2005 Toyota Prius

Most dependable and economical car I ever owned

By BillyBob (VA) on Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 183,100

Pros: "Great value, very comfortable and reliable."

Cons: "Not pretty or sexy."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought this car due to a long commute and high gas prices, and it hasn't disappointed me. The only repairs I have had to make are due to body damage from hitting two deer. Routine maintenance and new tires are the only maintenance expenses I have incurred. Still gets 47 MPG with mostly highway driving."

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Most dependable and economical car I ever owned

By BillyBob (VA) on Tuesday, May 14, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 183,100

Pros: "Great value, very comfortable and reliable."

Cons: "Not pretty or sexy."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I bought this car due to a long commute and high gas prices, and it hasn't disappointed me. The only repairs I have had to make are due to body damage from hitting two deer. Routine maintenance and new tires are the only maintenance expenses I have incurred. Still gets 47 MPG with mostly highway driving."

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Reliable, Cost Effective, Attractive, Responsible

By Green Driver (FL) on Tuesday, May 07, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 97,000

Pros: "environmentally responsible, reliable, great ongas"

Cons: "blind spot very bad, little pep"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car is 8 years old. I have been blessed to never have had a repair other than recalls. I have been careful to have regular maintenance done such as tire rotation, oil changes, etc. This car has been wonderful and it drives and looks nearly as good at 100K miles as it did new. It feels good to drive green and responsible. It is comfortable enough for local and some highway driving and roomy enough for five. The trunk and storage spaces are especially nice. What I do not like about the car is the design of the windows to the right front corner of the car and the curve of the car. The blind spot is very bad so that one has to be very careful in my opinion of knowing what is coming up to the right. Other than then, this car is about perfect. Oh, and gas - I do not go to the station often. Even at this mileage, and on the second set of tire, I still average about 52mpg. The car is not peppy, so don't look for that, but passing is not a problem, and going about 80mph is comfortable too as long as there are no strong winds or 18 wheelers passing - then the car feels too light. This is one of the best financial choices I have ever made. I purchased all of the warranties, but have never used them. They gave me peace of mind."

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Awesome and reliable

By LP (CO) on Sunday, April 07, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 87,000

Pros: "Reliable, easy to drive, comfortable, safe"

Cons: "shaky in severely cold weather, loud on highway."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I purchased my cousin's 2006 Prius a year ago, and I couldn't love it more! It has around 87,000 miles on it and it's reliable, and amazing in the Colorado weather. My cousin lived in a mountain/college town and used it in the snow, and I live in a bigger city here where they rarely plow the streets and I have had no problems in the snow (and I need new tires.) My only complaint is that when it gets really cold it sometimes needs a jump (which can be a pain) but that has only happened twice when it got below 0 degrees at night. It's reliable, easy to drive, has an awesome sound system, is great in any kind of weather and has a fantastic turning radius; it's also comfortable (but a little loud) on the highway and gets excellent gas mileage in the city. Typically in a Prius, in order to get the best mileage, you want to drive where there is very little stop and go (but not quite highway driving) and I was able to get it up to 65 mpg when I was commuting to work. However, I now drive a short distance in a completely stop and go route, and I still get over 50 mpg. It's had no problems and has never needed more than basic service. I would recommend this car to anyone who doesn't want an SUV, and wants a reliable and trusted vehicle that is eco friendly (not completely eco friendly, but at least making a difference.) It also holds its value extremely well because it's a Toyota (mine is still worth $11,500) Good luck!!"

9 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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I would highly recommend it!

By JW (NC) on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 140,000

Pros: "Mileage"

Cons: "None"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This car is very reliable. In warm weather I easily get 55 mpg. Cooler weather, 48 mpg. Every other Prius owner I have spoken also really likes theirs. Built in Japan... Perhaps part of reason for exceptional quality."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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7 years old and still strong

By Peter (OH) on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 125,000

Pros: "MPG, very reliable, spacious"

Cons: "rear window visibility, not the most fun to drive"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I inherited my 2006 Prius from my parents about 1 year ago. My mom had put about 110k miles on it in 6 years, but it still runs very well despite her tendencies to have a lead foot. I average about 50 mpg overall, and I love that about this car, but fuel economy does dip quite a bit in the cold of winter. The drop in mpg can be as much as 15-20% if it's REALLY cold. But in the summer, I can average 51-53 mpg. There have been no major repairs or replacements in the vehicle since it was purchased, and that includes the brakes. At the 120,00 mile maintenance check,the mechanic said he has only replaced brakes on a Prius a few times, and that they don't need to be replaced until after 200,000 miles as long as we're not talking about excessive wear. I definitely plan to keep my Prius to 200,000 miles. There have been a couple recalls with this vehicle. One was a small piece in the steering column that Toyota decided wasn't up to par, and the other was part of the cooling system for the electric motor. Two recalls (Toyota paid for these recalls of course) and no major repairs in 7 years = great reliability to me. The only other issues we've had are with the electrical system in the car. The radio volume nob shorts out sometimes (but the steering wheel volume control still works so I just use that), and the headlights seem to die sooner than they normally should, but these are minor issues. If I have to replace one headlight ever year or so, that's $60 extra per year. No big deal. Also, the batteries in the car are the factory batteries. Needing to replace the batteries after just a few years of use was a concern when this 2nd generation Prius arrived, but those concerns haven't proved true. I don't see them needing replacement for a long time. Wind noise and tire noise can be pronounced at times, but it doesn't really bother me as a young person. Just putting on different tires can make a big difference in tire noise. Another negative about this vehicle is the visibility out the rear window. I am used to it, and the backup camera really helps. But still, even a Chevy Aveo hatchback (which I drove in high school) has much better rear visibility. This car is not the most fun to drive, but then again it is about as far from a sports car as possible. Acceleration isn't great with the 1.5L 4 cylinder gas engine, but that's ok for me. I like saving money on gas. Going up steep hills makes the small engine work decently hard, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) makes lots of noise going uphill. I've become accustomed to it, so it's not a concern for me. I really like the amount of space I have in my Prius, especially considering its fuel efficiency. The trunk is roomy, and the rear seats fold down flat, so cargo space increases dramatically. Overall, I love this car for its efficiency and spaciousness. I plan to keep it for many more years."

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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