2010 Toyota Prius
NOT JUST FOR “GREEN” CONSUMERS ANY MORE!
By: Cathy Droz for Two for the Road USA
I can’t believe ten years ago the Toyota Prius was almost a dirty word; unless of course you followed the lives of Justin Timberlake and his celebrity buddies who chose to drive up to the Academy Awards behind the driver’s seat of one. No one believed they drove it around town for real, but some fans got on the band wagon and purchased one to look “green” and “cool” like their idols.
When the prices of gas would go up, so would the sales of the Prius. In fact to date Toyota has sold over 1.2 million. Well, since the economy has changed, gas prices and the stock market fluctuate daily, the 2010 seems to be on the shopping list of not just “green” buyers and environmentalists but a new generation of form and function consumer.
The new 2010 Prius is a great ride and a good looking four-door compact sedan. Almost 90 percent of the components in the Prius are new, and the exterior has been redesigned to be more aerodynamic but without loosing it’s distinct shape. The interior is all new too, and the changes are not just aesthetic.
The hybrid system (which I am quoting) combines an l.8 liter Atkinson-cycle (I remember the Atkinson diet from the 80’s) four-cylinder engine with an electric motor which produces net horsepower of 134. This is 24 more than the previous generation. The fuel efficiency increases to a combined 50 miles per gallon, and three drive modes let the driver adapt the Prius to the desired power and efficiency needs of the person in control of the wheel.
Prius has one model but four different rim levels. I test drove the top of the line, the V.
I had park assist, safety connect and the pre-collision systems. I had a GPS system that was easy to follow and Toyota actually designed a place for a purse. My male counterparts’ think it’s a waste of space and a cheesy way for the Prius to look futuristic and female friendly. For me, under the floating console, on the floor, worked just fine.
Now the transmission gears were unusual. Actually, it made the whole changing of gears at any given point interesting. A learning curve for sure but fun.
The 2010 Prius has been known to get over 60 miles per gallon. I was only able to get to
52 (not good for a journalist). Possibly I did too much freeway driving that week or I just didn’t have the competitive streak in me that my testosterone driven journalists seem to have. A male journalist in California got 68 mpg.
So why wouldn’t someone want to have a Prius in their garage? I liked it, and will recommend it to the right consumers. I enjoyed driving it and wasn’t at all embarrassed when other cars were passing me by. I felt good about the energy I was saving and the money at the pump. The technology is the bomb, so if the inside is a little plastic-like and you can’t race your neighbor down the street and win, so what? Toyota makes a grand vehicle; and stop worrying about battery stuff, it’s all good. Prices start at $22,000 and up.
For more information go to: www.toyota.com
Note: On the Forth of July my nephew Scott pulled his Gamez on Wheelz business in front of the house. Yes, it got a lot of attention from the neighbors… but so did my Red 2010 Prius. The Gamez on Wheelz truck burned more gas in 20 minutes sitting in front of the house than my Prius did in a trip to Flagstaff to Phoenix and back.
www.gamezonwheelz.com
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