• Previous Image
• Next Image
• Enlarge Image

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Pros:

• Spacious and practical interior belies modest exterior size

• Fuel economy can be fabulous

• No shortage of amenities and electronic toys

Cons:

• Feels about as slow as any car we’ve driven (as in “Throttle response? What throttle response.”)

• Ride is firm, but also on the harsh side of normal

• Handling is quirky (firm springing + limited roll-stiffness + harsh damping + zero throttle response = not much fun)

Car Summary:

Like the Lexus HS250h, the Toyota Prius offers three operating modes: Power, Eco, and EV (electronic vehicle), which might just as well be labeled Slow, Slower, and Slowest. Although the Prius is lighter and somewhat more nimble than its Lexus counterpart, it exhibits a glacial pace off the line. As it turns out, the car accelerates better than at first seems to be the case, but the throttle response is the opposite of hair-trigger. You really have to get into the pedal to make the Prius move.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of this Buyer’s Guide, or browse the rest of our Buyer’s Guides here.