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The original was posted on /r/cars by /u/Bderken on 2025-07-01 06:12:35+00:00.
First of all, I’d like to thank /u/rusty_sprocket94 for convincing me to give the second-gen Prius some serious consideration in my shopping process, and I’d also like to thank /u/blown_headgasket420 for providing good insights as an actual owner.
A little background first. I’m thinking of adding a 3rd, and the first “grown up” commuter to my fleet to complement my 98 Corolla auto and 95 Accord five speed. I have a few soft requirements:
- My Corolla is four gear auto and my Accord is three pedal, so this 3rd car should be a simple two pedal automatic.
- My Corolla is thrifty but my Accord burns oil, so I wouldn’t mind something hybrid for the 3rd car.
- Despite 2, I still want decent throttle response, so that writes off any sub 100 hp econo boxes with four speed slushboxes.
- Ideally it’s not beige because I’m already at max beige capacity.
- I want a touchscreen because I’m tired of cassette adapters.
That’s until I was sold on test driving the Prius.
I have always side eyed Priuses because the shape screams airport shuttle and every Lyft driver has one, and because I assumed battery swap would bankrupt me. The Corolla starts every time, the Civic I looked at sounded like a blender full of bolts, and I figured the Prius would be somewhere in between.
The Prius powertrain is actually the best of both worlds. It sounds like a sewing machine but the instant torque from the electric side means it moves off the line quicker than my Corolla ever has. I could do 30-50mph pulls in traffic without a quarter mile of runway. Flooring it from a stoplight gives me just enough shove to feel smug without breaking any laws. That is not possible in the Corolla unless there’s a tailwind and a prayer.
And oh, it felt almost as quick as the 160k mile Camry V6 my dad owns.
Then the best part of the car is how smooth it is. The steering is light and numb but so is every early 2000s Toyota. Ride quality is miles better than the Accord with tired struts. It just glides. I could run over a pothole the size of a pothole and it would shrug.
Then there is the hybrid part. I know a lot of enthusiasts hate it on paper, but as a potential owner the ability to leave my driveway at 6 AM in near silence while my neighbors are still asleep is priceless. When the seller pulled the car out of his garage without waking his dog I was almost sold on the spot.
Finally, and the thing that surprised me the most, was how familiar the Prius felt to my Corolla, in a good way. Once you get past the UFO style dash the interior is simple and fuss free, with most buttons exactly where a Corolla driver expects them. The car’s size is close to my Corolla, the seating position feels normal, and the ride is comfy. I could easily daily this the way people daily Corollas.
Overall I’m extremely impressed by the car, even the build quality seemed solid at first glance. I think it now comes down to this and maybe a 2001 Civic if one pops up cheap.
Oh forgot to mention, despite being a hybrid, the Prius weighs less than a modern midsize sedan and only a couple hundred pounds more than my Corolla. That’s the early 2000s diet for you I guess.
