2004-2009 Toyota Prius Prices Paid and Buying Experience

gak27 · June 2008

What is your waiting list like? How often do you get cars in? Do you know anything about the statement that our region (NE Ohio, etc.) will not be getting any more Tourings in? I've been on a list at another dealer for almost 8 weeks...

kessleen · June 2008

wee are telling our customers that the wait is 6-9 months- but i have been getting them in around a month for my customers- the reason that is: 64% of the prius's are packaged with the HG you would call it package #2 with VSC, backup camera, smart key, ect. also, I get as many color choices as possible- instead of asking for 2 -3 color choices, I get only the colors they don't want, meaning usually I have around 5-6 color choices for the prius. If you are set on a touring model with only 1 type of package and 1 color choice you will wait for 9 months which means you will be getting a 2009 model most likely

kessleen · June 2008

there has been a 1.8% increase for Toyota, which still makes since looking at inflation as well as the technology has been improving with no cost transferred to the customer untill now- a package #2 HG was listed around $23,989 now going to $24,309 with this new increase. Mainly due to the demand, production is at max capacity.

oldcoach · June 2008

I got a Gray Metallic Prius with packages and # 2 HG and Floor Mat Kit for a sticker price of 23,909. That was on May 29. I got the Prius from Ferris Toyota in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Sounds like I got a good price.

Karen_S · June 2008

A reporter would like to talk to consumers who are in the market for a compact, subcompact or hybrid vehicle but have had trouble finding one. Please respond to jwahl@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information along with the vehicle you are shopping for no later than Thursday, June 19th.

m2mazda6 · June 2008

Sharon, I just got allocated from dealer my Green Prius is on its way should have it in 4 weeks, I saw you went with a Blue one we were holding out for the Green and it finally came, we were starting to go with what ever color but we were in no hurry, glad we waited

sharon22 · June 2008

Congratulations!! I know ya'll are anxious for the wait to be over. SPM is a beautiful color (my first choice) and I know you and your wife will love it. Yes, I accepted a different color (Seaside Pearl) as my dealer was only receiving two a month and the blue was configured exactly the way I wanted it. Thought about holding out, but after seeing it . . . love it, love it, love it! Keep us updated on your details!

kmader · June 2008

Hello,
I've never leased a car before, but have been offered a package #6 Prius, the darker grey, for MSRP of $28,300. With taxes etc in California it is around $31,000.
This car has been found thru car broker in LA at car dealership in Sacramento, so I'd probably pay a delivery fee of $375.

I have a credit rating of 841.

The lease involves:
putting $1000 down
36 months
15,000 miles
$538/month
residual: $14,900.
In contrast,
purchase would be
$3000 down
60 month loan thru Toyota at 6.29% (seems high)
$550/month.

Any advice from you knowledgeable folks? Need it soon. Thanks,
Katherine

toyotabob1 · June 2008

IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA PRICES OF EXTENDED WARRANTY'S ARE GOVERNED BY THE STATE THEY ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE
THE WARRANTYS IN THE SOUTH EAST REGION DONE BY FIDELITY ARE BACKED BY SOUTH EAST TOYOTA AND ARE JUST AS RELIABLE AS FORD OR ANY MANUFACTURER
SO LETS GET THE FACTS BEFORE WE POST

anttrouble4 · June 2008

Hey Katherine - sounds like a pretty decent deal. I'm paying 530 per month for a package 2 with bluetooth, tint and chrome (which they insisted on instaling) for the same miles/time with 500 down. 2 months ago a package 6 was 475 a month with nothing down...

As someone who always had leather seats I love the cloth interior of these. if you can save $ I highly recommend it, esp as I didn't have to burn my a** during this last heatwave..

Factoring in your down/delivery that is about 575 a month total which if it includes taxes is probably par for the course these days. However I am sensing a backlash against the dealers who have been marking up the prices and claiming there's a 3 month waitlist....I get 3 calls a day about one that "just happened to come in".

Good luck - I'm stoked with mine!

rmi · June 2008

I didn't lease a Package 6, but maybe knowing what I got on my Package 2 might help --

Package 2
$22,900
3 year lease with 12,000 miles
Nothing down except drive off of first month's payment and license (I think it came to a total of $646.)
Residual -- $13,900

Total monthly payment including taxes $419. They really stuck it to me on the money factor -- I think it was .00323. My FICO is 844. Two weeks earlier, I could have gotten it for $379.

SoCal is using "scare tactic" of "running out of cars, better hurry up because Toyota has stopped production, some dealers are charging $5,000 premiums, etc." Plus, they are taking #2s and tricking them out and then charging $28,000+ for them. Don't fall for it. If you don't bite, they'll call you back in a couple of weeks with, "I just got a car in . . . "

Good luck. I love my car.

Curious -- What are you paying the broker?

kmader · June 2008

I am paying the broker $700. For me it's been worth it. He's an older man who bought his own Prius, had a horrible experience at a dealership, and decided he could be the middleman for others to avoid what he went through. He has contacts with dozens of dealers; I haven't had to set foot in a dealership. He has called over the last several weeks with possible Prius' that were either the wrong color or had something extra added that I didn't want. He put me in contact with dealership in Sacramento where I had risen to the top of their list for buying a package 6 for MSRP, and the car is supposed to be on the ocean, arriving in the next week or two.
It will be delivered to my driveway. So the decision I have to make in the next couple of days is whether to buy or lease.
Thanks for all your good info. I feel more comfortable with the lease decision I think.
Katherine

stevedebi · June 2008

"SO LETS GET THE FACTS BEFORE WE POST"

OK, facts.

CAPS IS SHOUTING.

Not everyone lives in FLA.

Auto manufacturers will not necessarily honor extended warranties issued by third parties. That means you may have your new car fixed by non dealers. If it is fixed wrong and it causes other damage, the dealer won't fix it under warranty. Check with your dealer about their policies BEFORE you buy.

A manufacturer warranty will be honored by the dealer, backed by the people who made the vehicle, and repaired by the people who know the most about the vehicle - using factory parts.

One additional fact I'd like to know: Do you work with selling or servicing 3rd party auto warranties?

Last fact: I do not sell extended warranties of any kind, though I have bought several - all from the manufacturer. Honda in my case.

3c3 · June 2008

"AS RELIABLE AS FORD"

People reading this thread probably don't have good opinions about Ford.

giden · June 2008

I am new here so I'll keep this short. I was put on a waiting list several weeks ago and I told the dealer that I had no restrictions/preference as to which vehicle they might have available. I was trying to be as flexible as possible. Lucky for me, the dealer called back in two days and said that instead of waiting for 12 - 16 weeks, they had a cancellation and that if I wanted to move to the front of the line, I could get my Prius in 10 days. I jumped on it. I couldn't be more happy. I picked up my '08 Barcelona Red Pkg#6 last week and I'm enjoying the mileage I'm getting so far. In two trips (1000mi each) I've filled up at the start of each trip........driven 470mi between fill ups and that ain't bad! Oh, by the way, I paid sticker: 28K and change.

jaxs1 · June 2008

I wouldn't buy a third party warranty and wouldn't buy the extended warranty from Toyota on a Prius either because the Prius has been about the least trouble-prone new car you can buy for any price and the warranty adds nothing to the battery warranty which most people are the most scared about (and isn't needed anyway because of the very long standard factory warranty on the battery).

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=117522
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5JF_X5UDTw

However, some of the points didn't make sense.
You would not be taking your NEW car to a non dealer anyway because that's what the new car factory warranty is for.
Of course one place is not going to fix damage caused by someone else for free.
If the first place caused damage, they are responsible for the damage and will have to fix it or pay to have it fixed.

But since they Prius is so reliable, it makes even less sense to consider an ExtraCost service contract from Toyota or anyone else than the typical average car.

lexusbunny · June 2008

Went to Toyota last Sat and surprisingly, they have a Pirus for test drive. They actually have 2 on the lot because 2 people back out of the deal. They dare to over charge $7,500 with pride!! Absolutely ridiculous!

I really think that Pirus started out to be a very good car with good MPG and alternately, save people money. But when greedy dealers up-charge outrageously like this, you are really just paying for all that gas money up front WITH INTEREST (when you get a car loan)!

Needless to say, we didn't get the Prius. And I really can't justify getting a Pirus for $38,000 (package 5)! We also test drove the Sicon XD...drive ok with decent MPG. You can get 2 of those for 1 Pirus.

jaxs1 · June 2008

They can ask any price they want. They could ask $10K or $75K over invoice if they wanted to. It's up to the buyers to decide what they will pay.
Of course they are not going to get $7500 over MSRP, they just ask a super high price up front so you feel like you negotiated a great discount if you pay $2500 over.
Obviously, if you think about the price you're paying after markups, you will realize that you would be negating the gas savings and other vehicles would make more sense..

analisa · June 2008

Hi Giden~
Bought my '08 Prius Touring Pkg 6 last night (Riverside County, CA)...paid sticker $28604. The dealership was not doing any dealing and not asking for $3k-$4k mark-ups like the 3 other dealerships I contacted. I felt I got a fair deal and skipped the extended warranty and additional fluff. Can't wait to start enjoying the better MPG.

bob104 · June 2008

What was the out-the-door price? And did it include any other accessories such as carpet mats or cargo net? Thanks.

stevedebi · June 2008

"However, some of the points didn't make sense.
You would not be taking your NEW car to a non dealer anyway because that's what the new car factory warranty is for.
Of course one place is not going to fix damage caused by someone else for free.
If the first place caused damage, they are responsible for the damage and will have to fix it or pay to have it fixed. "

Well, I was replying to a different post, but here goes.

The whole point of EXTENDED warranties is that it applies AFTER the normal warranty. With a Toyota extended warranty, the service is done at the dealer. That was my point.

The second item was that if an "outside" shop fixes a problem wrong and it causes a different error, then the dealer may not fix it. For example, most cars have a 50K or more warranty on the transmission. The Prius has the 10/150K warranty. Yes, if it can be demonstrated definitely that the "outside" shop caused the damage, they have to fix it. However, the Toyota dealer may be the only ones that know for sure that a problem was related to a prior fix. If the "outside" shop denies they are related, you are stuck between, forced to take the "outside" shop to court.

That whole process is messed up compared to getting a manufacturer extended warranty.

But in any case a 3rd party extended warranty is inadvisable for the Prius (or any Hybrid) for the simple reason that the HSD is so complex that only the Toyota dealer should touch it.

jweaver39 · June 2008

if everyone would calm down and look at the long range picture, it is obvious toyota is taking advantage of high gas prices and the mania surrounding it. if you want to save gas get a 4-cyl.that gets 30-40 mpg and wait 2-3yrs when automakers(honda,chevorlet,ford & toyota) will have many more hybrid models available and dealers will not be able to take advantage of you, buyers you be in control!!

bob104 · June 2008

Good advice. The small, fuel-efficient car you buy today will still be worth plenty when you go to sell it. The Civic I bought in 02 hardly lost $1,000/year. The Yaris and Fit should be excellent values. Problem is they might also be selling for a premium.

from Consumer Reports:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/buying-advice/most-fuelefficien- t-cars-206/index.htm

Fuel Economy
Rank Make & Model CR Overall MPG City MPG Highway MPG 150-mile trip MPG
1 Toyota Prius Base 44 35 50 48
2 Toyota Prius Touring 42 34 47 48
3 Honda Civic Hybrid 37 26 47 45
4 Toyota Camry Hybrid 34 28 41 37
5 Toyota Yaris Base (manual) 34 26 42 41
6 Honda Fit Sport (manual) 34 26 39 40
7 Toyota Yaris Base 33 23 44 40
8 Nissan Altima Hybrid 32 27 36 35
9 Toyota Corolla LE 32 23 40 39
10 Honda Fit Base 32 22 43 38
11 Honda Civic EX (manual) 31 22 40 37
12 Hyundai Accent GS (manual) 30 23 36 35
13 Kia Rio5 SX (manual) 30 23 36 35
14 Mini Cooper S (manual) 30 22 38 36
15 Mazda3 i (manual) 30 21 42 36
All have Overall MPG of 30 or higher

bob104 · June 2008

From Consumer Reports. BTW, I paid only $500 more for my Touring#6 than for a Base#6. What makes the Touring get worse mileage is its sticky 195mm tires over the Base's 185mm tires. Somehow, though I wouldn't get the Touring again, I did get my moneysworth and then some when I safely braked HARD in heavy 70mph traffic near Las Vegas. In that case, the 10foot margin of safety saved me a bad collision.

Toyota Prius Touring: First Drive

The high-end Touring version of Toyota's Prius has wider wheels and tires and a tighter suspension than the car's base version. Online subscribers have often asked whether to opt for the Touring Prius, so we put it to the test. Our Touring car cost $24,803, which is $895 more than a base model.
Along with an option package including electronic stability control, this Touring Prius did have better handling and braking than a previously tested base model. It got through our avoidance maneuver 3 mph faster, which puts it on a par with some of the better-performing family sedans. It also stopped about 10 feet shorter from 60 mph. The main performance drawback is lower mpg: 42 vs. 44.

CR's take. Mileage for the Touring Prius is still much better than that for any other five-passenger car we've tested, and the edge in performance could give drivers an extra margin of safety. We think that's worth the extra money.

indianajohns · June 2008

I soooo love this debate. And I think you are exactly right. Here's why...

Compare Prius vs. Yaris. At $4 per gallon and 12,000 miles per year, you are saving $550 in gas money TOTAL. Assuming you are going to only keep the car for 5 years, a 60 month bank loan for a $26,000 Prius would be $502.65 a month.
And a $14,000 Yaris would be $270.66 per month. So in 3 months you have already spent more on car payments than you actually saved on gas money. Now multiply that by the whole 60 months = $13,919.40 difference in car payments made. Subtract the yearly $550 gas savings = $11,169.40. You have paid over 11 GRAND to "SAVE GAS MONEY." I don't get it.

Some guy in this forum said "Well what if gas is $20 per gallon. It could happen." THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. If gas were $20 per gallon our economy would be destroyed so fast it wouldn't matter what kind of car you drove. The trucking industry would crumble, meaning every consumer product that is trucked would cost 5 or more times as much. There would be zero gas powered mass transit, no buses or planes or taxis. It would be the Great Depression Part II. With $20 per gallon gas you could probably trade your $26,000 Prius for a newspaper or some already chewed bubble gum if you were lucky.

All we can hope for in the near future is to build more nuclear power plants to give us electricity that doesn't rely on fossil fuels to power electric vehicles and even before that, pray that the oil companies start drilling oil on the U.S. public lands they already have a green light to drill on and pray they get green lights to drill in areas they don't already have permission because a squirrel might be inconvenienced.

Any way to lessen our dependence on foreign oil, I'm for it 100% but I'm not going to spend an extra $186 a month to do so. I'm going to stick to a $14,000 car or wait for the little "minis" to come out later this year or next year.

jaxs1 · June 2008

Gas will probably not stay flat at $4 per gallon for the next 5 years. Did gas prices stay flat the previous 5 years? 5 years ago people where assuming gas wouldn't go over $2 a per gallon in 5 years.

The Yaris will still be cheaper, but it isn't a comparable car. The Prius is a more substantial car with more space and many more features than just the hybrid battery.
If they make something a Yaris hybrid in a few years, then that will be something to compare it to.

Kirstie_H · June 2008

OK, we're starting to veer a bit far afield for the "prices paid" discussion. There are a load of other Prius-related and fuel-related discussions that make more sense for this line of conversation. Thanks!

magicboy2 · July 2008

So why would anyone lease a Prius right now? Now before you jump on me, I'm not saying this because I think the Prius is a bad car. I'm saying this because you can look on used car sites and see two and three year old Priuses selling for close to what a new one goes for, yet the residual values assigned to them in the lease programs are far below Infiniti, Acura, etc?

If a three year old Prius is selling for near what a new one goes for, shouldn't the lease cost next to nothing? Yet people are paying upwards of $300/mo! Makes no sense.

smokemirrors · July 2008

Hello Old coach,

Can you share where you bought your Prius? I am in the market. Thanks so much!

smokemirrors

oldcoach · July 2008

I would be glad to share my purchase information with you. I got my 208 Prius on May 29,2008, from FERRIS TOYOTA in NEW PHILADELHIA , OHIO. I was treated real good and feel I got a fair deal. Need any more information let me know. OLDCOACH

hawaiicarguy · July 2008

I have a deal in the works for purchasing a 2008 Prius for $2K over MSPR. This is for a Touring #6 so the MSRP is approximately $28K (out the door of $30K). I've been looking for a long time and don't have a car now because I sold it. There is a long waiting list all over the place, so I would pay a premium to get one now. What do you guys think?

carnaught · July 2008

I have a deal in the works for purchasing a 2008 Prius for $2K over MSPR. This is for a Touring #6 so the MSRP is approximately $28K (out the door of $30K). I've been looking for a long time and don't have a car now because I sold it. There is a long waiting list all over the place, so I would pay a premium to get one now. What do you guys think?

I wouldn't pay over MSRP no matter how popular the car is now. There ARE also dealers who will still sell for MSRP or less in this market; so what if you have to wait. You may not have much of a choice if you are in Hawaii.

The dealers who gouge buyers based on "market adjustments" are entitled do so in a a free market economy but they permanently go on my personal sh*t list, and I will never buy from them.

Any savings in gasoline or personal satisfaction you might derive with the car are more than offset by the price premium, IMHO.

bob104 · July 2008

The buildyourown configurator at toyota.com prices out an 08Touring#6 at $28,605, msrp including destination, no mats. So if they're offering you that car at $28,000 you're getting it at $600 below msrp.

In CA, with sales tax of 7.75%, title, etc. it costs about $31,000 or so OTD.

As to the idea of paying a premium, I don't like it but it MAY be worth it as currently the next best cars to my thinking, Yaris and Fit, burn about 90 gallons more gasoline per 12,000 miles. Hard to project the resale market three-five years from now as to gasoline prices and the much wider choices in fuel-efficient cars. Yaris and Fit may seem like SUVs by then. I would think that the 42-44mpg Prius would tend to hold its value better than the 32-34mpg Yaris or Fit. My 30 mpg 02Civic only lost about $1,000 per year.

mazaniac · July 2008

Many Toyota dealers have flat out lost their frickin minds. I saw one in Daytona Beach showing $6,500 ABOVE MSRP on their web site!! If I'm not willing to pay sticker for a car, I'm certainly not going to pay above it no matter how "popular" or "rare" the dealer says the car is. How is a brand new mass-produced car "rare?" Same thing happened here at various dealers across North Fla. that folks have mentioned, . . . no wiggle room, waiting lists, sticker price, and extras crammed down your throat. Was haggling with one sales manager at one dealership when a salesman walked up and asked "is this deal going through or should I call the next people on the list?" Blatant sales technique, but the rudeness of it pissed me off to no end. Lowered my offer from the previous one, laughed, and walked. Would have LOVED to have a Prius, but driving the darn thing for five years to make up the difference in over-cost vs. fuel savings would have driven me nuts. I'll wait. Besides, they are pissing a lot of people off and as soon as some viable alternative start hitting the market they are going to be in for a rude awakening when they're market share takes a big hit.

stevedebi · July 2008

"Would have LOVED to have a Prius, but driving the darn thing for five years to make up the difference in over-cost vs. fuel savings would have driven me nuts. I'll wait."

Why don't you investigate buying one in another state, and shipping it to FLA? We have lots of them here in LA.

jaxs1 · July 2008

For many people, a Corolla will make more financial sense than a Prius at $6500 over MSRP or even $6.50 over MSRP.

m2mazda6 · July 2008

Who Whoo I get my car Sliver Pine pkg 2 on Wednsday after work 2 1/2 months
wait, could have gotten it sooner but we were picky on the paint Sliver Pine

sharon22 · July 2008

m2mazda6 - Congratulations! You were patient and willing to wait and your patience was finally rewarded. As you know, I didn't want to pay the $700 for the Toyoguard on a pkg. 2 or any "greed" fees so I switched to a Seaside Pearl rather than holding out for the Silver Pine Mica and risk having it configured differently. I don't regret that decision and love driving this car!! You and your wife will too!!!

hawaiicarguy · July 2008

Thanks for the responses. I test drove the Fit and although I was impressed by the interior (seats go flat, sturdy interior, youthful looking display, etc.), the drive was bumpy and acceleration not so quick. I would pay more to get the Prius, especially if gas continues to rise, I feel it will be worth it. I am so disappointed by the fact that the NAV system in Toyota cars (including the Prius) don't work in Hawaii because the car I will get comes with it (package 6 touring). But, I still want it because I may move my car back to the mainland someday.

consumer8 · July 2008

I too had my share of what I call 'Gouging' and the dealership called Market Adjustment of 5000.00 over MSRP. The salesperson had the nerve to compare this to the Katrina disaster when bottles of water were being sold at 5 to 6 dollars a pop! He bragged that the public was buying them and I told him that this is the time when the government should step in and do something about this crap! He lowered the price by 500.00 and we walked out. I refuse to be one of the folks that are being taken advantage of. I think we do need to be patient and wait for the influx of new hybrids that will saturate the market probably within months if not a year. Just needed to get this off my chest, I am still fuming about this.

cruising7388 · July 2008

"Some guy in this forum said "Well what if gas is $20 per gallon. It could happen." THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. If gas were $20 per gallon our economy would be destroyed so fast it wouldn't matter what kind of car you drove. The trucking industry would crumble, meaning every consumer product that is trucked would cost 5 or more times as much. There would be zero gas powered mass transit, no buses or planes or taxis. It would be the Great Depression Part II. With $20 per gallon gas you could probably trade your $26,000 Prius for a newspaper or some already chewed bubble gum if you were lucky. "

Impossible? Four years ago, the prospect of fuel going to $5 per gallon was described as "Inconceivable". The draconian consequence of $20 gas has no connection with the liklihood of it occuring. If we started pedal to the metal today, it will still take between 10-15 years to fully engage an alternative energy source for vehicles. While $20 gas is not a slam dunk, the failure to acknowledge this distinct possibility is a full fledged flight from reality.

cruising7388 · July 2008

There should be a Hall of Shame thread on this forum for dealers that behave this way. Some day, the worm will turn and these identified hucksters could then be avoided like the plague.

carnaught · July 2008

I too had my share of what I call 'Gouging' and the dealership called Market Adjustment of 5000.00 over MSRP. The salesperson had the nerve to compare this to the Katrina disaster when bottles of water were being sold at 5 to 6 dollars a pop! He bragged ..........

Both situations are just as sleazy.

sbell4 · July 2008

first of all, I am a Toyota dealer and we do not charge over MSRP

but

a dealer can charge what they want for their product and the consumer has the right to pay or not pay. The reason some dealers charge a "premium" for a Prius is because there are buyers that will pay for the immediate gratification. If you disagree with a business's practice the best thing to do is avoid them but there isnt any reason to call them scum, thieves etc. because they do not do what you would like them to do.

I always wonder what the people that complain would do if they had a Prius and they sold it on ebay. Would they stop the bidding when it reached Edmunds TMV or would they take whatever price someone offered even if they knew it was more then the car was worth.

carnaught · July 2008

.......a dealer can charge what they want for their product and the consumer has the right to pay or not pay. The reason some dealers charge a "premium" for a Prius is because there are buyers that will pay for the immediate gratification. If you disagree with a business's practice the best thing to do is avoid them but there isnt any reason to call them scum, thieves etc. because they do not do what you would like them to do.

Well of course these dealers can do what they WANT to; it's a free country. Just like I and others are free to say these dealers ARE scum and I, for one, will never do business with them.

3c3 · July 2008

I bought my Prius for $2000 under MSRP. I would not have bought one for MSRP, let alone anything over MSRP.

However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the dealers asking for $5K/$10K/etc. over MSRP. Nobody is forcing you to buy a Prius. There are plenty of other cars available. When the dealers cannot sell the cars for what they're asking, prices will come down. Simple supply and demand.

hawaiicarguy · July 2008

I agree with the supply and demand theory with the Prius. When I looked at what people were trying to sell their USED Prius for (online on ebay and craigslist), it was not too much less than what the dealership was asking for on a NEW Prius, which included a $2K dealer mark-up from the MSRP. When I asked the dealer why he marked up $2K, he said "Well, that is nothing...guys in CA are marking it up $5K over MSRP". I think a better answer would have been "Because I can".

At the end of the day, I was happy to pay the $2K to get my car now versus in 5-6 months.

3c3 · July 2008

MSRP to be increased by about $500.

jrt101 · July 2008

After a 3 month wait, I picked up my pkg 6 tonight. Paid MSRP. No xm and decided not to buy any extra coverage. Total price was just over 31k incl NYS tax. I am a little disapointed in the leather interior and I would probably pass on it if I had a do-over. I am accustomed to "loaded" cars and "loaded" prius lacks the same luxury. I decided I wanted a Prius without driving one and my first experience behind the wheel was today as I drove away from the Toyota dealer...
I am thrilled that it is finally in but I can tell it will take some time to get comfortable. Another short-coming is the comfort of the drivers seat. I would like them to put a bit more attention into this on the top models for 2010. 50 miles per gallon, less oil from the Middle East...all the car companies need to take note that this is the new standard. Next challnge... AWD prius.

tiff_c · July 2008

all the car companies need to take note that this is the new standard. Next challenge... AWD prius.

AWD will kill the fuel economy. There are oh so many reasons AWD won't work in a great gas mileage car. Parasitic loss, weight, drag. The Prius *might* get 35mpg if it was AWD. That in itself would be something but unlikely to happen. They'll probably make a hybrid SUV in the Prius line and sell that.

2004-2009 Toyota Prius Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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