First-Gen Prius: Foreshadowing for Electric Cars? - Driver's Seat - WSJ Anti-Prius/anti-hybrid bashing in the comments hasn't started yet...
I don't feel like a poseur in my Gen III, as the author suggests, but I genuinely do think the early adopters were ahead of the curve. I was chicken.
I see several Gen I Prius every week, and I also see at least two or three of the orignal Honda Insights every week. To me they are awesome, already classic cars with status like a 1960s muscle car at a car show. I would love to own one of the original Prius or Insights - but they all seem to already be taken. I'll bet you money (figure of speech) that in ten years from today, the original Prius and Insight will be selling for very high collector-car prices.
Would any of these Prii be in the San Fernando Vailey? And would they per chance be Blue Moon Pearl? If so, you've seen... The Hybrid Twins! :cheer2:
Gen Is are becoming rarely in my part of town (still dominated by Gen 2s). I presume they've upgraded to the Gen 2 or one way or another have been removed from the road (dead battery or collision write-off) but I still stare at a Gen I whenever I have the chance. It's a classic shape and definitely an icon. My office has one as a fleet vehicle and I've been tempted more than once to sign out the keys and take it for a spin since I've never driven the 1st Gen. I have the paper brochure from 2001 (a pristine copy and a "used" copy that I let others peruse). CD player, lightweight alloys, keyless entry, chrome interior door handles and automatic climate control. Those were advanced features (at least in Canada) at that time. Even the Camry didn't have chrome interior door handles until 2002 (and only on the XLE). Although at $29,995, it was priced within $100s of a 2001 Camry XLE V6 and the Camry had one option - Extra Value Package at $850ish which added leather and heated seats for a total just under $32k plus taxes. I believe the US price for the Prius was $19,995 so you can imagine the price differences at that time between US and Canadian models (but the exchange rate was reflected in the prices anyhow).
Where I live I have seen maybe 1 Gen 1, about 5-10 Gen 2s, and 3-5 Gen 3 in daily city traffic.... I see a lot of BMWs and Audis though...
I live in Orange County, and the Irvine / Tustin / Lake Forest /Laguna Hills area seems to have the most Gen I Prius and Gen I Insights. And now, interestingly I'm starting to see a lot of Nissan Leafs around here. I think for the past week, I have seen at least one Leaf every day (I saw three on Saturday). Different colors, different drivers. I think we have a lot of hybrid and EV proponents around here. Specifically in Lake Forest, and I think Hill can back me up on this. I'm glad to see you up in SFV "representing" the Prius!
