All opinions are mine and mine alone.
Everyone knows somebody who drives a Toyota Prius. There is a certain smugness about these individuals at dinner parties as they not so subtly drop into every conversation how they drive their eco-friendly hybrid car when dropping the kids off at swimming lessons every Saturday morning. Flexing their eco muscles gives them an air of arrogance wholly misplaced when you consider that the apples they eat are from New Zealand and they have four long haul holidays a year. Still, their Prius certainly makes a statement and shows the world that they are willing to entertain the notion of being green.
Perhaps more important is the accolade that the Prius has been rated the safest car in its class by Euro NCAP. After being put through its paces with a range of other cars in its category across a range of safety tests, the Prius came out on top. The fourth generation Prius has a revolutionary feature which aims to automatically detect pedestrians in its path leading to more intuitive and faster braking. The Safety Sense feature also recognizes road signs and alerts the driver if the vehicle is moving out of its lane. There are over four million injuries on America’s roads each year. Driving any other car may result in one day needing the services of a car accident injury lawyer, but the designers at Toyota have done everything within their power to prevent this.
The Prius is not all safety and eco-credentials. The car is tardis-like in the space and comfort that it offers families. The rear seats are spacious, and there is plenty of shoulder and legroom for all passengers. The fine designers in Japan have even removed the unsightly bump that the middle rear passenger has traditionally had to straddle leading to a more comfortable experience. The boot is more than accommodating of the weekly shop and can take a couple of large suitcases if you’re tempted to venture out on a road trip. For the driver, there is a lot of fun to be had driving the hybrid car, with a responsive engine should the need for petrol kick in.
Affordability has often been an issue with hybrid cars, and that still seems to be the case here. The government wants people to be greener yet doesn’t bring the eco-options into line with people’s capability to afford them. The Prius costs more than many of its diesel counterparts, and there are no savings to be had fuel-wise. The Prius will hold its resale value, but this doesn’t tend to counteract the other economic arguments. If you can afford a Prius, by all means purchase one. However, for the regular family with an average income, the Prius may be a stretch.
There is no doubt that owning a Toyota Prius is good for the environment and the new enhanced safety systems on board a Prius make it a wise choice when ensuring the wellbeing of your family when traveling. The Prius is ultra safe and super green; it is just a pity that the cost prevents more people from reaping the benefits.
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