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It has been almost 3 years since we’ve had the opportunity to spend a week with a Prius, and each time it never ceases to amaze us that we just can’t seem to go through a complete tank of gas. The fuel sipping little car only holds 11.9 gallons to start with, but at an average of 50 mpg those 11.9 gallons go over 500 miles! So try as we may there was still almost a half a tank of gas left when we turned the Prius back at the end of the week.

The Pruis has grown up over the past 14 year of it’s short life, and in that time has not only gone from what some viewed as a very futuristic and somewhat of a crazy idea to begin with, as one of the first true hybrid vehicles to hit the mainstream market. Toyota points out that after 4 million happy customers, the Prius must now be viewed as mainstream Americana, especially as it moves through its teenage years.

We remember when they were first introduced and everyone said there was no way the batteries would last, and it would cost thousands to replace them, and on top of that, what would everyone do with the spent batteries when they need replacing? Well, 95% of all Prius sold in the past 10 years are still on the road, quite an accomplishment for any vehicle, especially one as technologically oriented as the Toyota Prius!

Craig still sees getting into the Prius to be more like getting into some kind of spaceship, as the whole feel of the interior is so different from a regular vehicle, there is really no other way to describe the experience. Toyota has pulled out all the stops with the new Prius Five, even in just the base model, there are plenty of buttons, displays and knobs that make you feel that you have been transported into the future, and with the Five model, the experience is even more starship like.

The whole new keyless entry is becoming standard on many vehicles and really is a great added convenience, one only needs to have the key on their person, and everything is good to open the door, get in and push the button to engage the power systems on the Prius. Of course lighting up or starting the Prius is a whole other experience than starting a normal gas powered vehicle.

Push the button on the Prius and the dash lights up, the audio system is ignited and life support is ready to go, but the car is still sits as silent as can be, as far as any noise from the engine compartment is concerned. Grab onto the ‘interstellar shift knob’ and there is really no other way to describe it, and shift into reverse, and off you go. Still no noise from the engine, unless you really need it, then the gas-powered motor delivers the extra “oomph” needed for the job! Getting used to the whole hybrid technology of the Prius would take anyone more than a few days, but having driven them previously, it grew on us quickly and the 50 plus mpg… defiantly makes it completely worth the learning curve involved.

After spending a couple of days reorienting ourselves to the new Prius Five with all different buttons and other fantastic options, owning and driving a Prius really comes down to getting used to the slower acceleration and learning how to use all the buttons, especially the one labeled Eco, Power and EV? Acceleration in the Prius is not exactly of a sports car like, but is adequate and on par with similarly priced hybrids in its class, going from 0 to 60 in 10.5 seconds. Just how does that new button affect the power and mpg in the Prius?

There are now four driving modes in the Prius – Normal, Eco, Power and EV – allowing the driver to decide the optimum powertrain configuration, depending on conditions. Eco is measured and sluggish, but returns the best fuel economy. Power is useful for entering freeways or driving on hills. EV mode locks out the gasoline engine, but only works up to 25 mph with at least a half-charged battery pack, thus allowing the driver to modify his habits, and if so inclined get even better gas mileage, and yes, it’s possible!

There is really no way to go wrong, whether using the Prius as a commuter vehicle, or just to get the kids around town, even just bringing groceries home from the store…. the savings at the pump will make it worth it, leaving even more money in the bank for other important purchases.

One of the great features that Craig thought was over the top, was the addition of the ‘Advanced Technology Package’ to the Prius. This added some features that we have only seen on a couple of other cars that we have driven as part of the Sunday Drive. Namely a HUD or ‘Heads Up Display’ that puts your speed and other information on the windshield, just like fighter jet technology, it will also put the turn by turn information, when using the onboard navigation right on the windshield.

Also included with this package, was intuitive cruise control that functions like a ‘speed nanny’ in that it slows the Pruis down and brings it back to speed, thus keeping a predetermined safe distance from the vehicle in front of it. The Prius will even come to a complete stop with this control engaged. This is a great feature that can be added to many new cars that enhances the driving experience, and the gas mileage. This was very handy when cruising on the freeway, even just around Utah County, but really added to the trip when Deanne had to run to Salt Lake with some friends to do some shopping.

A couple of other additions were an upgraded JBL sound system. It’s really hard to go wrong with anything that has those letters and sound associated with them. A Pre-Collision System is also included, that helps with braking or will completely brake the Prius if the computer decides that a collision is imminent.

The base model of the Five also comes with leatherette seats that are heated in the front, a touch screen and backup camera are standard equipment, also along with auto leveling headlights and heated folding outside mirrors. It seems that the Prius of this stature leans more to the Lexus side of the spectrum than anything with all the additions!

If great gas mileage and a very comfortable interior are on the list, along with a slew of available options the Prius Five is worth a test drive. The new Prius Five can be found at Brent Brown Toyota in Orem at 1400 Sandhill Road 801-223-4408.

Base Price: $30,005

Price as Driven: $35,150