Toyota woes

There’s no “us” in Prius

It wasn’t long ago that gas prices were so high that you’d have to scale Mt. Everest to look down on them, and consumers were scrambling to get a vehicle that got GREAT gas mileage; the Toyota Prius with its claims of 60 MPG was a hot commodity; even I test drove a Prius. What was it like to drive the vehicle most clamored in America, in a word disappointing! How so? The most important feature inside the greenhouse is the LCD screen that relates all the fuel saving information, as well a rear video camera display. This display is a true necessity (packaged as an accessory) because the rear hatch blocks your view and prevents the driver from backing up safely. This display was poorly shrouded and produced such glare it was unusable during most of my short journey. The Prius was quiet – too quiet – it’s dangerous to pedestrians, they cannot hear the car coming especially when backing out of a parking space or coming around a blind corner! I did a quick check of the internet to support my comments with those of others and it bears repeating – “hybrids are silent killers” was a CNN news headline. Where’s that rear camera when I need it? This was just the first in a litany of disappointments; the sparse interior was less than comfortable because the manufacturer’s prime focus was high mileage; you might say the interior took a back seat in the comfort and quality department.

Let’s focus on fuel mileage for a moment; how does the Prius achieve this unprecedented 60 MPH. First and foremost it doesn’t, those are unfounded claims that have been refuted by the EPA, and Toyota has since revamped those inflated ratings. Furthermore a hybrid earns its best ratings in city driving unlike a traditional automobile; this is because a hybrid shuts off the (gasoline) engine whenever the electrically driven motor can support the load i.e.: coasting, braking, idling, cruising and operating at reduced speeds. I needed a car for a 100 mile daily jaunt to Hutchinson Community College; I simply wouldn’t see enough savings to justify the cost of the vehicle payment and I didn’t want the rude “awakening” of an early morning drive in a grocery getter that rode like buckboards.

As a mechanic who likes to get his hands dirty and the satisfaction of the DIY experience; a Prius with its “lethal” 200 volt battery was out of my league as well as that of a mechanic without special training given only to Toyota Dealerships. Limited production and limited service providers equate to exorbitant dealer prices with no other avenues; all roads lead to the Toyota service department. I also felt Toyota didn’t have enough time behind the wheel of this new technology to work the kinks out.

My brother owned two Prius’ he sold one because it was such a wonderful car and joy to drive (please note the irony). His wife traveled 40 miles round trip daily – she needed a Prius; he soon discovered the high mileage tires (yes, special tires, can you say expensive) were afraid of the cold, not really afraid just plain dangerous, it’s the driver that’s afraid when the car wouldn’t stop or turn because the low rolling resistance tire treads are packed with snow. He changed the banana peels, ah that’ll do it, to snow tires so the Prius can get one proverbial foot in front of the other – its electric locomotion will not allow you to “rock it” in winter free like a traditional carbon emitter. The new sneakers gave him traction in the snow but his gas mileage plummeted.

Life is full of tradeoffs; good mileage often comes at the expense of comfort and safety.

Did I mention the 2010 Toyota Prius brake recall?