest to repaint.

6. Temperature controls are counter intuitive - you can either turn the heater on via the up and down buttons on the right or the auto button on the left. The defroster requires that air be drawn from the outside.

7. The air dam under Prius' front bumper has a very low ground clearance - and is easily damaged by potholes and broken-uneven curb-driveway ramps.

8. If you have a garage(access to an AC outlet) and the driving temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for over four weeks per year - consider asking the dealership about installing Toyota's 400W Electric Block Heater - which is used to warm up the engine block to about 60-80F (takes about 30-60 minutes in the morning) - this can improve a Prius' morning commute fuel efficiency.

9. The dealership will try to sell you floor mats - if you drive in a significant amount of snow and ice - the standard Toyota OE floor mats may not hold out so well - you might consider getting WeatherTech rubber floor mats not just for the driver and passenger area but for the rear cargo bay too. You can buy them from Priuschat's online store too.

10. Electrical issues. Prius can be jump started but it cannot be used to jump start another vehicle - because it could damage the high voltage battery inverters - so if you need to give someone a jump start - you will need a portable jump starter. In addition to this restriction, the Prius 12Vdc power adapter can only handle about 80w to 100w before its 15amp fuse blows. If you get a power inverter make sure it maxes out at 80w. Most 12VDC portable tire air compressors used draw more than 120W can will blow the 15 amp fuse - to maintain the tire pressure of the Prius yourself consider either portable tire air compressor that has its own power supply OR a 120VAC air compressor.

11. Nighttime Ergonomics - at night the storage area underneath the transmission stick is not lite up. The Prius night time lighting system isn't really that good.

12. Sounds of Silence. The electronic transmission is forward for Reverse and backwards for Drive. Feels a bit funny at times - when the Prius is in Reverse it chimes like a garbage truck backup. My car doesn't have it but the newer Prii makes a funny noise when it is driving in all electric mode so vision impair pedestrians can hear it coming down the road.

 

Just drive it and see if you like it. Throttle tip-in is not as aggressive as most other cars so that will likely be the first thing you notice. If you put it in Power Mode, that will help. But you will get used to it in short order and adjust your driving style to suit. Unless you've driven another vehicle with a CVT transmission, that will be the next thing you'll notice. You won't feel any transmission shifts and engine rpm's won't match speed like you're used to. The throttle tip-in is the one thing that still throws me off when I drive another vehicle as I end up snapping my neck a couple times adjusting to the feel of the throttle. One of the things I like about driving a Prius is the smooth take off from a stop, and passengers are always in awe of how silent it is.

 

Make sure the seats fit you. A very common complaint among drivers is the uncomfortable seating position and cushion placement especially for tall drivers. The base model will not have electrically adjustable seats and thus makes finding optimum seat position very difficult if you're taller. Some have regretted buying the car after discovering the seats are not what they seemed to be in the test drive.

 

I own a 2010. If I were test driving a newer model, I would test the brakes in a situation where one front wheel is going over a raise like a speed bump or one wheel is dropping in to a indentation like a pot hole. Just to see if the brakes give me the willies like my 2010 does. It wouldn't be an issue with me, just like to know if it is different. I've learned to avoid such braking situations if possible.

 

^ Why not just rent one for a weekend?
The G3 is a great commuter car, and let's face it.
Driving on a turnpike is just what a one speed hatchback with electro-lux steering is built for.

However (comma!) it's going to take more than a ten minute test flight with some under-informed sales associate slobbering in the co-pilot's seat to discover whether or not you want to put 300,000 miles on the odometer.
Me?
I like cars.
They're more than just a transportation appliance to me, and I generally keep them for a decade so I'm going to research a purchase decision a little differently than somebody who could give a rats about visors that don't extend, and "Hellen Keller" radio systems, and noisemakers on the inside of the car that screech at you when you put the car into reverse.

Every car has its strengths and weaknesses, and as Tony stated above, driving one is pretty much driving them all if all you want to do is get to work and back.
Many of the Priuses weaknesses are quickly ameliorated by $29 fill-ups that will give you 500+ miles.

Oh...and if you live in the frozen North?
The G3 can make for a great backup power supply for your home if you lose electricity for a week during a winter snow storm!

 

My first impression was the total lack of steering feedback. The Prius' electric steering system is quite uninformative. After owning one however, it becomes a non issue. Great car!!!

 

This is totally on point, and describes our experience test driving a used 2010 that we wound up buying.

It's a car you fillup with gas that gets great mileage. And it's got cool hybrid tech inside.

 

Fuel efficiency was my primary consideration, which hasn't compromised any known weaknesses for me.