Here in America, we love our cars. And just recently, we have come to love our trucks and SUVs. While the styles of the automobiles are quite different, there are a few things that we cherish in our "wheels." We want HORSEPOWER. Tons and tons of it. Don't forget about TORQUE! Most of us have no idea what the heck TORQUE is...but we gotta get us some FRIGGIN' TORQUE so we can go fast and get arrested!!! If size helps, we want it. We want to be able to knock anyone else off the road (including tractor trailers) if we have to. Why? Because we're Americans, and by golly, it's our RIGHT to waste as many resources as we can so we can be big and go fast. Screw those countries that are poor that we're getting our resources from. If these cars use gas by the barrel, so what?? A Motor Trend poll said that gas prices would have to be over 3 DOLLARS a gallon before consumers would even consider that in their purchase. We still buy cars 100 times faster than roads can be built to hold them. So, it looks like the American Tradition of Waste will continue.

You would think that foriegn cars would help stop this. However, that's not the case. Foreign cars just try to cater to the need for horsepower. The Miata has completely left what it started out being, a fun car. Now it's trying to be a Japanese Mustang or something. What will stop the trend?

Enter the Toyota Prius. 70 Horsepower. (America screams, "But that means it takes 7 Priuses to make 1 Viper! Wassssssssap with that!) A hybrid engine. A sub 20,000 pricetag. What is this, communism or something???

I don't think it's fair to compare this Prius to conventional American cars, expect for aesthetically. Therefore, I won't. Trust me, that will give this little ditty at least two extra stars in the end.

Therefore, it's main competition is the Honda Insight and the electric car GM has. Against these two, the Prius has the HUGE advantage. Have you seen the Insight and the GM car? Have you ever heard the term "butt ugly?" If you have, then you know what I am talking about. Granted, this Prius is no 360 Modena either. It looks like a cross between an Echo, Corolla, and Camry, with way too much Echo thrown in the mix. I have no idea where the fellas at toYOta got the idea for the Echo. Well, at least it looks better than that lime green pile of doggy doo known as the Insight. Why can't they make nice cars? The S2000 is beautiful...would it have been so hard to model after that? You know what would make Toyota cars look good? If they wrote TOYOTA real big on the back like they used to with their pickups.....so we could scratch out the TO and the TA to just have YO? That was so incredibly pimp tight...and marked the zenith of automotive design. Is it too much to ask to bring it back? Come on!

As for the engine, I guess I should go ahead and explain what "hybrid" is. It's kind of the 311 of engines. 311 takes the best of many different genres and makes the most funky rhymes on the planet, that me and rootwarrior (whose car is a POS) are always nodding our respective heads to. The hybrid engine takes the incredible efficiency of electric power and combines it with the reliability of gasoline. The one difference between 311 and the Prius is power. 311 has plenty of it (311's got the boom ya'll), the Prius has little. 70 Horsepower. Think about that before you buy. Of course, you get 50+ miles per gallon, which is quite nice. However, if you're American, chances are you care more about the ponies than the gas bill.

I've been thinking about it (otherwise I wouldn't have written, because the last thing I wanna do is waste your time), and I have a MORAL OBLIGATION to recommend this car. I mean, with the way America uses the world's resources, we're all going to DIE soon if we don't quit using our oil! So, seeing as I influence everyone throughout the world with my Epinion (hahahahahahahahaha), I have to singlehandedly start the paradigm shift to electric. It is my job to start the change to electric cars, and finally get everyone on mass transit! The roads will be completely clear, and the world will be saved! And since those roads are clear, I'm gonna finally be able to take my Camaro out for a spin without any traffic!

Hey, don't blame me for being American!



A few of the 'advisors' here have asked for more specifics in the car reviews. Seeing as they will control the ultimate rating of this opinion, I will give them what they want. As for the 95% of you who would rather enjoy your reading experience, you can stop here.

Courtesy of prius.toyota.com:


Standard Features

Aerodynamic multi-reflector halogen headlamps
Color-keyed front and rear bumpers and door handles
Dual color-keyed power remote outside mirrors
Washer-linked variable intermittent windshield wipers
Tinted thermal absorption glass with ceramic rear window sunshade
P175/65R14 low rolling-resistance tires on 14" aluminum alloy wheels
Heavy-duty electric rear window defroster
Internal trunk-release handle
Rear spoiler
Central instrument display with digital speedometer, fuel gauge, shift-lever indicator and odometer with twin tripmeters and warning lights
Liquid crystal multi-information display panel with energy monitoring and audio status modes
CFC-free two-way flow automatic climate control with air filtration
Digital quartz clock
Dual sun visors with driver and passenger vanity mirrors
Tilt steering wheel
Driver and front passenger air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)1
Center console with storage and dual front and rear cup holders
Fabric-trimmed door panels with storage pockets
Power windows with driver's window auto up/down with jam protection
Power door locks with anti-lockout feature
Fabric-trimmed 4-way adjustable front seats with adjustable headrests, seatback pockets and passenger-seat under-seat storage tray
Fabric-trimmed rear bench seat with separate headrests
Rear-seat child restraint seat tether anchors and ISO-FIX child restraint system anchors
Remote trunk, hood and fuel-filler door releases
Remote keyless entry system
Anti-theft system with engine immobilizer
Deluxe AM/FM ETR/Cassette with 4 speakers

Safety Features

Front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones
Side-impact door beams
5-mph front and rear bumpers
Hood hold-down hooks
Standard regenerative Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Driver and front passenger air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)1
3-point seatbelts in all seating positions
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) on driver's belt, Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractors (A/ELR) on all other seatbelts
Adjustable front seatbelt shoulder anchors
Front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters
Front passenger seat seatbelt warning sensor
Soft upper interior trim
Adjustable front headrests, separate rear headrests
Child-protector rear door locks
Rear-seat child restraint seat tether anchors and ISO-FIX child restraint system anchors
Internal trunk-release handle
Center high-mount stop lamp (CHMSL)


Accessories

Carpeted Floor Mats
Single disk CD Player

Mechanical/Performance

Toyota Hybrid System (THS) Gasoline Engine

Type: Aluminum double overhead cam (DOHC)
16-valve VVT-i 4-cylinder
Displacement: 1.5 liters (1,497 cc)
Bore x stroke: 75.0 mm x 84.7 mm
Compression ratio: 13.0:1
Valvetrain: Double overhead cam (DOHC) 16-valve with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i)
Induction system: Multi-point EFI with Electronic Throttle Control System with intelligence (ETCS-i)
Ignition system: Electronic, with Toyota Direct Ignition system (TDI)
Horsepower: 70 hp @ 4,500 rpm
Torque: 82 lb.-ft. @ 4,200 rpm
Emissions rating: SULEV

Electric Motor/Generator/Power Storage

Motor type: Permanent magnet
Power output: 33 kW/44 hp @ 1,040 - 5,600 rpm
Torque: 350 N-m/258 lb.-ft. @ 0 - 400 rpm
Battery type: Sealed Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH)
Output: 273.6 V (228 1.2-V cells)

Transmission

Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (ECVT)

Suspension

Front: Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Rear: Torsion beam with stabilizer bar

Steering

Type: Rack-and-pinion with electro-hydraulic power-assist
Turning circle (ft.): 30.8

Brakes

Type: Power-assisted ventilated front disc/rear drum with standard Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and regenerative braking



Tires

Standard: P175/65R14 low rolling-resistance tires on aluminum alloy wheels
Spare: Temporary

Exterior Dimensions (in.)

Overall height: 57.6
Overall width: 66.7
Overall length: 169.6
Wheelbase: 100.4
Tread width, front/rear: 58.1/58.3
Coefficient of drag (Cd): 0.29
Ground clearance: 4.9

Interior Dimensions front/rear (in.)

Head room: 38.8/37.1
Shoulder room: 52.8/52.2
Hip room: 50.7/51.9
Leg room: 41.2/35.4

Weights and Capacities

Curb weight (lbs.): 2,765
Seating capacity: 5
Passenger volume (cu. ft.): 88.6
Cargo volume (cu. ft.): 11.8
Fuel tank (gal.): 11.8

Mileage Estimates (EPA estimated MPG)

City/Highway/Combined: 52/45/48

Preliminary EPA mileage estimates determined by Toyota. Final EPA mileage estimates not available at time of posting. See your Toyota dealer for details. Some vehicles are shown with available equipment. Specifications, standard features and available equipment are based upon information available at the time of posting, are subject to change without notice, are for mainland U.S.A. vehicles only and may differ in the state of Hawaii and in other regions.