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Test Drive: 2006 Toyota Prius

It's Humble But Watch The Curves

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

July 14, 2006

Prius Test Drive • Joe Benton Road Tests the 2006 Prius • Jim Hood's Reaction • Joe Enoch's Observations • More About the Prius ... --- Photo: Joe Benton and Prius Pug Chester, ready to roll

The Prius is a car for urban living. Being an urban dweller, nestled in one of the most compact downtown neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., I can see how a car like the Prius would suit my lifestyle.

It's small, so I can fit into just about any parallel parking spot. It has a tight turning radius so I can u-turn suddenly to avoid the Connecticut Ave. Dupont Circle construction. It isn't too flashy, so it hopefully would not catch the eye of D.C. car vandals.

Best of all, it has a camera in the rear so I can avoid bumping the Suburban that occupies two parking spots in front of my apartment building.

The car feels like it has good pickup and even has a humble roar of the engine. However, I counted it at going 0-60 in 14 seconds on a pretty flat plain. Granted, I left the other cars at the light in my low-level exhaust, which proves my point that in a realistic setting 0-60 doesn't mean anything as long as you can still do some maneuvering around traffic. And it can.

Between 20-40 MPH, the car can really get up and go, which is pretty much perfect if you're chasing green lights on Massachusetts Ave. while also dodging a thousand tourists.

I hopped on highway 66 and weaved around traffic and found myself in an empty HOV lane. I put the pedal to the metal and about 30 seconds later was going about 85. During those 30 seconds I massacred the Prius's infamous gas mileage as I hovered around 20 MPG. It was fun ... until I glided into the exit ramp at about 60.

As I applied the brakes, it was like the car took over from there and I didn't like where it wanted to go -- into the woods.

Although I successfully guided the Prius off 66, I realized the brakes are terrible. Or maybe I just needed more time to adjust. Either way, it feels like the car is suddenly driving in deep sand. The wheels lock up, the car lurches forward and the brakes keep working about a second after you release the pedal.

It's also clear that you're driving a 2,800-pound vehicle hauling an immense hunk of metal (the battery). Not only are the brakes sluggish, but the Prius carries a lot of momentum into turns. However, like the 0-60 factor, in a city, this shouldn't be a problem.

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