2006 and 2007 Toyota Prius - Hybrid Review

Launched in 2001, the Toyota Prius has become something of a "green" status symbol - a car that helps save the environment by saving gas. The Prius won the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award for 2004, gaining the attention of car buyers from around the world. Prius is the leading hybrid, by far the most popular, and it was the first hybrid to win this award. What is a hybrid car? Any vehicle is a hybrid when it combines two or more sources of power. Hybrid cars run off a rechargeable battery and gasoline. Hybrid engines are built smaller to accommodate the 99% of time when not going up hill or accelerating quickly. It uses the battery to provide extra acceleration power when needed. When the car is stopped, hybrid gasoline motors can shut off and run off their electric motor and battery. One other feature you'll instantly recognize is that the ignition on hybrid cars is very quiet.

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How much gas can you save with the Toyota Prius? Currently the Toyota Prius claims 60 MPG city and 51 highway. So how much can you save in gas expenses by buying a Prius? If you drive 25 miles per day, and gas costs $2.50 per gallon, and your current car gets 20MPG, you would save $725 per year by driving a Toyota Prius instead - not a bad deal! And unlike electric cars that need to be plugged in to be recharged, the Prius never needs to be plugged in. Prius automatically recharges its batteries using regenerative braking or by running the onboard generator. The driver never needs to worry about recharging the battery. The Prius comes with a 36 month/36,000 mile unlimited warranty, and a 60/60 powertrain warranty. In 2006, Prius buyers can be eligible for up to $3150 in federal tax credits - check with your accountant. One complaint about these hybrid cars is the cost of replacement batteries. How much does a hybrid battery cost? The batteries have a lifespan of 8-10 years, and can cost $3000-$6000 to replace - a pretty big car repair bill! Hopefully over time as the batteries become less expensive, costs will drop.

Buying a Toyota Prius - Prius Sticker Prices

The Prius comes in one basic model, a 4 door hatchback with a gas/electric hybrid motor. The base sticker price is $21,725 (plus $580 destination charge). There are only a few option packages to choose from. The additional airbag option package #B is an additional $650. The option package #C is $1825 and includes #B, upgraded stereo, smart key system, backup camera, and vehicle stability control. Option package #D is $3205 and includes #C, anti-theft system, blue tooth wireless phone and communications, auto dimming rear view mirror. Option package #E is $5730 and includes #D, high intensity discharge headlights and fog lamps, voice activated DVD navigation system. The final package is Option #F at $6890, which includes #E and leather trimmed seats and steering wheel. So fully equipped you are looking at just under $30K MSRP. They have 7 choices of exterior color - silver pine mica, metallic red, black, metallic silver, pearl, seaside pearl (light blue), and super white - and 4 gray tones of leather interior.

Is a Hybrid Car worth extra $$$?:

Hybrid cars do cost more than their conventional counterparts. In most cases we are talking $1000's more. The good news is that if you keep your hybrid car long enough, you can recoup almost all those initial expenses with lower gas prices for you. With new technology, the price of a hybrid car will be reduced in the coming years and if gasoline keeps going up, hybrids will be a no brainer in terms of efficiency. Unfortunately, for now, many people who buy hybrids are more or less making an environmental statement about conservation but not necessarily saving money by doing so.

Toyota Prius Pictures

For more details on the Prius, check out Toyota.com - they have 360 degree images you can check out, pictures of all the Prius models, both interior and exterior. They can also point you to a local dealer in your area and answer any questions you may have about the Prius.

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