Penguinman and I have been driving a 1993 Miata and a 1997 Chevy Venture van - from the tiny to the huge - for the past 7 years. Neither of them was getting very good gas mileage, and both seemed to be nearing the end of their planned-obsolescence life-spans. So we’d talk occasionally about a Prius, but never seriously thought of looking at one.

Until a month ago. Our van needed yet another big repair, so on a whim, PM started calling the Toyota dealers in the greater Sacramento area. (We moved in December from the Los Angeles area to the Sierra foothills between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.) Each of them said the same thing: “Sure, come on in, drive one, and we’ll put you on our (4 - 6 month) waiting list.” But one dealer said he had 15 Prii on the lot, so off we went, down the hill, to the Big City.

What that dealer neglected to mention was that all 15 were spoken for. But when we got there, we learned that one deal had fallen through, so he actually had one available for purchase. And that is how we came to drive home in our new 2005 Prius.

I don’t know enough about cars to speak knowledgeably about the specs or technology, so I’m cribbing from the Toyota website, http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2005/prius.html, for that part, although I’ve deleted some arcana from the information below. The rest of it will be based on my experience. The non-technical parts of this review will be about my experience with this car.


FROM THE WEBSITE

Hybrid Synergy Drive®

GASOLINE ENGINE
Type: Aluminum double overhead cam (DOHC) 16-valve VVT-i 4-cylinder
Displacement: 1.5 liters (1497 cc)
Valvetrain: 4-valve/cylinder with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i)
Induction system: Multi-point EFI with Electronic Throttle Control System with intelligence (ETCS-i)
Ignition system: Electronic, with Toyota Direct Ignition (TDI)
Power output: 76 hp @ 5000 rpm (57 kW @ 5000 rpm)
Torque: 82 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm (111 Nm @ 4200 rpm)
Emission ratings: Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV)

ELECTRIC MOTOR
Motor type: Permanent magnet AC synchronous motor
Power output: 67 hp @ 1200-1540 rpm (50 kW @ 1200-1540 rpm)
Torque: 295 lb.-ft. @ 0-1200 rpm (400 Nm @ 0-1200 rpm)
Voltage: 500V maximum

TRACTION BATTERY
Type: Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) [2]
Power output: 28 hp (21 kW)
Voltage: 201.6V
Hybrid System Net Power: 110 hp (82 kW)

MECHANICAL/PERFORMANCE
Transmission: Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT)
Suspension: Front Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar, Rear Torsion beam with stabilizer bar
Steering: Rack-and-pinion with electric power-assist
Brakes: Power-assisted ventilated front disc/rear drum with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and integrated regenerative braking


WHAT COMES WITH IT

Standard equipment:
15" aluminum alloy wheels with P185/65R15 tires
Dual heated color-keyed power outside mirrors
Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps
Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers
Color-keyed front and rear bumpers and door handles
Heavy-duty rear window defogger with timer
Electronic rear hatch locking system
High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass
Rear spoiler
Intermittent rear window wiper

Packages
Per the website, you can choose from six packages of extra trimmings:

Package #1: Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, front, and rear side curtain airbags. $650.

Package #2: Anti-theft system; auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror with HomeLink® universal transceiver; Smart Key System. $920.

Package #3: Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, front, rear side curtain airbags; Smart Key System. $1,100.

Package #4: Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, front, and rear side curtain airbags; Smart Key System; High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps; integrated fog lamps; Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). $2,075.

Package #5: Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, front, and rear side curtain airbags; anti-theft system; auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror with HomeLink® universal transceiver; Smart Key System; JBL 3-in-1 AM/FM Cassette/6-disc in-dash CD changer, nine speakers in seven locations, and FM diversity reception. $2,190.

Package #6: Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side, front, rear side curtain airbags; anti-theft system; auto-dimming electrochromic rearview mirror with HomeLink® universal transceiver; Smart Key System; High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps; integrated fog lamps; Vehicle Stability Control (VSC); JBL 3-in-1 AM/FM Cassette/6-disc in-dash CD changer, nine speakers in seven locations; FM diversity reception; voice-activated DVD navigation system with hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth technology. $5,065.00.

Please note that not all packages are available in all states. In California, for instance, only Packages 3, 4, and 6 are available.

OK, that’s all from the website. The rest is my own stuff.

Oh yeah - and one more thing... average mileage of 50 mpg on the highway and 55 mpg in the city. On our first tank of gas, we got 47 mpg.


OUR EXPERIENCE

We had no idea what to expect. The car was attractive enough, but it just seemed that a car that ran, even partially, on electric power would be less zippy and powerful than an all-gas one. We were wrong. If going from 0 to 60 at warp speed is important to you, you may be disappointed, but this car lacks for nothing in the pep and ability-to-get-away-from-a-light departments. It's 0 - 60 rating is 10.4 seconds.


COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

The 2005 Prius is a hatchback with four doors. It seats five in comfort. With the 2005 updates, the car has morphed from a compact to a mid-size. The upholstery, while not plush, is comfortable and contoured to the average adult body, so you shouldn't have trouble with pressure points. The rear seats are split 60/40 and fold down, which makes it possible to carry some pretty long items. In fact, the interior capacity of the car is a surprising 112 cubic feet (96 for the passenger compartment and 16 for the cargo area.) I had some serious misgivings about moving from a big van to a relatively compact sedan, and I know we won’t be able to haul the huge loads we’ve been carrying in the Chevy, but the 2005 Prius has a generous enough capacity that I think we’ll be OK.


STARTING THE CAR

To start the car, put your foot on the brake and press the Power button on the dash. Then you need to watch the display, because there won’t be any audible or movement cues to let you know that the thing has actually started; no shudder, no vroom, no vibration... nothing. That’s because at speeds below 35 mph, and every time you press on the brake, the car is running on the battery instead of the engine. The rest of the time, the engine is charging the battery. So you never have to plug anything in.


AIR BAGS

The 2005 Prius has enough air bags to float you safely across the ocean. In addition to the usual driver and passenger air bags, it has side-impact air bags in the front and rear, and “curtain” air bags that deploy from the roof supports. So you’ll be completely coccooned in the event of an accident.


DISPLAY

The information display might take some getting used to, because it’s not in the usual place behind the steering wheel. Instead, it’s on a long narrow strip right under the windshield. So you are looking ahead to it rather than down and away from the road. A little strange, but it’s actually a good safety feature.

As is the case with a lot of newer cars, not everything shows on the display at all times. What you see when you’re driving is your speed, the gear you’re in, and whether or not your lights are on. The rest lights up as needed.

The centerpiece, literally, of the display is the 7" touch-screen mounted in the center of the dashboard. This system shows and/or controls all the functions of the car. Ranged down each side are buttons for Display, Menu, Audio, Climate, Destination, Map, and Information. A touch on the button will bring up a screen with further touch-screen options, from which you can obtain information about the engine and gas consumption, as well as operate the audio and climate systems.

In addition to the screen, you can control the systems from the steering wheel hub, and the audio system has the usual controls on the dash under the screen. So everything is redundant and you can retain functionality if a control system crashes.


NAVIGATION SYSTEM

The screen is also the heart of the navigation system. Here are some of the things it will do for you:

- It will show a map that pin-points your location at all times, whether or not you’ve entered a destination address. Some of the major streets in your vicinity are identified.

- You can enter specific addresses that you use often, such as your home, work, church, and so on. Those addresses are assigned icons that you can touch for directions. So you never have to worry about how to get back home from an unfamiliar place.

- If you enter a destination address, it will show you, via a heavy blue line on the map, how to get there. It will also show you the next three exits on any freeway you’re on, with the distance to each one.

- If you press the right button, a female voice will give you turn-by-turn directions for reaching your destination. We call her “Connie.” You can set her volume level, and activate a system that raises or lowers the volume of her instructions according to the ambient noise level.

- You can give the system voice commands and it will show you all the banks, gas stations, restaurants, and hospitals in your vicinity.

- You can zoom in and out, from 700' to several miles. In fact, in playing with it, Penguinman brought up a screen that showed the entire western edge of the US.

Please note that the navigation system isn't infallible; it's possible that some information is out of date. Also, while it shows roads, it doesn't reveal whether or not they are public, or passable. As Mapquest always suggests, it's wise to do a reality check before relying entirely on this system. But it can be updated; CDs with updated GPS information are available from Toyota.


GEARS

The gears are changed via a small knob that sticks out of the dashboard immediately to the right of the steering column. The 2005 Prius has Neutral in the middle, Reverse at the top, Drive at the bottom, and B (for Engine Brake) down and to the right. You use B when you’re going down a steep hill and want a little more braking power. For the rest, the car handles all shifting, including into Overdrive, so there are no other gear options on the control knob.

Park is accessed via a big button on the dash. When you’re parking the car, you set the emergency brake, press Park, and then press the Power button on the dash. The car will simply shut down, silently and without vibration, just the way it starts. The car has to be placed in Park, rather than Neutral, or terrible things will happen (but I don’t remember what they are.)


PERFORMANCE

In addition to the stupendous gas mileage, quoted in various places as being more than 60 mpg, the 2005 Prius has a nice tight 17' turning circle. After driving the HMS Venture for more than seven years, it’s nice to be able to turn in such a small space.

Unlike conventional cars, the 2005 Prius gets better gas mileage in the city than on the open road. That's because in slower city driving, you're running more on the battery, which conserves fuel; at highway speeds, it's all gasoline engine power.


SMART KEY SYSTEM

Our car came with a Smart Key system. This enables us to unlock and start the car without a key, as long as it is somewhere on our bodies. Actually, it’s not a key but a fob. I keep it in my purse. As I approach the car, I touch a pad on the door or trunk handle. The car reads a signal from the fob in my purse or pocket and unlocks the driver’s door or trunk. I get in, put my purse on the passenger seat or floor, and start the car, all without having to use the “key.” However, if I want to, I can slide the fob into a slot on the dashboard. If Penguinman is waiting to get into the passenger side, I have to unlock that door using the usual control button on the driver’s door. Although it was designed as a convenience rather than a safety feature, the Smart Key system will only unlock the driver’s door and the trunk.

The fob has Lock and Unlock buttons on it, so I use it to lock my car. And the manual notes that it shouldn’t be kept near any other signal-emitting device, like a cell phone, which makes finding a place for it in a small purse a bit of a challenge.


HOMELINK SYSTEM

The rear-view mirror has a row of buttons under it. One of them controls the night-time dimming feature. When activated, it automatically tilts the mirror to dim the glare of headlights behind you. It does the same thing as the switch at the bottom of most rear-view mirrors, but it does it automatically.

The other buttons enable you to open gates and garage doors, and even turn on house lights, from the car. They “learn” from remotes, which makes it possible for you to leave said remotes at home.


BLUETOOTH™ TECHNOLOGY

According to the website, Bluetooth™ is an available option that allows for wireless connections between your Toyota and many Bluetooth™-enabled mobile phones. Built into the available onboard navigation system, the technology provides users with convenient hands-free phone capabilities.


WARRANTIES

The 2005 PRIUS comes with a bumper-to-bumper 36-month/36,000-miles warranty. Other warranties include the powertrain for 60/60,000, corrosion perforation for 60 months/unlimited miles, and roadside assistance for 36/36,000.

We were offered an additional comprehensive protection package. We usually don’t buy these packages because they are tremendous money-makers for the dealers and the consumer rarely gets full value from them. But in this case, we bit. The 2005 Prius carries 13 - count ‘em - THIRTEEN! - computer systems and myriad other high-tech gadgetry, any (and all) of which may, and probably will, go sour at some time. The package covers 100,000 miles, and provides full coverage for everything on the car; we will be responsible only for the oil used in the 5,000-mile oil changes, but everything else is fully paid for. So we went for it. It cost us almost $3,000, but given the complexity of the car, it seems worth it to us. This is not a car you can take to Joe’s Garage and Donut Company for a quick fix; most of what it will need will have to be provided by trained technicians.


WHAT I’LL CHANGE WHEN I BECOME QUEEN

There are some features on our 1997 Chevy Venture that we figured would be pretty much standard on cars eight model-years newer, but we were wrong. Here are some features we’re used to that we don’t have:

- Our Venture automatically locks all doors when the car is put in gear and the emergency brake is released. The 2005 Prius doesn’t do that; the driver has to manually lock the doors using the control button on the door.

- Our Venture has a light sensor, a tiny hole on the dash up by the windshield, that automatically turns the headlights on and off as the ambient light changes. The 2005 Prius lacks that feature, so we’re back to trying to remember to turn the headlights off at night.

- There’s no way to pop the hatchback from the driver’s seat.

- Our Venture sounds a bell if we leave the turn signal on for more than half a mile without turning. The 2005 Prius doesn’t do that.

- The Venture had electric seat adjustments for the driver. In the 2005 Prius, both seats adjust manually.

- One other feature that we’re not crazy about is the angle and placement of the left front doorpost. It’s placed in such a way that it impedes the driver’s view during a left turn. I find myself leaning forward to see around it.


WHAT WE PAID

Prii are so much in demand (that 4 - 6-month waiting list in Sacramento is increased by about 50% in Los Angeles) that there’s no haggling; the price they quote is the price you pay. The base price is $21,390. Our car, fully loaded with Package #6, listed at close to $27,000. After adding on the extra warranty coverage and other usual fees, I believe we paid about $32,000 altogether.


TAX BREAKS AND OTHER INCENTIVES

According to all the information we’ve seen, we may be eligible to a federal tax deduction of $2000 for our car in the year of purchase. Some states are also considering tax breaks. And while California apparently has passed legislation that would allow hybrid cars to drive in carpool lanes regardless of the number of people in them, there’s still some back-room haggling going on so the law hasn’t been “activated” yet.


SUMMARY AND VERDICT

Overall, we really enjoy our 2005 Prius. We had no intentions of getting all the bells and whistles, but the only alternative was to hit the waiting list for who-knows-how-many months. Now that we’ve used them, we have to admit that the Navigation System is very handy; it guided us flawlessly through the messy and confusing Interstate 80/580/880 maze in Oakland last weekend, and has helped us find our way around our new environs. The car is roomy and comfortable inside and attractive outside, and carries an impressive amount of cargo. And needless to say, any car that sips gasoline instead of gulping it is a big hit with us. Even if it continues to get mileage in the high 40s instead of the 60 touted on various websites, we’ll be happy. Five stars.
Amount Paid (US$): 32,000 +
Condition: New
Model Year: 2005
Model and Options: Gas-electric hybrid