2001 Toyota Prius Reviews

Some minor issues with hybrid system.

Earlier tires wore like crayons... Michelin Harmony tires are much better.

Air conditioning out of service - would be $2000 to fix... I'd rather wait and put the $ in a new car.

CD player skips.

Tape player clicks.

Passenger handle sticks.

Driver side door no longer locks automatically.

Love this car. And it loves being driven. Just hit 340000 km today. That's over 200000 miles, with only minor annoyances.

It's feeling its age. Not as much pickup now, but used to be incredibly quick off the pin.

Apart from the TSB issued from Toyota for the P3191 error code, this car has performed tremendously. It took the dealer two visits to properly correct the repair because they didn't have anyone on staff that was familiar with the technologically modernized Prius. That is why I rated Dealer Service at a 7. There's just not a lot of specialists with the Hybrid market. Although of course that will change in the next year or so with the Prius starting to sell more popularly.

I rated comfort as a 7 because the seats aren't the greatest human-friendly accessory in the car, that's for sure. It's a widely common issue of owners, but don't let that take away from the overall value of the vehicle. Also in the 01-03 Prius, the gear shift isn't in the greatest of locations. Radio operation sometimes is affected when you have to reach around it somewhat. Other than that, the interior is great. The MFD keeps you involved with driving the vehicle and it makes you take the car into your control in order to reap the benefits the HSD can give you.

When I first got in the car and took it to highway speeds I was very surprised how it handled when I easily passed another vehicle with barely no strain or drag. Also from a stop it accelerates nicely up to cruising speed. There are a lot of people that still have false notions about the idea of Hybrid vehicles. I try to give everyone a little bit of info when I'm asked about it. It is still definitely a head-turner, even though it's newer body style does that job just fine by itself.

I've not had to put any money into it other than regular oil changes and regular upkeep. Over the last year I have averaged about 49 MPG from March to November and about 42 MPG from December to March. That is mostly 70% Hwy and 30% City driving.

Once you learn how to get the most out of this vehicle you'll never again want to own a car that idles at a stoplight.

After I had my Prius for well over a year -- by that point, the car was over 3 years old -- my tires blew due to wear from bad alignment. I had the tires replaced and the alignment fixed and all has been well since.

Also, about a month after my tire problem, I started getting all sorts of strange warning lights. It was in the middle of a heat wave and for awhile it seemed to be related to the 98+ temperatures. When the lights came on a second time, I took it to the dealer where they replaced some sensors, and had to keep the car for a few days to make sure they had actually fixed the problem. Apparently the car was "running lean". Most of the work I had done was covered under my warranty -- it was still under factory and the dealer's warranty because it was Certified Pre-owned -- and for the amount of work I had done, it cost me amazingly little. I spent about $135.

Those are the only problems I've had so far. I've taken in the car twice for recalls, but I've never actually had a problem.

I love my Prius.

My car is almost four years old now with almost 84,000 miles and it runs like new.

I live in CT and during our rough winters the gas mileage is not as good as one might hope, at about 35 MPG, because the car cannot turn off its gas engine as often. But in the summers - I've never used the AC often in any car I've ever had - I can get anywhere from 45-50 MPG.

The car is surprisingly roomy, and is definitely a different kind of driving experience. The cabin is so open that getting into a more conventional, low riding car is kind of strange for me now. I feel closed in.

People worried about getting top-speeds probably won't be considering the Prius anyway, but the car is plenty zippy for me.

I can turn on a dime and often find myself great parking spaces because people with bigger, clunkier cars can't make the tight turns to get in.

The only complaints I have are that I'd like a CD player and cruise control. I bought my car used and those options had not been installed. If I had it to do over, I might look for a Prius with those two features. The CC would also help get even better gas mileage.

Front tires (driver's side in particular) are very rapidly eaten up.

Paint scratches easily.

Interior seems to attract dirt like a magnet.

Actual mpg received in heavy/primary highway usage was generally 9 mpg below sticker estimates.

Steering is very responsive.

Bumps not handles well and bottoms out easily with full passenger occupancy.