2007 Toyota Prius Package #2 from North America - Comments

I recently in May purchased our primary car, a 2007 Prius with Option Package # 2 after doing a lot of on-line research and talking with two current Prius owners. I also test drove my son's Prius before buying. I now have over 7K miles after taking the car on vacation to Topsail Island NC from Indiana. I am averaging just over 51 MPG (combined highway and city). I absolutely love the car. The Hybrid system itself has a 100K warranty and by the time I need to replace the battery, I speculate the replacement would come down as the supply and demand increase, but this is not much of a concern to me. Performance for my needs is more than adequate. I am about 6' 2" and visibility for me is excellent, and I especially love the instrument panel visibility in all conditions. You can dim or completely shut off the display screen. Interior room and optional fold down arrangements are very good. I like the FOB and never having to use a key. The ride, noise level and handling are fine. Future options that I would like to see are telescoping steering wheel, auto headlights, keypad entry system and more adjustable seats, though you can optionally leave the lights on and they automatically shut off. The gasoline engine will automatically shut off when not needed, so idling slowly in a parking requires caution since people may not hear the car approaching. In my truck I want a diesel, but not in my car.

We ordered our Prius last Friday with Package #5. I was quite happily surprised with this car in the test drive and my wife was equally impressed. We bought the car as a runabout; I have a Porsche and my wife has a Touareg V8. Our plan is to keep the miles down on our cars and save money on gas. I am not particularly overwhelmed with the quality of the fabric on the seats, but everything else is first rate. The fit and finish of this car are generally a cut above anything else in this price range. I am amazed at the features that are offered for this price - tire pressure monitoring, decent radio with MP3 and blue tooth capability, electronic stability control, CVT transmission, keyless ignition - just to name a few. These are options usually available only on more expensive cars, at a much higher price point. I can't wait to start driving this little gem on the daily commute. And since I am not an eco nut, I will get a kick out of telling people that the nickle in the battery is mined in one of the worst toxic dumps in Canada, then sent to Europe for refining on huge diesel burning barges. Once, refined, it is shipped to China for final preparation and then on to Japan for assembly. Our order will no doubt come here on another huge diesel burning barge.

I am very curious about the Prius. I test drove one yesterday and it seemed to live up to expectations. I will be replacing my Astro cargo van which I drive 60 miles highway round-trip and spend 5-7 hours driving in Manhattan traffic during the day as I am a contractor with 10-15 stops to make looking at on going jobs. I currently in summer time get 13-15 mpg and do 25000 miles per year. I calculate savings of $3600 per year in gas alone if I get 45mpg. Over 5 years that's $18,000.It sounds like a no brainer. Can anyone who owns one talk me out of this. I am not a hippy or tree hugger and look at this as strictly a business decision. What do you think?

I wouldn't talk you out of it; I'd talk you into it. We started averaging low to mid-50s mpg straight from the dealership, with occasional jaunts over 60 mpg. We drive "gently," with gradual starts and stops. The on-screen displays are very helpful to tweak gas mileage even higher. It's not hard, but does require some change from old habits to get the best mileage possible. But that's a good thing, no matter what car you drive. Aside from the economy, this is the most fun car I've had to drive in my life! I even got a thumb's up signal from a pedestrian yesterday--first time that's ever happened to me!

I have been swaying between buying an exciting small German car and the Prius for several months, and I have settled on the Prius. I have read most of the comments posted here, and it seems that all of the negative comments hold no weight. The purpose of the design is completely functional, which is unfortunate, considering the hideous appearance; however, the technology, economy and environmental friendliness have won me over. I don't drive to impress people. I have no shortcomings to hide ;)

There are just two concerns I have about this car: 1) How is the comfort on long trips? 2) I have a slight fear of computer malfunctions. How reliable are the electrical/computer systems, and are they much more expensive to repair than traditional mechanical systems?

The comment regarding auto headlights... if you just leave your headlights on all of the time, they turn off like in my old Saab... so you have the same thing.

I am getting 45-48mpg. My car has 3000 miles. I was getting 40 and was disappointed. Then a light went off on the dash telling me to add air to my tires!!

Once I did, the MPG went to 45-48 and that is without trying or using the 'techniques'.

I spent $1500.00 and my Prius is as luxurious as my Saab. Interior is nice leather. Spent $60 and got a shark fin antenna and another $50 and got white head lamps that look like Xenon.

And I spend $18.00 every two weeks on gas vs. $75 on my Saab...

Thanks for everyone's comments. We've had our 2007 Prius for 5 months and here is my review, with nods to the previous posters. Under the theory that nothing is perfect, I've got some positives and negatives to mention:

-The drive is quite comfortable, even on longer trips, and the accel is quite good. The interior room is impressive, quite a surprise for a taller person such as myself. As some here have said, it has unexpected pep when needed. A pleasant surprise.

-Although far better than anything I've had before, I've been disappointed in the mileage thus far. I'm at 6000 miles now and did not notice any significant change after the 1st or 2nd tankful. It's been warm and the a/c is on sometimes, but at the low running levels, the a/c should not affect the mileage by 8-10 mpg. Right now we are averaging 45-46. At best up to 50 on longer trips on flat ground. I expected 5-10 mpg more than I've been getting. Also, living in a dense suburban/metro area as I do, being a "lighter foot" is not always an option! When you've gotta go around here, you've gotta go! On the other hand, with the price of gas what it is, why quibble?

-The outer styling of the car didn't turn me on very much initially either, but one gets used to it. Was never much for worrying about appearances, anyway!

-I must disagree respectfully with the reviewer who stated the view from the driver's seat is "good". My assessment is that it is not, and this is something potential buyers should be aware of. The view out the back, with the center bar that supports the spoiler, is very poor. The window itself is small so with this extra hindrance, the visibility is nearly non-existent. The back blind-spot views are bad as well, even with perfect adjustment of the mirrors. I have nearly had two accidents on the highway with people parked back there while I prepared to change lanes. Unfortunately that nifty rear-view camera doesn't help - it isn't on - when changing lanes!

-There seems to be a lot of "wasted" space on the dashboard, and an overall lack of horizontal surfaces.

-Finally - for those tall people out there - one very strange omission in this advanced "electric" car is the lack of an electrically adjustable driver's seat, even as an option. My wife is a foot smaller than I am so we are constantly readjusting the seat, and the amount of travel back and forth (there is literally NO adjustment ability up and down) is very constrained. This seems a strange omission in an electric car. I realize the motor (s) may weigh a few pounds, but...!

Thanks for everyone's comments and advice! MAS.

We've been looking at the Prius to buy soon, and finally test-drove one yesterday. When I first saw the new design (sometime in the last year or two), I thought they looked like a space-age eco-maniac vehicle. However, the more I see them, and especially as we are considering a purchase, the styling is starting to grow on me. The Prius is designed for aerodynamics. We had a 2000 Dodge Neon a few years ago (which my husband totaled) and the Prius is starting to remind me of that car in it's exterior shape.

I was pleasantly surprised by the way it handled (not like a sports car - which I wouldn't want anyway) as I have read that the handling was not up to par. I was a little distracted by all of the electronic display features, and wondered what the purpose of most of it was. I think I would like them to have done away with a lot of the fancy electronic gimmicks and lowered the price of the car. Aside from that, I think we will bite the bullet and pay for it anyway, as the savings in gas will offset the cost (I hope). I am REALLY looking forward to being able to drive anywhere without wondering if I can afford the gas to get there. I have family (my mother and 2 daughters) that I don't see often enough just for that reason.

We bought our '07 Prius in May. My wife commutes 40 miles each way and after more than 11,000 miles still averages 55 mpg. She is pleasantly surprised about the car, accustomed to the roominess and high seating in her Rendezvous. She finds it comfortable, quiet, smooth and reliable. I was surprised by the level of content that came standard -- "thermostat"-type automatic heating/cooling settings, ABS, ESC, cruise. We love the SmartKey although my wife was baffled one morning when her Prius wouldn't start (she forgot to put the key in her purse). Just make sure restaurant valets hand you the key when they fetch your Prius! Our only complaint has been a "burping" fuel tank which we've solved by not engaging the fuel pump's automatic-off feature. The back-up TV isn't very useful for gauging distances to the car behind you, but that's not what it was intended to do anyway. We ordered our Prius with dealer-installed heated leather seats to avoid upgrading to the next factory option level requiring us to buy a bunch of items we didn't need or want.

We are thinking about buying a Prius maybe in the next year or so. Currently we have a very old Lexus 460, and a Toyota Yaris as little runabout. We will have to replace the Lexus when it gets too old, but it refuses to lie down and die! We live in the UK where the cost of gas is much higher than in US (currently about £1 per LITRE ie about $2 per litre) so the fuel consumption is an issue.

My question to the forum is this:

We are both keen golfers, and can just about get two sets of clubs plus 2 electric walking trolleys in trunk of Lexus. Any golfers out there who can tell me how much equipment the Prius can take without folding down back seat. I would prefer to keep the kit hidden from view.

Thanks for your comments.

We just ordered 2008 Prius touring with package #6 --- navigation, leather etc.

I am tired of 15-20 mpg. Can't wait.

I picked up 2008 Prius touring today--came in early---drove 35mi. with air on & got 44.1 ---don't you have to love it?

I'm very interested in buying a Prius and will probably pull the trigger soon. My main concern is how the Prius might handle in snow and ice. I live in western NY where the winter weather is pretty bad. Anyone out there have any experience driving the Prius in snow or icy conditions? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

Now have 1027 miles. on 08 prius touring----44-45 mpg---haven't used all the stuff in package #6 yet.

We previously owned a Lexus SUV that got 18-20 mpg. The Mother-in-Law purchased a black base model prius and we had a chance to really evaluate it. While our 08 Prius (package 3) with added leather, is not quite a Lexus, I have to admit that it is very close considering the price difference.

Like others, I miss the electric adjustable seat - but it is a small price to pay for consistently getting 50 avg mpg. In Arkansas, we tend to drive long distances to work... also we use our air conditioners for at least 6 months a year.

We have a small child and travel 100 miles per day to work. We estimate that we have saved about $300 per month on our fuel bill. If you drive quite a bit and want to watch your fuel costs be cut 40 to 50% (and still have a relatively luxurious ride), get a Prius.

Also, we cannot go anywhere without someone asking about our car. Most SUV owners look at our car with great envy. One great feature that ALL cars should have to increase mileage is a computer monitor that constantly shows how your driving habits affect your mileage.

I think the "delayed mileage gain" is due largely to learning how best to alter your driving behavior to get the most mileage. I wish I could add this aftermarket to my 2002 Camry so I would behave better while driving it.

Anyway, I have owned a 4cyl Camry, a 6 cyl Solara (best car for the money), a Toyota Tundra, a Lexus RX 300, a Nissan Pickup, and a Honda Civic over the past 20 years. I would recommend all of these vehicles.

I would rank the Prius in the top two or three of the cars (even if the gas mileage was no better than the 4cyl). With the added value of the mileage, it is difficult to beat.

I imagine that the Prius (which I think means "Comes Before" literally) is just the first in a long line of Toyota vehicles that will dramatically push the mpgs and green factor.

By the way, I almost always buy used vehicles. This Prius is the first new car I have bought in about 15-18 years. I would encourage any interested person to at least drive one for an hour or so before you make up your mind.

The Civic Hybrid drives pretty nice as well, but seems more like a "little car". I hope that Honda, Nissan, VW, GM, Ford, and all the rest can build competing vehicles. I just have not yet seen it happen in any significant way (with the possible exception of Honda).

Good luck Prius Hunting!

Happy in Arkansas.