How do you test drive Priuses?

Put your foot on the brake, press the power button, shift into D.

That's all it takes.

The main thing you will find out is that there isn't anything to find out. The Prius drives like any other car. It's a testament to Toyota's engineering that all the hybrid stuff works in a nearly transparent fashion.

Tom

 

How much time do you have for the test drive?

I notice you have a Prius identified, are you selling or buying?

STATIC INSPECTION
1) open hood and rear hatch
2) start and turn on lights and turn signal
3) walk around inspecting the exterior and lights, try each door
4) look at fluid levels in brake and inverter coolant
5) look under for any evidence of fluids
6) turn wheel to one side, inspect the dust boots on suspension
7) inspect tires for uneven or abnormal patterns
8) verify engine stops in a couple of minutes
9) close everything up
10) check radio and CD player and displays
11) check all operator controls including windshield wiper and washer

DRIVING INSPECTION
1) verify seats move, adjusts windows, check visors, fasten seat belts
2) straighten wheel, reset MPG
3) pull forward and brake ... to feel it
4) drive through 'neighbor hood' and verify engine stops at stop signs
5) try gentle acceleration with engine off to see if you can reach 20 mph on electric only
6) try harder braking to get a feel
7) avoid running A/C and heater to hear vehicle noises, windows up

INTERMEDIATE DRIVING
1) Drive to a low traffic or 4-lane street with 45 mph speed limit.
2) Reach 45 mph and slowly let the speed fall off and notice that the engine stops spinning at ~42 mph
3) When speed reaches 38 mph, sustain it with the accelerator and verify the engine does not come on for 10s of seconds or longer
4) Come to a stop
5) With brake held, push accelerator to get engine spinning
6) With brake held, release accelerator and wait for engine to stop
7) Holding 35 mph, verify the engine starts and stops on its own
8) Drive to a highway entrance and record MPG, reset

HIGHWAY DRIVING
1) Accelerate to 65-70 mph and set the cruise control
2) Reset the MPG
3) Continue driving for 10-15 minutes
4) Record MPG, it should be over 50 MPG
5) Test heater and A/C controls
6) Verify car tracks true
7) End test

Bob Wilson

 

5) You have to have your foot on the brake to get the car into the READY mode. You don't press the accelerator. Most likely the engine won't spin up when your first start the car. Keep in mind that it primarily starts to run on the motor, not the gas engine.

6) I don't know what you mean. Once in the READY mode, and with you foot on the brake, shift the car into Drive. Take your foot off the brake and press the accelerator to make the car go. Just like any car...

 

Yeah, what he said, and oh yeah, HAVE FUN!
I took 10 minutes to completely program the MFD to my lking, the salesman asked what I was doing and I told him that I wanted to drive the car as if I already owned it.
He said go for it, I had him point out the other features of the interior, and then a 5 mile drive on city and freeway streets, had a blast!!! I love my Barcelona Red Baby!!!

 

I have a little different take on the test drive deal.
Assuming you are interesting in purchasing one, and know nothing about them.
Rent one!
Last April my wife and I were taking a 2200 mile trip to Georgia. We were going to take my Dodge Ram, but gas was $4 as gallon, and the Ram gets about 17mpg. So I looked into renting a car for a week. Some rental agencies have unlimited mileage only within a short few state area. Budget Rent a car had unlimited mileage, and I could take it anywhere short of Mexico. I researched the various cars they had available and discovered I could rent a Prius that averaged 42-48 mpg. Cost me $154 for the week! I was not really looking to buy a new car, but after driving one, and living with one for a week, after we dropped off the rental, we went to the dealership.
I worked my way through the rookie mistakes, like driving around the parking lot with the emergency brake on while the wife was trying to read the manual. But I made most of the mistakes on someone else's car, not mine!
I would advise anyone looking at making a purchase to rent a car, well worth the money if you find out you like it or can't live with it.
For me, it led to me buying a Prius...............and normally that would have gone against my nature.

 

I'd have to agree with swi66, rent a Prius and really get a chance to see what it can do in the real world. I lucked out and got a Prius for a rental last year. I had several mountain passes to drive over and city and highway driving. I was able to test out the car alot better than driving around the block (through Phoenix traffic) with the dealer. Plus you can do things with a rental that the dealer would never let you get away with.

 

If it's a short test drive, shut off the mfd. Watching it for the first time while driving the car could get you ( or even worse, me) killed. Too much to observe while trying to watch traffic.