The 2015 Toyota Prius arrived in our driveway earlier this winter to test drive for a week. I couldn’t wait to test it out!
I’ve always wanted to drive a hybrid, but with a large family my car has to be big enough to seat six. My only regret was that we couldn’t keep it longer!
2015 Toyota Prius Review
Favorite Features:
Gas mileage, of course!
On one tank of gas we went back and forth to New York City (about 2 1/2 hours each way), drove around our local area, did errands, drove about 30 minutes each way to appointments, and more. We still had HALF A TANK of gas left at the end of our week! The car gets an estimated 51 mpg on the highway and 48 mpg in the city.
Dashboard:
The dashboard had plenty of the usual info, but it also had a special screen that allowed you to see when you’re charging the battery (when you’re coasting or slowing down). The kids thought it was fun to watch and wouldn’t let me change the display once we realized it could show us that.
Engine Off:
It took some getting used to at first, but we do love that the engine shuts itself off when you’re at a stoplight or otherwise stationary. While you’d think that the pickup would be effected it was a seamless and smooth transition from stop to go.
Here’s a video of how quiet it is at a stoplight. Keep in mind, the car is on.
Comfort:
The ride was smooth even on bumpy roads and through NYC potholes. The seats and space were comfortable for the kids and I whether it was an errand or a longer drive.
Storage:
There were plenty of places to stash the stuff, store drinks, and lots of leg room and trunk space. We had plenty of room on our trips to carry all our stuff back and forth.
Price:
Prices start at around $24,000 and can go up to nearly $40,000 if you do all kinds of add-ons like the technology package, a remote starter, and the performance package. The car we drove has some of the higher end features including sunroof which made our trip into New York City even more exciting since the kids could see the skyscrapers through the roof.
Not only has the Prius been named one of the cheapest cars to own, but Toyota ranks high in resale value, so even after several years of ownership the Prius will hold its’ value well. You can find the cost of ownership for the Prius and sale prices in your area on KBB.com.
The final verdict? It’s on my short list when I’m able to purchase a smaller family car.
Centsible Rating:
- Cost: ¢¢¢¢
- Quality: ¢¢¢¢¢
- Value: ¢¢¢¢¢
Overall: ¢¢¢¢¢
You can read more about the Toyota Prius and build your own at Toyota.com.
Kelly
Disclosure:We tested the Prius out for a week thanks to our friends at KidzVuz and Toyota.
Robyn Wright of RobynsOnlineWorld.com says
The Prius is one of those cars I’ve always wanted to take for a test drive. I don’t always like the outside look of it, but I love the eco-friendliness of it. Thanks for the review!
They’re redesigning the outside this year apparently, but I know what you mean. I feel like I’d probably never fill up on gas-ever!