2007 Toyota Prius - 55 mpg!

**Tycho** · 01-07-2007

Dude. I could drive from San Diego to Los Angeles on 2 gallons of gas!

I could drive to Las Vegas on 5 gallons and not have to refill when I came home (assuming a 20 gallon tank like my current Cherokee has - I didn't check the gas tank size on the Prius).

Plus the darn car is only $23,070 when fully-loaded. I could come up with probably over half that in my trade-in value.

I do wish I liked the design-look better. Toyota's hybrid SUV does not get even half the good mileage of the Prius. However, on this website, you can adjust the color and the black model looks alright: http://www.prius.com/

Anyway, got a favorite hybrid or something? Post 'em here with links. Sell us a car! hehe. (Pictures / links will help) 55 mpg is the fuel efficiency to beat (and don't get cute and post a picture of a bicycle!)

**Blue2th** · 01-07-2007

I have seen these like many cars in the Ford dealership Body Shop I work in from various fender benders. I have painted a few (that's what I do) They are kinda ugly as you say. Though alot of cars are these days. I had heard from a collision expert (bodyman) that the battery array or cluster has to be replaced in five years or so depending on mileage, at $5,000 a pop. I could be wrong but it's worth checking out. I currently own three Toyotas. A 93 4x4 extra cab PU, an 86 2 wheel drive x-tra cab PU, and a little 86 Tercel SR5 4X4 Wagon, which I actually drove to SDCC. (Talk about nail-biting) I'm going to sell at least the two 86's (don't need two PU's) I think I'm going to buy a Yaris (at 40 mpg less possible battery troubles) as a commuter. Keep my black X-cab 4X4 cause it has low miles and it's a great truck. http://www.toyota.com/yaris/index.ht...TN_YARIS_INDEX

**Tycho** · 01-07-2007

The Yaris looks best in the Barcelona Red Metallic I think. You?

**El Chuxter** · 01-07-2007

Since some dummy smooshed my otherwise perfectly good 11-year old Tacoma, I'll likely have to be buying a new car soon. I've been leaning toward a Yaris. Great gas mileage, affordable; plus we already have a "family car," and Toyotas will last until they're wrecked. I'm not big on car brand loyalty, but those are some well-built cars.

**Blue2th** · 01-07-2007

It does look good, but being at this elevation (5000 ft.) metallic paints fade. Well, the clear-coat that is over them anyways. I can repair them easily, and I do like the bright electric blue (hard to match) but I would probably go with white (easy repair) You would have no problem with any color where you are. I would get a hatch-back, bare bones with air and power steering only. Maybe a CD player I could put in later, and some nice rims. I saw a couple white ones around town being used as couriers, and they actually look the best. To me anyways. They are almost bug-like, but not feminine looking like the VW.

**darthvyn** · 01-08-2007

well, if you don't like the prius you can get a camry with the hybrid synergy drive system as well... and if you don't like that, wait another year or so - toyota plans to have a hybrid option on every vehicle they make by 2009 or soemthing like that. that's pretty impressive - they seem to be the only auto manufacturer thinking about the future, at least a little bit...

the hatchback yaris is pretty sweet lookin... probably a pain in the butt to put a carseat in, which has become a major concern of mine in the last month - it just barely fits in my scion tC... and only in the center rear - anywhere else in the rear and it interferes with the recline of the front seats!

**Jargo** · 01-08-2007

ugly. uglyuglyugly.

**JediTricks** · 01-08-2007

The Prius' shape is not meant to be attractive, it's meant to minimize drag from the air, the less drag, the better the mileage - it makes a BIG difference there, the drag coefficient on the Prius is down to 0.26, the 2001 Honda Civic's drag coefficient is 7.34 while last year's Hummer H3 is 16.8.

My mom found the Tesla Roadster online http://teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1 and we immediately went and checked it out at the LA Auto Show last month, it's very cool, it's an actual sports car that's all-electric, gets 250 miles per charge, only 3.5 hours to recharge, and their choice of batteries is a good one as it'll last over 100,000 miles perfectly and then will start to decline in quality slowly until you replace them.

**Tycho** · 01-08-2007

How much is that Tesla Roadster? It's pricey, isn''t it?

And do you remember the rock band "Tesla" and their song "Signs?"

"Signs, Signs, everywhere I look there's signs ....crossing my mind" I don't remember all the lyrics. It would be funny to use for a car commercial though.