The Prius becomes "normal" while I'm away. A reintroduction

Hello everyone, I guess I’m re-introducing myself. I originally signed up at PriusChat back in 2009. I had purchased a new 2009 Prius and drove it for two years. I liked it a lot. It was not "fun to drive" in the typical, visceral sense we often think of with sports cars (i.e. delicious steering / handling sensations) but it was definitely fun to drive in that it is an engaging, intriguing, study in engineering ingenuity. It was fun to maximize its efficiency. The car works beautifully for its intended purpose, and you can really appreciate what a mechanical feat it is. The Prius is a remarkable achievement in how it prioritizes efficiency in not just fuel consumption but also in light weight, simplicity in operation, and very practical packaging. At the time, the Prius seemed way ahead of its time, and I really respected the car and enjoyed owning it.


Here is the best part. I bought it in 2009 when the economy was in the depths of the recession, gas prices had plunged below $2.00, and there was a big Prius glut. Toyota was offering gigantic discounts at the time. I bought my ’09 Prius for right around $20,000. Fast forward two years later. In spring of 2011, there was the nuclear power plant accident due to the tsunami in Japan. The Prius went out of production, along with many Japanese cars, due to massive supply chain disruption in Japan. Petroleum prices had spiked to $4.00 a gallon. Priuses were all sold out. Meanwhile, I took my car in for a routine oil change at the Toyota dealer. The dealership called me and said they were asking all their Prius service customers if they wanted to sell their car, as they had a waiting list of people looking to buy preowned Priuses. They quoted me.....$20,000. And this for a car with 1) 30,000 miles, 2) tires almost worn out, 3) license tabs about to expire, and 4) that I paid $20,000 for to begin with. SOLD!


Zoom ahead to this summer. Once again, cheap gasoline, combined with the pending 4th generation Prius redesign, have driven Toyota to offer big, juicy, discounts on new 2015 Priuses. In early July, I bought a brand new Prius Two in Blizzard White for just under $21,000. So far, two months and 3,000 miles in, I’m averaging 55 actual mpg. Just excellent! And the improvements between the Gen2 and the Gen3 are very noticeable. Improved ride and handling, better power delivery, improved quietness, sleeker lines, better performing HVAC, an upgraded interior. And higher MPG. Many notable improvements.


During the 4 years I was Prius-less, I’ve noticed that the Prius has really become quite a mainstream car. “Normal”, so to speak. The Prius used to convey kind of a “tree-hugger, eco-hippie” type of vibe. Hollywood celebrities drove a Prius to prove their earth-friendly credentials. But in the years since then, the Prius has transitioned to become ordinary and customary, as its popularity and prevalence have seeped into the culture. The Prius has evolved from a “statement” into a simple, effective tool -- delivering the best utility for the job at hand: getting around easily and efficiently. Prii have become ubiquitous. And yet, getting back into one after 4 years, I realize that the driving experience is still special. When I drive a “conventional” car I am shocked by how crude and rudimentary it seems. (for example, “Why is the engine still running during stop & go traffic?”). And the efficiency and easy usability continues to impress!


There still is really no car quite like the Prius, in its single minded focus on simplicity, efficiency, utility, and user-friendliness. The Prius is not Toyota’s most expensive car or its most exclusive car, but I believe the Prius represents the pinnacle of Toyota’s efforts and achievement. Precisely because of the way it hits its target, while having a reasonable pricetag, and extracting no penalties in being hard to live with.


So far, my only mods are a light window tint, replacing the shift knob with the Nimbus Mount phone holder (highly recommended!), hard wiring my Valentine One radar detector, and having the dealer disable the obnoxious reverse beeping. I also pulled off the hubcaps and installed black-painted center caps, but I decided I didn’t like the “boy-racer” look of the black wheels, so I put the hubcaps back on. Before winter arrives, I’ll purchase some HuskyLiner mats for the Minnesota slop and might even get a second set of rims and some snow tires.


I’m delighted to be back in the Prius fold, and look forward to continuing to enjoy the new car.


Here she is! (this is before the window tint was completed):





Here she was:








Tell me: who the heck needs a pickup truck?? 20 bags of mulch -- no problem!





Cheers!


Dave