This was my facebook status this morning. "Day 2 of driving to school with my prius v. I'm loving it! Unless you need a van, or truck, car that can go off road like a Subaru, etc, I would just get a Prius or Prius v and be done with it. The v is an amazing highway cruiser!" I don't expect the mileage to be stellar for the winter. It's quite cold now, I have studded tires on. I have a 15 mile, 1000 vertical foot commute to school ever day. I'm a teacher. I'm coming from 14 years ownership of VW TDI's, 2002, 2003 Wagon, and 2013 Sportwagon. They were excellent highway cruisers also, but the emissions scandel just totally soured me on VW. I didn't think I'd like the bells and whistles, lights and gauges in the v. But I like the high tech stuff. I have a model Two, had I sprung for a higher model it might be tech overload. But I really didn't want to pay for nav and fake leather. If I choose leather, I'd just get the front seats done.
I'm enjoying it, and my dogs love it! Seamus (the one in the profile picture) has never had a vehicle that was large enough for him to sit without stooping! The White is the perfect color. I wanted white or silver. Anything dark gets too hot. The dealer had 3 v's on the lot, a white and blue (both package two's) and a black (package three). But as I said, I wasn't going to pay for nav. I use nav maybe once or twice a year, I mean I live in Montana for crying out loud! And when I do use it I use my phone.
I hear ya Joe! Especially what you mentioned about it being a great highway cruiser. I've driven to Florida and back, and to Colorado and back last month. LOVED the experience!!! Yeah, love the car!
I haven't taken a long trip like your trips, (I only have 600 miles on the odo) However, my commute to teach is 15 miles one way with a vertical rise of 1,000 feet. Nasty weather, twisty road...the v is a champ!