.2012 Prius in future????? I think,

Good idea: Yes!
Still perform well? Yep!
Issue climbing? No, though it will hurt MPGs, but the 25 miles downhill on the way back should make up for that!

The regular Prius is best suited for long highway commutes, I don't know which version you're thinking of getting. And welcome to PC!

 

I drive a minimum of 96miles (48 each way) a day on my commute. The last 10 miles of my morning commute goes from 200ft. ASL to 1,200ft. ASL. My total commute is from about 50ft. ASL to 1,200ft. ASL. With careful driving I can get 53-55mpg uphill in the morning and 80-85mpg downhill in the evening (2pm). My average is then about 64-65mpg. So as you can see, even with hills and freeway commutes you can get great fuel economy BUT you have to make some sacrifices to get there. Keeping speed low and the AC off helps a ton. If you drive fast (70-75mph) and with the AC on you can still get awesome mileage in the 47-53mpg range with such a long commute. Just learn the basics of how to glide and you're set.

I sold my 2005 (late year model) with 158,000 miles this last March. It was still running strong and getting excellent fuel economy.

 

I would think that a liftback would absolutely be a good idea, but why do you want to get rid of what you have? If it is paid off, is it worth spending a lot of money to get a new car that will save you some money in gas? Now - if you have mechanical problems, that is different. But the Toyotas should be able to go much further than 130k.
Don't get me wrong - if you want to get a new car, I would think a Prius is a great option for you. I just would make sure to get it for the right reasons (e.g. because you just want a new car dammit, because what you have is becoming expensive to maintain or is unreliable, you just want to spew less fumes into the air, reduce reliance on foreign oil, etc.).
My two cents.

 

I might suggest renting a Prius for a few days and see what sort of mpg's you will get with it, also it will tell you if the Prius is comfortable for your commute.

 

My two cents worth would be to find a good used 2010-11 Prius to help keep the over all cost down. They are out there around the $16,000 range for a basic and you still have a little time before making your final decision. Hope that helps!

 

Check with your Toyota dealer or check out Toyota Rent a Car. I rented one the week before I decided finally purchase mine. They also allow you to purchase the rentals (the one I drove only had 13k miles!!!) so that might be an option too!

 

I too rented before I bought. Helps you feel very confident in your decision either way.

However, I wouldn't buy a rental car...ever...any type. Rentals are used and abused, to a very high degree.

 

I couldn't agree more, but if they gave a REALLLLYYY good discount and a lifetime warranty, it might be a bit more compelling.

 

Definitely do this - I don't think the dealers typically charge too much for a rental. I happened to rent one on a trip recently and there were a few things that I needed to get taught in order to drive it. Not major things - but important nonetheless (e.g. putting your foot on the brake before starting the car). Anyway - I think renting one for a couple days will give you a lot more understanding about the car than just "taking around the block once".
Good luck!

 

You will love it!

Check the Toyota site to see which dealers do rent. Around my area it isn't a ton.

 

I drive through very hilly terrain here in NY, and the mileage is still excellent; I will also second the comment about some differences between a hybrid and a gas only car; they are not bad differences, they just take a little getting used to. I am driving my first hybrid as well, and can tell you, I adjusted to it in short order, and I love my Prius. I also offer a second vote for the regular Prius Gen III as the correct match to your type of commute. Welcome to PC!

 

Some of the things brought up are not specific to hybrids. There are non-hybrids which use something similar to Toyota's Smart Key System. Some non-hybrid Lexuses have it. Some non-hybrid Nissans have it available too (Nissan calls it Intelligent Key).

Smart key system is not standard across all Prius c models. Something like it is unavailable on Honda hybrids. It also didn't exist on the 1st gen Prius.

 

Be sure to watch this video a few times before you start driving the Prius. Will help max out your mpg's :

Look forward to your report back.