The Prius looks huge, especially with its wheels pushed to all four corners; and make no mistake, it’s no cramped econobox.  The low, sleek hatchback is an executive car in size, seating five comfortably with still enough space for that run to Ortigas Home Depot.  In addition, the rear seats split-folds 60/40 for enough space for anything you can think off.  The leather seats offer ample support, but the driving position feel like the Toyotas of old with a longer distance to the steering wheel than to the pedals—a telescopic steering column would have helped.  And speaking of something else to incorporate, perhaps better visibility should be part of the design brief.  Although it’s understood that engineers had to rake the windshield for the sake of aerodynamics, the effect is a huge, deep dashboard that’s hard to see out off.  The resulting wide front pillars create a blind spot too making for anxiety during parking maneuvers; the view behind is also obstructed by a split rear window.

At the center of the Prius’s control system is the 6-inch color touch screen.  Even without a manual at hand, it’s easy to get used to; though those anal about spotlessness will complain that the screen’s an easy fingerprint magnet.  It washes out in direct sunlight too.  The surrounding four button system is also a much easier system than anything the Germans could muster.  Happily the most important controls such as the ventilation and entertainment systems are duplicated on the steering wheel.

Though not yet sold in the Philippines, in North America the Prius is sold for roughly P 1.2 million—putting it squarely in Camry territory.  That said, the Prius tested is commendably loaded with features such as leather seats, 6 airbags, traction control (that can’t be switched off) and a 6-speaker sound system with MP3 capability and an auxiliary audio input.  Toyota’s keyless entry/exit system dubbed Smart Key also makes an appearance.

At the end of the day, the Toyota Prius is a car that manages to satisfy both car nuts and tree huggers alike with its lively acceleration, great fuel economy and near silent operation.  Sure, there are some bumps along the path to perfection, but there’s no denying that the Toyota Prius is a marvel of engineering that effortless delivers superior gas mileage without sacrificing comfort or reasonable performance.  I must admit, I have to say that the Toyota Prius is indeed the best available solution to our planet’s greenhouse gas and fuel crisis problem.

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