Toyota Prius : 5 reasons why this is the best in class used hybrid car

May 21, 2008. As the oldest hybrid car, the Prius is the gold standard in fuel efficiency and lowering environmental impact. Boasting up to 60 MPG, this hybrid came out in 2000, and has steadily improved since. The 2006 model has introduced new air bags and increase seat comfort to make this a practical yet comfortably efficient sedan.

1. Highest fuel efficiency

The Toyota Prius can get up to an incredible 60 MPG on the highway, though realistically most people report at best 50 MPG. With it's small and very quite 4 cylinder 1.5 litre engine, it literally only sips gas. The closest match for a Prius is likely the Toyota Corolla in terms of price range and general features. Although the Prius has a premium price tag in the $4,000 to $5,000 when bought new, this cost will pay back over about 10 years at the current gas prices.

2. Battery life is incredible

Amazingly, since the Prius came out in 2000, Toyota has not had to replace a single battery for wear and tear. Tests have also shown that even after 180,000 miles of use, the battery charging ability remained virtually at 100%.

3. Holds its value as a used hybrid

The Prius made the Kelly Blue Book's Top 10 list for Best Value Holders for 2006. The Toyota hybrid battery packs are well known for long life, and have a virtually 100% defect free rating for up to 100,000 miles.

4. A great family car

The Prius was voted Family Car of the Year 2004, by Top Gear Magazine. The 2004 Prius is classified as a mid-sized car and is generally as comfortable as the very popular and roomy Toyota Camry. It comes with a premium sound system, extensive safety features (stability control, anti-lock brakes, backup camera, and curtain airbags), and basic but user friendly styling.

5. Can turn it into an electric only plug-In

The most popular modification to the Prius is a small add-on to allow you to turn off the gas consumption and exclusively use the electric motor. Incredibly, with this option enabled, you can actually achieve mind-blowing mileage up to 180 Gallons/mile. This "electric only" option is already enabled in Europe and Japan, but not in North America - big oil conspiracy maybe? In any case, it's a great option for those with short commutes who want to plug-in and charge overnight, and then get to work avoiding the gas pumps altogether. With an unmodified Prius, from a stop you can get it up to over 25 miles per hour without requiring gas at all. With electric only enabled, you can go even faster without using any gas.