Trying to make up my mind

Naysayers like to criticize the Prius for not getting the estimated MPG on the window sticker. As you have learned, neither do any other cars.

Consumer Reports for one gives it it's highest reliability rating. Reliability is why I drive Toyotas.

Driving >60 mph can decrease your mileage significantly. That being said, I do it fairly regularly and still get ~48mpg overall. NO problems getting up to speed any more than any other 4 cylinder. Better than most actually. It doesn't strain at high speeds and it's quiet. It probably wont feel as powerful as your truck but seriously, it's like any other midsize car.

Don't have it. I'll let other comment but try a search.

I actually do better on the highway. The best mileage I have recorded over individual tanks have all been on road trips.

 

it's great!

I have no complaints. I have driven almost 36.000 miles in less than 2 years. The Prius has plenty of GO tho I can't vouch for extended driving over 75 MPH. I try to stick to speed limits here which are 55-65.
Try to rent one for a couple of days if you can.. or see if you have an owners group in the area and get someone to take you driving.... you won't be sorry!

 

I have spent a lot of time in Sedona, so I know what the roads are like. You shouldn't have any trouble passing, but don't expect brisk acceleration like the Nitro probably has. Basically, think Corolla-like passing power and plan accordingly. The Prius' engine will get buzzy going up the switchbacks at the upper end of Oak Creek Canyon. I would not attempt to take the Prius up Schnebly Hill Road like you might with the Nitro. Other than that, it's basically no different than driving a typical, low-horsepower compact car.

Reliability of the Prius has been great for years. There are various threads on this forum about one issue or another, but nothing too concerning compared to other cars with similar features and options. Early Gen-II cars had multi-function display failures, but Toyota fixed that problem back around 2004. The most common complaint for expensive repairs is the HID headlights.

Extended warranties are personal choice. If you can afford it, roughly $1K for 7yr/100K/0ded, it's certainly good for peace of mind. You have until the 3yr/36K warranty expires to decide, although getting the extended warranty earlier apparently gives a few extra perks that the bumper-to-bumper warranty doesn't have.

The Prius excels on the highway. On AZ highways and interstates, you should not have trouble achieving 50mpg on the multi-mile straightaways.

You are in the same boat I avoided. I almost bought an '08 Liberty a month ago. I decided against it because of friends with the previous model who average 20mpg. I am about 95% decided on going down to the local Toyota dealer and buying a Prius with package HG. If you have not yet, take a dealer car for a healthy 20 mile or better test drive first. Some people find it difficult to get comfortable because of the lack of seat height adjustment and a non-telescoping steering wheel. Something that's very important to consider for your long distance drives. Good luck!

 

If you are like most people on this forum, you will get used to the power difference and may even stop caring about the missing HP and start having a ton of fun trying to maximize milage. We call it video game mode where you try to better your "score" with every tank. lol

My last vehicle had over 700hp at the wheels and I really don't miss it.

 

I second what F8L said. My last two vehicles were speed demons. A truck with 300hp+ and 16mpg. A car with 400hp+ and 6-8mpg (no typo, yikes!). Now driving a 120hp subcompact that does 0-60 in an hour or so. I don't miss the fast vehicles. My wallet thanks me every day.

 

I say it is better than video game because you are actually moving rather than seeing things on the screen. The steering wheel a world better than Need For Speed arcade. The overall experience is unforgetable because your whole body and mind are involved in it.

I think a closer resemblance of Prius is the bicycle. Remember learning how to ride a bike? Remember the padel and glide trick instead of padeling all the time? Yup, you can do the same on Prius. It is called Pulse & Glide. Do you padel when you are slowing down or not moving? Nope, neither in Prius.

Prius and bicycle have a lot in common. You don't forget how to ride/drive it.

 

Just over 200 miles on my 08' Prius now and I had some of the same questions that you had before I bought it. Our last car was a Nissan 200sx, 1.6L. The prius has a lot more zap from a dead stop than the 200sx did. It's no ferarri, but I have not found myself wanting for more power in daily driving. 75mph is just about effortless. I too was concerned about how it would do on the highway with the little motor, but it's so aerodynamic that highway speeds are no problem at all. We've done almost all city driving except for about 10 miles on the highway, and the computer is claiming 40mpg overall so far, not bad. So there's my initial impression after about 200 miles of driving a prius. I say go test drive one, they're actually a lot of fun to drive!

 

I think that your questions have been answered very well already. I'll just add that I spent three years liking the idea of getting a Prius but didn't pull the trigger because I hadn't convinced myself that such an efficient car could do the other stuff well...pass, haul, handle, etc. But I'm sure glad I bought mine! I do have a few gripes, and it mostly has to do with the ergonomics conflicting with my rather tall frame. But that's a very personal thing and you're just going to have to sit in one for a while (maybe even rent one for a day?) to make sure it fits you. I'd say 90% of people here say it's a very comfortable car, and I probably just complain too much.

My driving cycle is mostly highway (60-70mph speed limits). If you cruise at 75mph I suspect you will find your gas mileage in the low to mid 40s depending on the rest of your driving cycle. If tend to creep more toward 80mph then it might be a bit lower. But still, that's double what the Nitro gets.

 

I just wanted to comment on warranty but my signiture says it all for me.

 

From PHX to LA - I avg'd 43mpg (I-10, in November). Probably would avg less in the summer running the A/C in 115 degree heat.

For perspective I typically avg 52-55mpg on my commute (typical PHX commute).

Passing power is adequate on the highways, on the 2-lane backroads around Sedona, just plan accordingly. These are gas sippers, not hot rods...

 

Nope. You'll have to freeze your buns off on those Phoenix to LA trips!

Seriously though, some people have added this aftermarket if you browse the forums and search for "seat warmer"

 

Not OEM heated seats. You can do it yourself, hire it out, or find a dealer who will have it done for you by a contractor. The "conflict" you find is that some dealers have found people to do this for them and others haven't.

Why you'd want heated seats in AZ, though, is a real puzzler. I don't turn the heat on in the car until the temps get to about 35 (or the humidity is high enough to create fogging on the windows). I've had heated seats, and they are great -- but only when the temps are well below freezing.

 

OK. I'll play.

Desert? . . . Heat
. . . . . . . . . Shadefree
. . . . . . . . . Heat
. . . . . . . . . A/C
. . . . . . . . . Unbearably
. . . . . . . . . HOT!!

 

People, check the low and high temps in Az. Lows are in teens and highs are in 100s.

http://phoenix.about.com/od/weather/a/averagetemps.htm

 

What??

You mean the lowest temp ever recorded in Phoenix is in the teens (17, I believe). The average low during the winter is in the 40s.

I visit Phoenix about every 6 weeks. I have never (intentionally) turned on the heat. I know that I have 40 weight oil in my veins and that people who live there do find 40 pretty darn cold. I'm just having a bit of fun with it. After all, who wouldn't rather spend a few winter days in a warmer climate?