Prius_drive

August, 2000 Toyota Prius

I finally got to drive the Prius. It took some doing. I was out of town and stopped at a local Toyota dealer and asked about the Prius. Yes, they had one, but I couldn't drive it. It was sold. I could rent one however. I said I just wanted to drive it. The salesman offered to show me the sold vehicle. He obviously knew little about the car. He actually turned it on and told me that I couldn't hear the engine running when it was obvious that the internal combusion engine was puttering away. He also told me that the battery was in front, when I knew it was behind the rear seat. So don't believe everything some salesmen tell you.

However, down the road at another dealer, I found an engineer qualified to show me the Prius. In fact, he offered to let me take a test drive. I gratefully accepted. He had taken the Prius orientation course and obviously knew his stuff. Including the latest on cruise control.

The car was surprisingly powerful. It wasn't a turbo charged sports car, but it was as peppy as most sedans. At first I thought there was some wander but then I recalled that the same thing had happened in my car on that stretch of highway due to severe cross winds. IThe Prius actually handled very well at freeway speeds.

I learned that the battery has an 8 year warrantee. If it goes bad at any time during that period it is replaced - (not prorated). That is something that should reassure those with battery worries.

Post Script May 2002

I have subsequently seen more and more Prius vehicles all over California. Just this weekend I saw a beautiful metallic sky blue one zipping up 3800 foot Mount Diablo.

I still haven't bought my own because I already have a good car. But if I needed a new one, it would be a Prius in a heartbeat.

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