2001 Toyota Prius: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Prius followed Honda's Insight as the second hybrid-power car to reach the U.S. This subcompact-sized 5-passenger sedan is powered by both a 4-cyl gasoline engine and an electric motor. The two automatically work in tandem or separately, depending on power needs. Standard are a continuously variable automatic transmission, ABS, and air conditioning. Side airbags may be offered later. Prius's batteries are in effect kept charged by the gas engine and neither it nor Insight needs plug-in charging. However, Insight is a smaller, 2-seat hatchback with a smaller gas engine that teams with manual transmission or CVT automatic. Prius's warranty includes 8-year/100,000-mi. powertrain coverage and roadside assistance. Sales are capped at 12,000 a year, versus 6500 Insights.

COMPETITION

A perennial favorite, the Honda Civic, is new and better than ever. We love the wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and a high degree of civility. New last year was the Ford Focus. Though we loved almost everything about the Focus, we were reluctant to rank it a Best Buy because it was new from the ground up. After a year of living with a ZTS model, we can say that the reliability is good. Focus ranks a notch below Civic in some areas but costs less. Topping the crowded Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys as they are better than the Civic in many ways. However, they are also the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Dodge Neon and Toyota Echo, the slightly-upscale Nissan Sentra, and the roomy Mazda Protege. If you are looking for a budget buy, the Hyundai Accent offers a lot for your dollar, however, it's not as refined as more-expensive competitors.