new buyer

What kind of driving would you be using it for? E.g., how long is a typical commute/trip, highway vs. local roads, how many people and/or what kind of cargo will you typically be transporting, stuff like that.

In general it's a good reliable midsize car. Without trying very hard (no special modifications to the car or my driving style), so far I am averaging 50-55 mpg on highway trips, was getting around 47-48 mpg for short local trips during the summer and am now getting about 36-37 mpg for short local trips in the cold temps. It is slightly warmer here in the DC area than it is in NYC, but the difference is not that much.

It is only a few inches smaller than a Camry, designed to hold 5 people. Some folks who are over 6' tall feel the driver's seat is not comfortable enough due to the inability to adjust it up or down, but most people are okay with it. I'm 5'7" and it's fine for me. With the rear seats folded down, there is tons of cargo space, and even with the rear seats up and people sitting in them there is lots of room for luggage and stuff.

I don't do much snow/ice driving, so the stock tires have been fine for me so far, but the general consensus is that if you do drive a lot in winter weather, you want snow tires.

Others will have to comment on the nav system since I don't have it. I do like the auto-dimming rear view mirror which is excellent in reducing glare, and I love the HID headlights, smart key system and back-up camera (which helps a lot with parallel parking). I also love that it doesn't use any gas when I'm stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic on roads like the Belt Pkwy.

 

Well said 'ny biker'. In addition to the above, the Prius will definitely give you great mpg #'s compared to your non Hybrid car. If speed and performance is not a concern for you right now, then the Prius is the perfect car. I commute 25 miles one way to work, so I really feel that I am benefiting from owning a Hybrid vehicle. Good Luck on your choice.

 

Off the line the Prius can be very quick as the full torque from the electric motor is available. Short trips kill the fuel economy. Expect mid 40's if the trips are 5-10 minutes. Installing an EBH and blocking the grill will help.

 

I'm also very interested in the Prius 111. The basic option, We presently have a 2007 Civic hybrid and got the $2000 tax credit before it expired and also the PA $500 rebate. In addition I did an internet purchase naming my cash sale price of $200 over invoice and a dealer sold me a light silver Civic hybrid, I was thrilled. Other than the PA $500 rebate, are their any incentives on the Prius 111? How much wiggle room is there to negotiate closer to invoice price?

I looked at the new Honda Insight.Like the look, ride,price but dashboard instrumentation looks cheap. Also, with the price of a Yaris being close the half a Prius, would a Yaris make sense with cost of ownership?

Help, I test drove an Insight and a Prius and now am being inundated with phone calls but haven't done enoug comparison research to form an opinion. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help filer