2009 Toyota Prius Consumer Reviews

Love my Prius

Written by: dougb61 on 10/13/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius Touring 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Although the 2009 looks pretty much like every Prius since the 2004 redesign I think it's still a good looking car. For a small car the interior is spacious, lots of leg room even in the back seat. The seats recline to an almost flat position if needed. The rear seats lay flat opening up the storage space of the hatchback for plenty of storage. Up front there are two glove compartments, a small compartment under the radio, a sunglasses compartment overhead, and two large compartments between the seats. On the road I find the Prius has plenty of get-up-and-go when needed and the touchscreen display gives me the feedback I need to maximize my fuel economy.

Favorite Features

46+ MPG, Bluetooth, touch screen display, lots of storage room, smartkey system, digital speedometer, smooth and quiet ride.

Suggested Improvements

I'd like a couple more 12V DC outlets, two is not enough for today's wired world. Visibility out the rear is poor.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Hate it and selling for Subaru

Written by: Liz on 09/21/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Always had Toyotas until 1999 then got OUTBACK and loved it. Sold it for this new 2009 Prius. Only have 2,600 and HATE the car. Quality is cheap...metal dents easily, interior is cheaply done, little storage room and I am single with one medium sized dog and one little dog...Selling this to buy used low mileage Subaru Impreza...(regret purchase and will not buy another Toyota...they make them too CHEAP now. Shame on them...the old ones were GREAT...pre 1998)...no longer! Hate touch screen..always dirty.

Favorite Features

push button start and mileage

Suggested Improvements

Improve metal...dents and scratches without effort ! Upholstery material is the cheapest I have seen...horrible. Too high in REAR...2010's are better in interior...got rid of touchscreen.

8 out 11 people found this review helpful

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2009 Prius

Written by: GrammyB on 09/18/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

We just had our 5000 mile maintenance check in out 2009 Prius. We test drove a couple cars before buying the Prius. We love our car. It is comfy and of course the gas mileage is great. When we were looking we had 2 cars in mind to compare (one being the Prius) and the other being a Honda Civic hybrid. We thought we would lean towards the Honda as we owned one before, there is no comparison between the 2, the Pruis won hands down.

Favorite Features

Of course the gas mileage...ease of driving.

Suggested Improvements

Clock could go on the big screen so u could see it, rear window could be a little bit more user friendly, I wish u could download pictures onto screen like a desktop or something. We have not had any problems but husband has already said this is not a car he will DIY on.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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What about hidden maintenance costs?

Written by: Ken C on 09/02/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I've driven my Prius for 36k miles. My love is simply summarized – 48 MPG! But will fuel savings be lost to unexpected maintenance costs? My car isn’t old enough to have real maintenance issues yet, but I’m wary. The engineers were great at building a complex car with great gas mileage, but lousy at creating a car that can be easily maintained. There's no room under the hood, so there's no way to do a simple DIY like replacing a headlight without extensive work. I tried DIY, but gave up. In the end, the dealer replaced it (in about two hours of labor) for $200+ (for a $10 bulb?!). That’s crazy talk man! People need to know up front that there could be high unforeseen maintenance costs.

Favorite Features

Fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness!! Sure there's no pep or sex appeal to it, but it does the job, and does it very efficiently. I'm also pleasantly impressed with the amount of room in what I expected to be a too small interior.

Suggested Improvements

Improve the plain interior, and definitely make room under the hood. Owners should be able to perform routine DIY maintenance without having to take the entire car apart to get to a headlight bulb (or without paying someone else). That just shows insufficient concern for end users by the designers.

18 out 19 people found this review helpful

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Value for Money Finally

Written by: Happy Prius Owner on 08/25/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius Touring 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

We purchased our new Prius in Dec 08 and promptly drove from Florida to CA and back. 5900 miles with no problems and $125 in gas costs for the entire trip. Since then we have put another 17000 miles on it with NO problems mechanical or otherwise. I am looking forward to purchasing another in the not to distant future. Excellent value for money. Gas mileage after the first 6000 miles went from 47 highway and 49 city to 48 highway and 51 around town. Got to love the savings. Cruising speed is comfortably up to 80 interstate with no significant loss of economy. A pleasure passing the clunkers going over the great divide.

Favorite Features

Easy of handling and parking.

Suggested Improvements

Need another power outlet in the back for passengers use for phone recharge and laptops.

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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From Mercedes to Toyota

Written by: Bobby on 08/14/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I cannot say how much I enjoy my 2009 Toyota Prius. I used to drive a Mercedes SUV and never thought of getting used to a smaller car. Honestly I do not miss my SUV or the amount of money that I paid for every service and other things. This car is far beyond of what I expected. I carry same amount of stuffs that I used to carry in the back of my SUV. Just fold the back seats and you got all the room you need. It is a good car for any age group that has a great style. Way to go Toyota.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Prius

Written by: Mark on 06/30/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius Standard 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I'm 6' 4" and the front leg room is very tight. It is also a bit narrow. The fit and feel is very good for a mid size car. It's so quiet on start up. Acceleration is slow but reliability should be outstanding.

Favorite Features

The touch screen display is very useful. The fuel mileage is amazing. I never go below 50 MPG. The cargo room in the hatchback is quite good.

Suggested Improvements

Not enough front leg room for tall drivers. Need better adjustments on the seat. Lumbar support would be nice. The brake pedal is too small.

22 out 24 people found this review helpful

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Best Ecconomy car Availabel

Written by: George on 06/27/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Bought the Prius 1 June 2009. At first I had trouble getting used to the electronic displays, but after driving one week I became accustomed with them. The most important reason for buying the Prius was its reliability, the CVT transmission and the fuel economy. After driving 1400 miles I am averaging 50 miles per gallon overall. In city driving I get about 45 mpg, I live in a hilly area. On the highway I get about 53 mpg. The electronic display help one economize fuel if you desire so.

Favorite Features

Mileage, CVT transmission. Electronic displays, Reliability.

Suggested Improvements

The front seats need some improvements, lumbar support, ETC.

9 out 10 people found this review helpful

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Beats the the Civic hands down

Written by: SteveB on 06/17/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Bought the Prius May 2009 and love it. Had one as a rental car for a week and decided then that my next car was going to be a Prius. Thanks to Toyota's 0% interest, I'm not a liar. We are averaging about 46 mpg with mostly interstate driving and some city. I have averaged as high as mid 50's on the interstate while still doing approx 65 mph. I think my wife just has a heavy foot when she drives. Traded in a 07 Civic and WOW, the Prius beats the Civic in every category, especially comfort and performance. I no longer feel like I am driving a college kid's car. The dealer had aftermarket leather installed on the seats, but gave me a great deal on this car.

Favorite Features

Hybrid, look, performance and MPGs.

Suggested Improvements

Tinted rear and back side windows.

13 out 13 people found this review helpful

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MPG Machine

Written by: Bone11241124 on 06/14/2009

Vehicle

2009 Toyota Prius 4dr Hatchback (1.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I purchased the car specifically for maxing out my mpg and it's lived up to its billing. In the 3 months I've been driving it I average 62 mpg city/53 mpg highway/58 mpg combined (well above the combined 47 mpg EPA rating). Comfort and styling are above average in my opinion. Overall power is below average... but I didn't buy this car for the power. Great commuter car as it has already saved me $200 in gas compared to my former vehicle (2005 Toyota 4runner). You can find alternate commuter cars at a better price but not with this much comfort/styling or getting this good of mileage!

Favorite Features

1. EV mode allows you to drive gas free under 42 mph (using a feather foot on the GO pedal). 2. For a mid-size car... plenty of cargo room. Seats fold down nicely to allow for larger cargo. 3. Interior designed well with plenty of instrumentation to allow for great mpg's!

Suggested Improvements

1. Low rear roof causes limited rear view out back window (understood given the low drag of the car). 2. Could use more horsepower (addressed in 2010 model).

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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