Rooster's Crow

the new Williams Chariot waits to build upon its 14 young miles...

Following the seismic ponderments of the last few months, my clan(Beth, Sugi, and I) have voted to delay an expedition to another hemisphere in order to pursue goals here and now. Following promotions and a brief consideration of homebuying, we've elected to invest in a new Toyota Prius, which we picked out this week. Lifeways, Beth has burgeoning projects in dance etc., and Jesse is focusing on graduation. These babies require concentration and a great deal of effort that has been siphoned recently by planning and consideration on the there. So, we now've elected to dig a little deeper and pollute a lot less...
Our Suburu workhorse got about 22mpg, overcame rutted Colorado 4wd roads and put up with many adventures, but the benefits of trading her for this lovely(above) were overwhelming(below). Getting two to three times the mileage, we envision a reinvestment of sorts in the next coupla years here in Lala-land.

Excellent source of info:http://www.hybridcars.com/index.html

From Autoblog 2004:
USA: Hybrid gets top crash test rating
The first hybrid car to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP, the Toyota Prius, was one of eight cars to achieve the top five star occupant rating and also received the highest rating for child protection.
From Consumer Reports:
Highs:
Fuel economy, low emissions, transmission, ride, hatchback versatility, reliability.
Lows:
Steering feel, multifunction display.
Toyota's second-generation Prius is unbeatable for its combination of economy, acceleration, and interior room. It couples a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor, and it automatically switches between them or runs on both as needed. The car shuts the engine off at idle. We got an excellent 44 mpg overall in our tests. Shifts are automatic via a responsive continuously variable transmission (CVT). Regenerative braking recharges the battery while coasting or braking. Ride and handing are competent, though the steering feels vague. Access is easy. Reliability has been outstanding.

From Internet Auto Guide:
2005 Toyota Prius
This is now a midsize car. It's roomy, with adult-size back seats and lots of cargo space. And it's also more pleasant to look at, with sleek, futuristic styling. It's easy to spot in a crowded grocery store parking lot.
The real justification to buy a Prius is its extremely low emissions. It produces almost no pollution and is one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles you can drive. The Prius is an excellent choice for buyers who want to reduce air pollution and America's dependence on oil. The Prius isn't cheap, but it's an amazing piece of engineering that achieves those goals.
Check the list of standard equipment, and you'll see that the word "economy" applies only to
Safety is enhanced with antilock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist, and traction control. Standard passive safety features include multi-stage, dual front airbags; three-point seatbelts and head restraints at all five seating positions; and rear seat head restraints that are adjustable. Curtain airbags designed to offer head protection for front and rear passengers and seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection for driver and front-seat passenger.
The side view makes clear the stylists' devotion to aerodynamics. A steeply raked windshield carries the hood's acute angle rearward. An even more steeply raked backlight (rear windscreen) ends in a high spoiler that trips the air stream as it leaves the car, maximizing the aero advantage of the car's almost-vertical back end. Sleek rear quarter windows do more to visually enhance the aerodynamic look than they do for outward visibility.
A tall glasshouse yields exemplary outward visibility. As is the case with many of the latest aerodynamic designs, the driver can't see the front of the car or the hood without leaning forward.
Driving Impressions
By complementing the gasoline engine's horsepower with the electric motor's torque, the Prius makes better use of the energy stored in each gallon of gasoline, while leaving fewer nasty chemical compounds in its wake. The electric motor, which begins cranking out its maximum torque virtually the moment it starts spinning, gets the car moving and helps it accelerate while it's underway. The gasoline engine steps to the fore at more constant speeds, especially during highway driving, where horsepower is more critical for maintaining a car's momentum.
The hybrid system improves fuel economy further by turning off the gasoline engine when it's not needed, like when you are waiting at a stop light or even when puttering around town at low speeds. Any time the driver's right foot requests more motivation than the electric motor alone can provide, the gasoline engine fires up and joins in.
The transmission is non-traditional, too, though not unique in today's market. Prius uses a continuously variable transmission, which shuns gears for a steel-segmented belt riding on variable-diameter pulleys. This system constantly and automatically selects the most efficient drive ratio to get the car moving and to keep it moving.
Emissions are the lowest of any real car available to U.S. buyers. On the surface, it is bettered by electric cars, but electric cars are impractical and must be recharged using another energy source that, in turn, requires fuel. So in the big picture, the Prius is easier on the environment than electric cars are.
The Prius saves fuel and reduces emisions by scavenging energy that most cars waste. Regenerative braking links the brakes to a generator, helping use the car's kinetic energy to recharge the battery whenever the brakes are applied. Along the same lines, the transmission offers a setting that helps recharge the battery when the driver merely lifts off the accelerator and lets the car coast, most beneficially downhill. In sum, with all these regenerative methodologies, there's no need (and no way, for that matter) to plug the car into an electrical outlet to charge the battery.
Final Word
The Toyota Prius sets the standard for environmentally friendly transportation. It also delivers extremely good fuel efficiency for a four-seat car with an automatic transmission. Just ignore those EPA numbers. Buyers can expect to average something north of 45 mpg.