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I've got a 2002 Toyota Prius and I love it! Here's my answers:

I'm getting better than EPA mileage: 41 mpg first tank, 44 mpg second tank, 54 mpg third tank.

I've only had it a month, but based on the first month I'm estimating we'll probably hit close to 12,000 miles in a year.

Very.

I bought it for the fuel efficiency. The salex tax exemption was a nice little bonus.

It makes me feel good that I'm driving a car that burns less petroluem than the full-size Dodge Intrepid I traded for it. It's great to have a car that truly is on the cutting edge of technology (even if it is almost 6 years old :lol and I'm planning on getting another one - when we can afford it.

 

- What kind of MPG v's manufacturers claims are you getting?
About 48 mpg lifetime, mostly in short urban trips. That was also the median at greenhybrid.com last time I looked. That's about the new EPA number as well.

- How many miles do you drive your Prius a year?
About 12,000, almost entirely urban (suburban) driving.

- Are you happy with the car?
Very.

- What specific feature or quality of the car led you to buy one? In the UK the London congestion charge probably accounts for many sales alone so in a way the Prius is a form of tax avoidence, but there must be more to it than this?
In this order:
Environmentally responsible. It reduced my consumption of gasoline.
Inexpensive. I calculated total cost of ownership for 10 years, for the Prius and several other cars I was considering, and, given that almost all my (wife's) travel is urban (where the Prius' mileage advantage is greatest), the savings on gas made the Prius substantially cheaper than the alternatives. So it was a no-brainer for me -- less pollution and cheaper.
Different. In terms of everyday driving, as far as I'm concerned, every other automatic transmission car drives just about the same. They are all good. Camry, Taurus, what have you -- six of one, half a dozen of the other. The Prius is different from anything else you can drive. It's an interesting car to drive, just tootling around town. And it requires a little brains and skill to get the most out of it, which also distinguishes it from the pack. You can drive it "point-n-shoot" like any other automatic, or you can think about it a bit, react to the changes in terrain, and get better mileage. I find that the mindset from bicycling carries over well to a Prius - you pay attention to uphill and downhill. Whereas in any other automatic transmission car you have no reason to pay attention to and react to the terrain.

- How does having a Prius on your drive make you feel?
I don't get emotional about cars. It's an appliance. Closest I can come is to say that I feel good that I bought it over the alternatives. It was a good, smart purchase, with both utility and some entertainment value.
You should pursue the question of how it makes you feel as you drive it. A lot of people here report the phenomenon that my wife and I call "Prius Therapy". Between the CVT and EV mode, and the urge to maximize MPG, it's a very relaxing car to drive. Chill out, watch the scenery go by, have a nice day, you'll get there in all good time. Not that I was ever an aggressive or nervous driver, but for me (and many others) driving the car seems to have a calming effect.

 

Hello, if you are looking for more answers from the UK or Euro, may I mention that there are a couple of Yahoo! groups specific to those areas. You might wish to join there.

There also, you will meet the personable Jerry Whitmarsh, my Prius-pal in your neighborhood.

But in reply, my Prius is 2001 and now with 105k miles. Purchased initially more for low pollution, secondarily for fuel economy. Back then we had real concerns about long-term function, but those have since faded. Faded from the minds of the 'indoctrinated' owners I mean. The Media still manages to find fault, sometimes quite imaginatively.

It *is* different to drive, and it *does* change the way that most of us drive, and think about wise resource use.

More recently and to my delight, I have come to learn that it is quite a simple car to maintain despite all the computers and such. They just do to their business, and I change the fluids as needed.

The overall operating expenses could only be bettered by driving certain reliable small cars purchased used, and getting lucky that their transmissions etc. do not fall out. This was not widely anticipated, either.

It is a jarring step back into the 20th century to drive conventional cars. You would be well-advised never to test drive one, lest you be captured as well.

 

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Just thought I should point out to you, in the U.S., it's not the manufacturer's claims of mileage that get advertised, but the mileage resulting from testing done by the EPA. This resulted in some higher mileage for the Prius (which quite a number of drivers still meet or exceed). The mileage will officially change for all vehicles in the U.S. in 2008, as the EPA has begun testing vehicles under conditions more akin to everyday driving than the idealized scenarios of prior tests. You can see the differences in mileage by going to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/why_differ.shtml

We love our Prius, especially with gas over $3.50 a gallon in Chicago. I also like that we're not contributing as much to our poor air quality. I find myself driving differently to get better mileage, and generally feel less agressive and full of needless hurry. Of course the good sound system helps too (and ok, audiofiles, I know the 6-speaker JBL may not be all that great to you, but we'd never had anything close to a high-end stereo in a car before, and the Prius, also running with less engine noise, makes it possible for us to listen to music that requires a bit of quiet, be it classical or Radiohead, and actually hear the soft spots).

 

- What kind of MPG v's manufacturers claims are you getting?

I get 45-52 mpg depending on time of year and how aggressively I'm driving.

- How many miles do you drive your Prius a year?

7,000-10,000

- Are you happy with the car?

Yes. Very. So much so that I will buy another one in the next few years.

- What specific feature or quality of the car led you to buy one?

MPG. Low emissions. Styling. Comfort (you can't beat the "transmission".) Seats five and still room for cargo. And the Hatchback. I will never buy another car that doesn't have a hatchback. If the Prius is ever redesigned without the hatchback, I'll keep my current one...forever. I have HOV stickers that are good until 2011 so probably won't replace current one until then.

- How does having a Prius on your drive make you feel?

I am much more relaxed. And I enjoy driving more. Before it was a chore; something I had to do. Now I don't dread having to get in the car and drive like I used to. And when traffic is congested instead of being impatient....I just think about what great mileage I'm going to get.

 

No sex appeal?
Never heard of the geek factor, huh?
My Rudy is VERY sexy...