Arrival

I got the phone call today that I have been waiting six months to get.
My Toyota Prius has arrived!
I’ll pick it up tomorrow morning. Pictures to follow ASAP.
Woot!

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7 thoughts on “Arrival”

  1. When I was looking at grad school in Motor City my rental car ended up being a Prius. I was excited but wondered if we would get a rock thrown thru our windshield b/c of the double whammy of the car being japanese and a hybrid. That excitment faded as I came to grips with the less than amazing ergonomics, the interesting starting process (why do you need to hit the start button twice?! it seems counter intuitive) and that whacky animation screen that is so distracting. On the other hand… I will say though that the performance was really decent. I didn’t feel that the car’s power plant was’t some gerbil on a wheel and I was very pleased when I returned the car I only had to put $5 in it after 4 days of driving… oh and another great thing… that car has an awesome e-brake!!! It is foot operated but if you get the hang of it prepare for some major dukes of hazard action! Be sure to post more reports of this car… hopefully BMW comes out with one in the near future… a driver’s hybrid!

  3. ‘ve heard good things about the Prius. However, I’m not willing to pay such a premium at this point for a hybrid. Your break even point is something like 5 or 6 years. I’d rather buy a Honda or Mazda (actually I bought the Mazda 3) and start realizing my savings immediately.

  4. I like the idea behind the Prius. It’s actually something that’s useful to the consumer – unlike the pointless bitching about our country’s dependence on oil.
    It’s the first step of many for the industry.

  5. Bribo, Michael’s Prius is a – um – company-supplied car.
    (You didn’t hear it from me.)

  7. This is the first mass-produced hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle in the world, with 100,000s having been produced world-wide since 1997. A new, improved generation of Prius, the 2004 model, became available in the USA in October 2003.
    “We realize the selection of a hybrid vehicle is going to stir controversy, but we believe the performance, engineering advancements, and overall significance of the Toyota Prius merits the distinction of Motor Trend’s Car of the Year,” said Kevin Smith, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend. “The Prius is a capable, comfortable, fun-to-drive car that just happens to get spectacular fuel economy. It also provides a promising look at a future where extreme fuel-efficiency, ultra-low emissions, and exceptional performance will happily coexist. That makes it meaningful to a wide range of car buyers.”
    After weeks of exhaustive testing, Motor Trend editors found the Toyota Prius to be a user-friendly gas/electric hybrid capable of delivering an impressive 60 miles per gallon in city driving. It is the first of such vehicles to move into the automotive mainstream, with performance, style and quality. Spacious enough to be classified as a midsize sedan, the Prius’ futuristic bodywork, innovative Hybrid Synergy Drive, pleasing interior and five-door hatchback design, clearly placed it above the competition.
    “We’re thrilled Motor Trend magazine has chosen the Toyota Prius as the 2004 Car of the Year,” said Don Esmond, senior vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. “This may be the first hybrid vehicle to win the award, but it won’t be the last. The Hybrid Synergy Drive in the Prius is cutting-edge technology and we applaud the editors of Motor Trend for recognizing its significance in the evolution of the automobile.”
    This year, the editorial staff of Motor Trend conducted testing on 26 new vehicles, from sports cars to minivans, searching for the automobile that best represented exceptional value, superiority in its class, and the most significant development on the new-car scene for 2004. All truly new or substantially revised cars were considered with the condition that they be available for public sale by January 1, 2004.
    For the 2004 Car of the Year competition, the following models were included: Acura TL, Acura TSX, Audi A8 L, BMW 5 Series, BMW Z4, Cadillac XLR, Chevrolet Malibu and Maxx, Chevrolet Aveo, Chrysler Crossfire, Ford Freestar, Jaguar XJ8/XJR, Mazda RX-8, Mitsubishi Galant, Mitsubishi Lancer/Ralliart/Evolution, Nissan Maxima, Nissan Quest, Pontiac Grand Prix, Pontiac GTO, Scion xA, Scion xB, Subaru Impreza/WRX/STi, Suzuki Verona, Toyota Camry Solara, Toyota Prius, Toyota Sienna, and the Volkswagen Phaeton.

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