New '24 LE, back to Toyota after years away

Hi all, glad to be part of this community. Just bought my LE on Wednesday...

First car were a Toyota -- a '75 Corolla SR5. Parents had their '82 pickup until 2005 or so. Owned a used '92 Paseo 22 yrs, bought w/ 50K miles and lasting to nearly 300K and 2010, before it finally got sold (still getting 35 mpg, and on its original clutch!). '92 - '96 Toyotas (just post-Lexus) were little tanks for reliability.

Owned a variety of used cars returning to HI after the military and 20 yrs on mainland, incl. two Hondas (like most Local HI families, unless we towed a boat or owned a farm in '80s / early '90s, we owned Toyota / Lexus / Honda / Acura). But this last new Honda disappointed me enough to plan a return to Toyota.

It was time. And the model were to be a hybrid, as in my eyes the tech was mature enough to really raise eyebrows -- first the 2019 RAV4 HEV and Prime, then the 5th-gen / 5th-gen Prius, then the '25 Camry. Good stuff... and 50 mpg vs a fading 35, was irresistible.

I'm over 50, but have raced sportbikes in the mid-Y2Ks -- so for a while was nice to have a zippy turbocharged car that handled decently. But esp where I live w/ indifferent road maintenance and pop-up construction anywhere, anytime... I'm over 2" pavement cuts and crappy asphalt filler rattling my dash. The Camry's too large to fit where I park it, so had to be a Prius.

This is an amazing machine. I'd ridden in a friend's Y2K NHW11 years ago, as well as a another's 2010 XW30 -- no comparison, esp under acceleration. The 60-series tires soak up all the bumps transmitted wholesale in a 40-series Honda. Great to chuck around on the few good curvy roads around here... but as a daily, simply the wrong car. Also 39.4 mpg became 35.2 mpg in just 5 yrs, even properly maintained (conventional DI + turbo = carbon deposits -- why D4-S exists)...

Still on break-in so can't share any performance yet. But the serene way this floats down the road, instant low-speed response, and surprisingly engaging handling were surprises. Love it so far and want to learn all about it.

TL;DR -- sorry for the stereotypical novel. But if you'd asked me pre-covid if I'd have considered a Prius, flat no. My how times change -- 194 bhp *and* 57 mpg, w/ made-in-Japan Toyota build quality, is my new, sane way forward.