First Tank

We got it!
2005 Prius, pkg #3 (curtain air bags and SmartKey), PermaVIN, OEM mats, no frills.
Had to hit a dealer some 30 miles out to find this combination without paint sealers and other useless add-ons. But "millenium silver" turned out to be my wife's preferred colour, so it was worth the trip.

It's been a week already, so I can report a bit on peformance. At the first fill-up, the computer reported 47.0 MPG. My own calculations gave a more modest 45.55, still more than twice the average of the car I traded, and four times that of the Suburban we kept. I hope this foreshadows many years of extreme economy.

But I didn't get a hybrid just to alleviate pain at the pump.
This is about freedom: I want more control over how the vehicle is powered. Electric drive is the goal. And electric drive we now have!

Ahh... That silent roll out the driveway in the morning. The purring of the engine at the stop-light when you realize it's the car next to you. Get to the garage, step out, no fumes! This is the kind of automotive operation I've wanted for seven years.

The Prius handles well.
I can't compare it to the Escape hybrid or one of the Hondas, but I have a hard time believing they could beat this. Consumer Reports made a minor note about Prius' steering, which is electrically assisted, but I find no problem. (And that's the only negative in their summary of the 2004-2005 model.)

Acceleration is fine.
The owner's manual says to avoid punching it for the first 600 miles, otherwise I'm sure I would! This is the quickest car of this size that I have ever driven. (It may be the quickest car of any size that I have ever driven, and I like to think that I get around some, though I'm not into Corvettes or Cobras.)

Comfort is amazing.
It is very roomy and sufficiently quiet. There is storage all over the place: drawers, nooks, pockets, and hatches in the most unusual locations. We could travel in the Prius, and from one who is spoiled by a Suburban that is saying something.

Next: I gotta learn more about that electric mode mod and maybe play with plugging-in:

http://www.coastaletech.com/electric_only_mode.htm
http://www.hybridcars.com/plugin-hybrids.html

-- R;