The Toyota Prius - A Car to Save the World

The Prius is confirmed to be one of the most well-known hybrids in the US and it's is primarily due to the reputation of Toyota itself. Add to that sensible design and a practical, city-sized ride and you have a car everyone can feel much better about buying and looking good while doing so.

The Prius was launched as a lightweight automobile globally in 2000 although launch of the Prii started in Asia beginning in 1997. The first gen Prius in the US was a great success due to its mixture of contemporary features and design along with its ranking as an Ultra-Low Exhaust Automobile which offered customers the opportunity to get a $2000 tax credit for their purchase.

In 2004 the Prius was remodeled as a mid-size liftback designed to fill the gap between the Camry and the Corolla. Besides all of the other upgrades it is now categorized as a SULEV (Super Extremely Low Pollutants Vehicle) and is certified by Florida Air Sources Panel as an “Advanced Technological innovation Partially Zero Exhaust Vehicle” (AT-PZEV).

So, what do all of the elegant shortened forms really mean? Well, according to the EPA, this year's Prius gets an impressive 48 mpg in the town and 45 mpg on the road. But, asides from the considerable benefits Prius owners enjoy due to its great fuel-economy, the Prius also tells the world that you're environmentally conscious and responsible. The beauty of the car though is that it looks like what you anticipate to see in a hybrid: its got innovative styling cues, flared and expanded headlamps and a liftback that makes your vehicle look like a space probe you would expect to see in intergalactic space.