2006 Toyota Prius consumer reviews

This is the next generation of automobiles. The Hybrid Synergy Drive that combines the power of the Electric and Gasoline Engines is trully revolutionary. The handling is smooth, the technology well developed but cutting edge, and the seats comftrable. I do have to say, the Prius is a very weird shape...

Bought our Prius in September, 2005. It really works! Very solid performance; it glides along like a space ship. Amazing fuel economy. We drove from Gloucester, MA to New York City and back in one day with four people in the car, averaging 75 mph on the highway. We went exactly 500 miles; I had to buy ten gallons of gas to refill the tank. With a car like this, you don't care about the cost of gas! Handles well in snow, and is comfortable on long trips. There is no reason to buy any other type of mid-size sedan than the hybrid. The rear visibility is poor, but that's really the only negative.

First car I can say that I actually love! Rides great and it can take a corner without much sway. I averaging about 44 miles combine driving. Great storage capacity in the front area with side pockets on the doors and two storage areas in the center console. Even has a location on the front doors to put bottles drinks that do not fit into the cup holders. It has not one but two glove boxes, one on top of the other. It does come well equip for the money. I love the keyless entry system. Three feet from the car and the "Fob" unlocks all doors and the ignition. I would recommend the backup camera. It is a very helpful feature especially at night with little lighting. The back window can be hard to see out of at night. The sound system is top notch with easy controls on the display panel. The radio and climate temperature controls are on the steering wheel, which is a great feature if you�re lazy like me. Bottom line is that for the type of vehicle that it is, it is very comfortable and can get out of it�s on way, comes well equip for the money and needless to say; lives up to it�s fuel hype. The only down side is that it�s a ugly duckling on the outside, but inside it is a beauty!

The Prius is a very practical car for a family. With 4 doors and seating for 5 you can commute in it and then take the family with you on a trip or vacation. We all know that the EPA does a lousy job of providing correct MPG numbers so the real-world MPG for the Prius is between 45 and 50. However, that is for a midsize car with automatic transmission. Many of the "Top 20 Best bang for the Buck" cars are manual transmission. The Honda Insight is the only car that gets better real-world MPG than the Prius and it is a 2-seater. The Prius engine gets a SULEV and PZEV rating so you are helping the environment too. Antilock brakes are standard. If you want and are willing to pay extra, then Navigation, Bluetooth, stability control, keyless entry and side-curtain airbags are available. The navigation system which has voice prompts and the radio/CD player are smart enough to mute automatically if you receive a cellular call and the bluetooth is enabled. After the call is completed, the radio/CD starts playing again and navigation will talk as needed. If you are going to have one car, you can get great fuel economy, room for 5, automatic transmission and help reduce pollution all at the same time.

Having driven our Prius for 5k miles we are very pleased with the car's environmental emissions, gas mileage, reliability, safety, and comfort. Overall we are averaging 48 mpg. The car was delivered with no defects. I would not hesitate to buy it again. The rear view camera option is a must for safety as well as the side/head curtain air bags. The car is exceptionally quiet, versatile with the hatchback design, and roomy with the rear seats folded down. Suggested improvements: lumbar support, driver's seat; height adjustment, driver's seat; independent rear suspension, automatic headlights (they turn off automatically, but do not turn on automatically based on light conditions); telescoping steering wheel; and adjustable foot pedals. Overall the Prius is an exceptional integration of advanced technology in a user friendly package!