I go pick up a car in two weeks and drive it home.
Any guesses?
A red, previous-gen Prius PHEV imported from Ontario and initially registered in Quebec, sporting new tires ;)
I'm pretty sure that Blueprint just nailed the guess. LOL
Well that wasn't hard at all. Yeah that's it.
"I'm still reaching for the keys to the Prius most days.....I'm going to miss it."
Good luck getting the keys!
It just makes me think I'll be a happy 3rd owner.
My daily commute to work is 8km each way. Factor in a few extra kms for errands, and I'm easily within the electric only range of the car on a daily basis. I may only have to charge it every second day.
In winter I won't be worried about the drop in EV range, because of the gas engine. I actually suspect that for a few months out of the year (January/February/March) when it's consistently below -10C, the car is just going to run in regular hybrid mode anyway.
It's already got a class 1 trailer hitch installed, so I'll be able to use my Thule bike rack from day one.
From Ron's description, the pictures, and what I know about him, I think the car is pretty sorted, even if it's high mileage. Plus this generation of Prius is known to be the most reliable generation, with basically no known problem areas.
Compared to other cars in the price range that I was looking at (which were all older, but lower mileage), this one has most of the new tech: Full Speed Radar Cruise, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, LED headlights, automatic High Beams, HUD, etc.
The ONLY downside is it doesn't have Android Auto, and there's no feasible way to add it.
Yeah, this should suit you well. My neighbour and friend have these in the red colour and both are big fans of them.
It always surprises me how stingy Toyota was about adding Android Auto/Apply Carplay.
Lol, congrats! Welcome to the partially electrified life.
Enjoy sitting in Ron's butt imprint where he has endless miles and farts accumulated. I would avoid black lights in the hatch...there are some missing grifters in his area. ;D
Thanks a lot for that image that I'll be living with for the rest of my tenure with this car.
Pretty much the risk with any used car purchase.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Jan 29, 2026, 02:53 PMIt just makes me think I'll be a happy 3rd owner.
My daily commute to work is 8km each way. Factor in a few extra kms for errands, and I'm easily within the electric only range of the car on a daily basis. I may only have to charge it every second day.
In winter I won't be worried about the drop in EV range, because of the gas engine. I actually suspect that for a few months out of the year (January/February/March) when it's consistently below -10C, the car is just going to run in regular hybrid mode anyway.
It's already got a class 1 trailer hitch installed, so I'll be able to use my Thule bike rack from day one.
From Ron's description, the pictures, and what I know about him, I think the car is pretty sorted, even if it's high mileage. Plus this generation of Prius is known to be the most reliable generation, with basically no known problem areas.
Compared to other cars in the price range that I was looking at (which were all older, but lower mileage), this one has most of the new tech: Full Speed Radar Cruise, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, LED headlights, automatic High Beams, HUD, etc.
The ONLY downside is it doesn't have Android Auto, and there's no feasible way to add it.
If, after you see and drive my car, if you can honestly say you don't think it's a steal given the condition and price...I'll give you an extra $100 off. That will pay for your gas home! LOL 😆
And boohoo on the Android Auto. My new car has it and I don't see what the big deal is. What am I missing? Serious question!
Or is this just the usual millennial and younger romance and co-dependency with their phones?
Google maps (with live traffic) and access to my music app. Both are pretty useful. Sure, I can bluetooth music from my phone, but the AA interface makes it a lot easier.
Quote from: Tortoise on Jan 29, 2026, 08:48 PMGoogle maps (with live traffic) and access to my music app. Both are pretty useful. Sure, I can bluetooth music from my phone, but the AA interface makes it a lot easier.
I can listen to Spotify while at the same time I get the turn by turn Google Maps through the car speakers. The OEM map is always on the big screen, so you have a map to cross reference with already. Without Android Auto. The steering wheel also controls the music app playlist. Album, artist, song displays on the big car screen. No album art which I notice you get with AA.
Maybe it's better suited to a "power user" though I'm not sure what that would entail.
So far I'm only seeing very minor differences. Definitely not to the point where I care whether I have AA or not.
Quote from: Gurgie on Jan 16, 2026, 09:40 AMGet Ron to deliver his Prius out to you :D
Called it ;D
Congrats!! I think it fits your use case very well!!
Quote from: RRocket on Jan 29, 2026, 10:56 PMQuote from: Tortoise on Jan 29, 2026, 08:48 PMGoogle maps (with live traffic) and access to my music app. Both are pretty useful. Sure, I can bluetooth music from my phone, but the AA interface makes it a lot easier.
I can listen to Spotify while at the same time I get the turn by turn Google Maps through the car speakers. The OEM map is always on the big screen, so you have a map to cross reference with already. Without Android Auto. The steering wheel also controls the music app playlist. Album, artist, song displays on the big car screen. No album art which I notice you get with AA.
Maybe it's better suited to a "power user" though I'm not sure what that would entail.
So far I'm only seeing very minor differences. Definitely not to the point where I care whether I have AA or not.
I've had Apple Carplay and Android Auto in every vehicle for the past 10-11 years. I've used Apple Carplay I think twice during that time. I'd probably swap it for a CD/Cassette player if I'm being honest.
^this. I'd rather have a CD player than AA - except in a rental car. I **love** AA in a rental car, especially in Europe. But at home - gimme my tunes with as much purity as possible. My '22 Subawoo has a CD player, and with the h/k acoustics it's pretty damn good.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Jan 29, 2026, 02:33 PMWell that wasn't hard at all. Yeah that's it.
Congrats! My biggest surprise when I reviewed it was how comfy it was - no wonder cabbies loved them. ECO mode while in EV operation is dangerously slow in town, otherwise it's a really good commuter.
This one's in English: https://www.autotrader.ca/editorial/20171011/test-drive-2017-toyota-prius-prime?srsltid=AfmBOopUKnh3wz6uFX_lOJX_qCXdIQSXdpA02UrS5UFUht3893RMxeYV (https://www.autotrader.ca/editorial/20171011/test-drive-2017-toyota-prius-prime?srsltid=AfmBOopUKnh3wz6uFX_lOJX_qCXdIQSXdpA02UrS5UFUht3893RMxeYV)
Quote from: Blueprint link=msg=2250quote author=Blueprint link=msg=2250 date=1769787805]
ECO mode while in EV operation is dangerously slow in town, otherwise it's a really good commuter.
That's just not true.
I know this because that's the only mode I've ever used. :)
ECO mode just lessens throttle response and affects the climate control a bit making the car more efficient. Allegedly.
When GBA comes to get the car, I'll send him out in ECO and we'll see what he thinks! LOL 😆
Mathtime:
This gen of Prius Prime has an 8.8kWh battery that is good for 40km of range during non-cold months.
My daily commute is 16km round trip. With short errands, assume I can charge every other day, therefore assume 20km/day. Manitoba Hydro's residential rate is currently 9.970c/kWh. Therefore a full charge of the Prime's battery will cost me 88c. Divide that into 2 days, and we get 44c/day to drive to/from work and run some errands.
Compare to the CX-5:
In the summer the CX-5 averages 10-11L/100km. Let's call it 10.5L/100km. Take that 20km/day allowance from above, and I'm using 2.1L of fuel daily. With fuel currently a $1.20/L, that works out to a daily cost of $2.52 for fuel alone, or a difference of $2.08.
Assume 260 working days in a year, and that's a net savings of $540.8/year, just for driving to/from work.
Now, obviously these calculations will change, because we're not replacing the CX-5, just complementing it. So my spouse will likely end up driving more than she did, including to/from work, because now there's a car available for her to use when I'm not home, reducing our overall savings. But there's additional savings to be realized from using the Prius to transport myself and my bike to out-of-town trails. The Prius should just about double the fuel economy of the CX-5 on the 1-2hr roadtrips that I take to go biking on the weekends. So the $20-$40 that I used to spend on gas, will drop down to $10-$20.
I'm just rambling. I'm not expecting to see new savings compared to just having one single vehicle. Our insurance cost will double, and maintenance will be increased (car washes, oil changes, etc.). BUT, this seems like one of the cheapest, lowest impact ways to add the convenience of a 2nd vehicle to our family, as far as running costs go.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Jan 30, 2026, 02:22 PMMathtime:
This gen of Prius Prime has an 8.8kWh battery that is good for 40km of range during non-cold months.
My daily commute is 16km round trip. With short errands, assume I can charge every other day, therefore assume 20km/day. Manitoba Hydro's residential rate is currently 9.970c/kWh. Therefore a full charge of the Prime's battery will cost me 88c. Divide that into 2 days, and we get 44c/day to drive to/from work and run some errands.
Compare to the CX-5:
In the summer the CX-5 averages 10-11L/100km. Let's call it 10.5L/100km. Take that 20km/day allowance from above, and I'm using 2.1L of fuel daily. With fuel currently a $1.20/L, that works out to a daily cost of $2.52 for fuel alone, or a difference of $2.08.
Assume 260 working days in a year, and that's a net savings of $540.8/year, just for driving to/from work.
Now, obviously these calculations will change, because we're not replacing the CX-5, just complementing it. So my spouse will likely end up driving more than she did, including to/from work, because now there's a car available for her to use when I'm not home, reducing our overall savings. But there's additional savings to be realized from using the Prius to transport myself and my bike to out-of-town trails. The Prius should just about double the fuel economy of the CX-5 on the 1-2hr roadtrips that I take to go biking on the weekends. So the $20-$40 that I used to spend on gas, will drop down to $10-$20.
I'm just rambling. I'm not expecting to see new savings compared to just having one single vehicle. Our insurance cost will double, and maintenance will be increased (car washes, oil changes, etc.). BUT, this seems like one of the cheapest, lowest impact ways to add the convenience of a 2nd vehicle to our family, as far as running costs go.
That's your nightly off peak rate? Mine is 3.9 cents.
And with my Pion Charger, I get paid 10 cents per KW hour. So a net of 6 cents. It's also available in Manitoba.
But yes, the Prius saved us so much gas, it posits for itself (insurance, etc).
Truly the best car I've ever owned and will miss it.
I hate to say this..but I have a feeling I'll be back in a Gen 4 Prius in a year or two. Or less.
Nice! A used Prius Prime is probably one of the best, if not the best, low-cost commuter cars out there. I can't think of another car that's cheaper to operate, with similar reliability and longevity. If you don't drive a ton and you're diligent with charging, I imagine you could go weeks, if not months, without filling the gas tank.
I looked at the latest generation before buying my Bolt, but there were no new ones available at the time and used ones were selling for the same as new or more. Compared to my Bolt, I couldn't justify paying an additional $15k + tax, and still have to put gas in it.
I sat in one at the dealer though (top trim). It was very impressive, although I couldn't get over the front bumper license plate mount that cannot be removed and sticks out like a sore thumb here in Quebec where there's no front plates.
Quote from: Blizzard on Jan 30, 2026, 02:45 PM, I imagine you could go weeks, if not months, without filling the gas tank.
My best tank is 4,500kms.
Lifetime average over 280k is 2.7L/100
Love it when cars trade between this group, very cool! Sounds like the Prius will be a great fit for your needs. I assume you'll fly into Windsor and drive back from there? Any planned stops or just going to mission it right through?
I've got some old friends in Hamilton/Dundas that I'll be stopping to visit. Other than that, drive through. I'll stop in Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay to get some rest and sleep. I'm getting too old to power through 12hr+ drives. I like to split up my days into 9-10hr drives.
Quote from: RRocket on Jan 30, 2026, 02:52 PMQuote from: Blizzard on Jan 30, 2026, 02:45 PM, I imagine you could go weeks, if not months, without filling the gas tank.
My best tank is 4,500kms.
Lifetime average over 280k is 2.7L/100
You put 280,000 km on it?!
Quote from: dkazzed on Jan 30, 2026, 05:10 PMQuote from: RRocket on Jan 30, 2026, 02:52 PMQuote from: Blizzard on Jan 30, 2026, 02:45 PM, I imagine you could go weeks, if not months, without filling the gas tank.
My best tank is 4,500kms.
Lifetime average over 280k is 2.7L/100
You put 280,000 km on it?!
180k are mine
All highway kms, baby! What's the saying... 10 highway kms equal 1 city km?
Quote from: RRocket on Jan 30, 2026, 01:47 PMQuote from: Blueprint link=msg=2250quote author=Blueprint link=msg=2250 date=1769787805]
ECO mode while in EV operation is dangerously slow in town, otherwise it's a really good commuter.
That's just not true.
I know this because that's the only mode I've ever used. :)
ECO mode just lessens throttle response and affects the climate control a bit making the car more efficient. Allegedly.
When GBA comes to get the car, I'll send him out in ECO and we'll see what he thinks! LOL 😆
Oh yes it's true. I felt like a sloth surrounded by chipmunks on Red Bull on downtown streets. Getting out of a yellow in a hurry was not possible. Only older XC 90 PHEV's were more scary slow to react. My tester was a 2017 - software updates may have changed things at some point.
ECO modes this slow are rare these days. The Sonata and Palisade hybrids are just fine in ECO, as are most cars these days - even the new Prius PHEV ;)
Quote from: Blueprint on Jan 31, 2026, 01:45 PMOh yes it's true.
Well I have no idea what you're talking about. Truly.
I've used it in downtown Detroit, Toronto, Indy, etc....Like I said, I never use anything but ECO.
And compared to Detroit, Montreal traffic is like being in a relaxation vault! LOL 😆
And yet, here I am to tell the tale!
Just handed the keys and car to GBA and his lovely wife. Really nice people! After a very efficient exchange, they were on their way!
They have a teeny road ahead of them, so I was glad they were able to be on their way home without delay. Am curious what his L/100km will be for this journey!
Also, I deliberately left the car in EV ECO mode to see if his life felt threatened! LOL 😆
Safe travels GBA! Enjoy the trip, hope the weather is decent.
(https://i.ibb.co/wrZ9Q4sW/IMG-20260215-185212.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zHWy2ZJR)
A pic of a misanthrope and a borderline autistic fellow (or so my spouse tells me).
We made it to the Sault today. No problems. Eco mode didn't try to kill me.
4.6l/100km between Burlington and The Soo despite having a depleted battery when starting out (charger at the hotel was bogarted by a Fusion Energi)
Have a good drive! Eco mode will only try to kill you if it has a sure shot at it ;D
Nice!! Guessing you'll be back home sometime today 8)
Quote from: Gurgie on Feb 16, 2026, 08:43 AMNice!! Guessing you'll be back home sometime today 8)
Where's Waldo update: just texted him on his progress and he's in White River taking a break and stuffing his pie hole!
We stopped in Thunder Bay for the night. We are splitting the drive into manageable eight hour stretches, in order to enjoy the trip.
Here's the car in front of an iconic monument.
(https://i.ibb.co/jkX7FMWK/PXL-20260216-222833137.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XxRmTs3B)
Winnipeg is eight hours away, so we'll be home tomorrow. Well just miss a mega snowstorm that's going to hit Winnipeg Tuesday night.
Good photo!
Speaking of "The Peg", my annual transportation conference is there next October. Already booked my digs at the Delta for the week. Maybe I can have another taste of the dreaded Eco mode? ;D
Quote from: Blueprint on Feb 18, 2026, 08:38 AMSpeaking of "The Peg", my annual transportation conference is there next October. Already booked my digs at the Delta for the week. Maybe I can have another taste of the dreaded Eco mode? ;D
I'd be more than happy to meet up with you, and you can take the Prius out for another drive. Poke me closer to your conference, and we'll exchange contact info. I can take you to some pretty good local spots if you're a foodie, or show you some of the lesser know historical spots if you're into that.
Windsor Pickup & the Long Way Home
The plan was simple—at least on paper.
We'd fly to Toronto early Friday morning, catch the 11:45 VIA train to Windsor, meet Ron at the station, and immediately drive to Hamilton for dinner with some high-school friends. From there, we'd overnight in Burlington and begin the long drive west: Burlington → Sault Ste. Marie → Thunder Bay → Winnipeg.
As a planner, I had everything pre-booked—flights, train tickets, and hotels—based on a self-imposed rule of keeping each driving day under 800 km (or about eight hours). What could possibly go wrong?
Friday: When the Plan Fell Apart
After waking up at 4:00 a.m. and having my MIL drive us to the airport in the Mazda, we boarded our 6:00 a.m. Porter Airlines flight. We pushed back, de-iced, lined up for the runway... engines spooled up—and then immediately spooled back down.
We taxied off the runway and sat for 10–15 minutes before the captain announced there was an issue with one of the generators. The pilots ran through their checklist, fired up the APU, shut down both engines, and restarted the plane—essentially the aviation equivalent of "have you tried turning it off and on again?"
No luck.
We taxied back to the gate and deplaned while Porter tried to fix the aircraft. I immediately called VIA Rail to explain that there was no way we were making our morning train and asked to be moved to the 17:30 departure instead. I also messaged my buddy to warn him that dinner likely wasn't happening.
Around noon, Porter officially cancelled the flight. After standing in line at the gate, I managed to get rebooked on the 6:00 a.m. flight the next day—Saturday.
Several hours on the phone followed. VIA was able to move us to the Saturday 11:30 train, but the change cost us 40% of the ticket—an extra $160 for the two of us. The hotel chain was more forgiving: two reservations changed for free, one cost an extra $40.
With the rest of Friday suddenly wide open, I at least salvaged the day with a bike ride along the frozen rivers.
PXL_20260213_193830638.MP.jpg
Saturday: Finally Moving
Saturday morning went far better. We boarded our 6:00 a.m. flight and made it to Toronto with only a 45-minute delay thanks to de-icing. From Pearson, we took the UP Express to Union Station—an absolutely fantastic service.
We arrived with just enough time to line up for our train. I would've loved to spend half an hour wandering downtown (the CN Tower is right there), but schedules are schedules.
I was genuinely excited to take the train. I'd only been on VIA once before, when I was 12, traveling from Montreal to Toronto. This felt like a brand-new experience.
IMG_20260218_090551.jpg
The train itself was excellent. Even in economy, the seats are wide and comfortable with tons of legroom—more like business class on a narrow-body aircraft. You can get up, walk around, and just... relax.
IMG_20260218_090549.jpgIMG_20260218_090554.jpg
What wasn't relaxing was that VIA runs on tracks owned by Canadian National Railway, and freight trains take priority. We were shunted onto sidings no fewer than four times to let long CN freights pass.
A four-hour trip turned into six.
Along Lake St. Clair, the engineer pushed the train to its 160 km/h maximum to make up time, which was admittedly very cool. Still, instead of arriving in Windsor at 15:45, we rolled in at 17:35.
IMG_20260218_090610.jpg
Windsor, Detroit Views, and the Handoff
With my high-school friends unavailable on Saturday, we met Ron (in all his bearded glory) at the station and drove him back to his place on the shores of Lake Erie. .
He gave me the choice of vehicle for the drive home, and of course I chose his LS. He let me take the scenic 45-minute route, which included passing several iconic sights—including a bridge that's been in the news lately.
IMG_20260218_090614.jpgIMG_20260218_090623.jpgIMG_20260218_090625.jpg
The LS was immaculate—easily the cleanest car I've ever seen. It looked factory fresh.
At Ron's place, the Prius handover was quick and painless. I'd be remiss not to say just how good the car was: spotless inside, very clean outside, and aside from a few minor dings and some steering-wheel wear, it could easily pass for a well-kept 2–3-year-old car.
IMG_20260215_184643.jpg
Burlington and the First Real Drive
We left around 7:00 p.m. for the 3.5-hour drive to Burlington. A shawarma stop in London added 45 minutes, followed by a detour through Hamilton so I could show Mrs. GBA where I lived as a teenager. After a late-night Shoppers run, we finally checked into the hotel at 12:30 a.m.
Indicated average fuel economy for that first leg: 4.5 L/100 km, including about 30 km of EV-only driving thanks to Ron handing over the car with a full tank and battery.
Sunday: Ontario Eases Out
Sunday morning, with the car now ours, everything became easy.
We drove through Toronto, past Barrie, Parry Sound, and Sudbury, finally arriving in Sault Ste. Marie without a single hiccup. Driving on the 403 and 401 was a treat—this Manitoba boy isn't used to that many lanes or that much traffic moving that fast—but I adapted quickly.
Past Barrie, the road narrowed, the traffic thinned, and the familiar Canadian Shield scenery returned. Snowbanks near the Soo were enormous—easily the height of a single-story building.
Indicated average fuel economy: 4.6 L/100 km.
IMG_20260218_090536.jpg
Monday: Lake Superior at Its Best
Monday's leg—from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay—was easily the highlight of the trip.
The north shore of Lake Superior is spectacular. I'd driven it once before, 20 years ago when moving from Hamilton to Winnipeg, and it was just as memorable this time.
It's a remote stretch, and with the Prius Prime lacking a spare tire (only a can of fix-a-flat), I was slightly apprehensive—especially with potholes near the Soo that were very much Prius-sized. Fortunately, once along the lake, the road improved dramatically.
Traffic was light, the views were incredible, and we had the road largely to ourselves. Before reaching Thunder Bay, we stopped at the Terry Fox Monument to pay our respects.
Indicated Average fuel economy for the day: 4.7 L/100 km, cruising at 102 km/h.
IMG_20260218_090530.jpgIMG_20260218_090524.jpgPXL_20260216_194021648.jpgIMG_20260218_090502.jpgIMG_20260218_090458.jpgIMG_20260218_090505.jpg
Tuesday: Home Stretch
Compared to Monday, the final leg from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg was uneventful and boring—through Dryden, past Kenora, and home by 4:00 p.m. Indicated Fuel economy: 4.6 L/100 km.
Final Numbers
Total distance: 2,536 km
Fuel used: 126 L
Fuel cost: $152.45
Calculated average: 4.98 L/100 km
We easily covered each ~800 km leg on a single tank. The only charging opportunity was in Sault Ste. Marie, where we lucked into a ground-floor suite and ran the cable in through the patio doors.
I'm thrilled with the car and can't wait to spend the next few years seeing just how efficient I can make it.
PXL_20260218_121605460.jpg
Great trip report, thanks for sharing!! Crappy about the Porter plane breaking down & our train system in Canada sucks!! Windsor to Montreal should be a high speed corridor for us via train, but no where near that.
Yes, nice overview of what sounds like a good little adventure. Great way to get acquainted with a new car too!
Great write up!
Glad you guys had a good road trip and arrived home safely.
I enjoyed meeting you and Mrs GBA. You guys are good eggs.
I'm especially happy the Prius has gone too a good home!
What a great way to take ownership of a vehicle! This is kind of a plane trains and automobiles adventure.
Fatbike matches the Prius quite nicely.
PXL_20260226_001031639.jpg
Nice! Looks rather cold for bike riding though
Awesome!
Quote from: Firm on Feb 25, 2026, 08:59 PMNice! Looks rather cold for bike riding though
I'm guessing you don't know what fatbiking is? It's a discipline of biking that is specifically done in snow. The bikes are specialized, often with 4.5" wide tires, which require extra clearance frames and forks. You run low tire pressures - 12psi or lower - to spread the tire out and stop from sinking in the snow. A lot of trail systems get groomed in the winter (usually with a snowdog) to give you a packed surface to ride on. In a province where we have snow 4-5 months of the year, this is the best way to continue doing the sport I love.
PXL_20260221_210839316.jpg
^ I was guessing firm was just being a smart ass.
Both, I was being a smart ass and I knew GBA biked in the winter, I didn't realize "fat biking" was specifically a winter thing. It does look like fun though.
I've always wanted to try fat biking. I just take my regular bikes out and hope for the best. ;D
Most bike shops rent them for the day or weekend. Take one out!
Great write-up, GBA.
Quote from: dkazzed on Feb 26, 2026, 06:23 PMI've always wanted to try fat biking. I just take my regular bikes out and hope for the best. ;D
You'd totally dig the motorcycle equivalent: Yamaha TW200.
Hysterical. Too much fun.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Feb 25, 2026, 07:17 PMFatbike matches the Prius quite nicely.
The car handles the tongue weight fine?
What's the bike weigh?
About 30lbs. It's full carbon, but those tires aren't light.
Why wouldn't the car handle it? Bikes are light.
So, quick update.
We've had the Prius Prime for a few weeks now. It took a bit of work to get safetied, namely:
Needed front brakes and slide pins (Ron included parts for the brakes, as he knew they were getting close)
Inner Tie-Rod
The front driver side window was delaminating, and had to be replaced. I knew about the window before I bought, and knew it would be a maybe. I sourced a used part from an auto wrecker.
I don't consider any of that unusual for a 7 year old car with 283 000kms on it.
City mileage since we got back is sitting at 3.5L/100kms, mostly because we've had some cold days, so the ICE is turning on to generate heat for the cabin. I expect this to improve as the weather warms up.
Mrs GBA really appreciates the low beltine and tall greenhouse. Visibility in this car is second to none.
I find myself getting a bit of range anxiety. Let me explain: I really want to maximize EV usage - it's like a game to me. So even though I have an ICE to back up when I run out of electrons, I still see that EV range ticking down, and I start to sweat a little. I probably couldn't handle a full EV at this time.
I'm taking advantage of free charging whenever possible. So far outings to The Forks and Ikea have given me opportunities to top up the battery free of charge. We're going to a Jets game tonight, and I'm choosing a parkade that has free chargers.
There is definitely a 'Prius Effect' with surrounding traffic. Other vehicles - pickup trucks mostly - feel a compulsive need to 'get around me', no matter how fast I'm going. We observed the same effect when we had a minivan, but I'd venture it's worse in the Prius.
PXL_20260228_225510159.jpg
I think you are going to appreciate this car more with what is going to happen to the price of gas shortly.
^ That's probably true. When you say the window was delaminated, was there fog in it like when a house window delaminates? I've seen really old cars where there's like a white, nearly opaque, delamination, but never anything newer like this so I am curious on what it was doing.
Quote from: Firm on Mar 03, 2026, 12:12 PM^ That's probably true. When you say the window was delaminated, was there fog in it like when a house window delaminates? I've seen really old cars where there's like a white, nearly opaque, delamination, but never anything newer like this so I am curious on what it was doing.
Exactly that, yes. It was a spot about 6" in diameter, close to the bottom edge of the window where it goes into the door.
Toyota put laminated windows on the Prime for sound attenuation. First time I've ever seen this happen, too.
Range anxiety? LOL 😆
You can play the efficiency game with the Prius display. The best I ever got was 99/100. I could never get 100. EVER.
I suspect some trick to get to 100..but I was too stubborn to look online. I wanted to figure it out myself...and never did.
The price of gas update thread made me think of this:
I haven't put gas in my vehicle since Feb 17th. I've still got just over half a tank, with 600kms driven. ;)
I don't really care so much about the price of gas anymore.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Mar 09, 2026, 08:18 PMThe price of gas update thread made me think of this:
I haven't put gas in my vehicle since Feb 17th. I've still got just over half a tank, with 600kms driven. ;)
I don't really care so much about the price of gas anymore.
Welcome to PHEV's !
The Mazda still needs gas, but we just drive it less. The Prius is getting used for most trips.
We're lending it to my Mum while she's visiting for two weeks, so it's seeing a bit more driving now.
Just read all this, very cool.
Your fuel mileage is about the same as I get with my DRZ400
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Mar 09, 2026, 09:52 PMThe Mazda still needs gas, but we just drive it less. The Prius is getting used for most trips.
We're lending it to my Mum while she's visiting for two weeks, so it's seeing a bit more driving now.
Did you reset the economy to see what your mom will get? Or is she just using electric?
Hard not to love this little car....seems like your family is well on the way!
No, she's using the Mazda. I'm not giving the Prius up that easy!
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Mar 10, 2026, 01:31 AMNo, she's using the Mazda. I'm not giving the Prius up that easy!
Oh! I though you were giving her the Prius.
Not that PHEVs and EVs are any more difficult to use than a gas or HEV but I wouldn't lend it out to someone who doesn't have an EV first mindset.
Quote from: dkazzed on Mar 10, 2026, 01:03 PMNot that PHEVs and EVs are any more difficult to use than a gas or HEV but I wouldn't lend it out to someone who doesn't have an EV first mindset.
What is an EV first mindset? Because I'm pretty sure I don't have one. LOL 😆
Nor does anyone I lent my Prius to. I lent it to my buddy with a ZL-1 so he could go camping. LOL 😆
My old mother? My dad? The 16 year old for his driving test?
I mean...it's just a Prius. Everyone said it was "cool" to drive. But everyone could be lying, too! LOL 😆
Quote from: dkazzed on Mar 10, 2026, 01:03 PMNot that PHEVs and EVs are any more difficult to use than a gas or HEV but I wouldn't lend it out to someone who doesn't have an EV first mindset.
Huh? What's an EV first mindset? I wouldn't lend an EV to someone doing a multi-day road trip but otherwise you just get in and go.
Even my in-laws who are completely resistant to change or anything different, and say everyone who drives an EV is woke, managed to survive in the bZ4x when they borrowed it for 2 days (not without leaving a bunch of trash in the car, but that's another story).
I get what he's trying to say. Try to play to the PHEV's strengths - mostly just charging every night, or during the day between trips, and setting the HVAC to ECO mode to conserve battery, etc.
Otherwise, the person borrowing the car might as well just borrow the regular ICE car, if they're not going to be plugging in all the time.
But yes, the strength of a PHEV is you can just treat it like a regular car if you want, but then you're not taking full advantage of what it offers.
Quote from: GreatBigAbyss on Mar 11, 2026, 08:50 AMOtherwise, the person borrowing the car might as well just borrow the regular ICE car, if they're not going to be plugging in all the time.
That's crazy talk.
A Prius Prime in hybrid mode is far, far more efficient than a regular ICE....so there's still a big advantage over "regular" ICE.
Fuel economy update: The last time I filled was March 18th, at $35.87L for $57. Calculated fuel economy on that fill was 4.1L/100km, mostly due to the cold weather we had in early march, forcing the ICE to turn on to heat the cabin and defrost the windshield on the morning commute. That tank lasted me 28 days from the previous fill, and 1021kms.
Things have been different since then. That fill was 3 weeks ago, and I've since done 642.6km. The weather has been warmer, resulting in much less ICE usage (almost none, I think it's turned on once during the morning commute). I've done a couple of slightly longer trips where the ICE has turned on. I think this picture says a lot (trip B gets reset each time I fill):
FUEL ECONOMY.jpg
Look how much gas is left in the tank, lol!!!
Bike season is almost upon us, so I can see myself doing some longer day trips out to provincial parks, which will force ICE usage. My daughter and I will also do some camping trips, which will, again, use up more gas in the tank, so I doubt I'll get to the 4000km best tank that Ron managed to get with this car. I do about 1000km/month, so it would take me 4 months to best his record, and I just can't see myself NOT using this car to do longer out of town trips.
Really good result!!
I think at some point you'll better my best....