Again, I am so impressed with the  gas mileage on this car.  I feel like I have been driving this car around like crazy and all I have had to put into the gas tank it $10.  The Prius C is not a speed demon, but who cares because those who buy a hybrid are probably not looking for a zippiest car when it comes to how fast it goes from 0-60mph.

Cargo-wise we were a bit tight for our day-trip to the beach.  I managed to fit two beach chairs, towels, snacks and a few sand toys which definitely put us at maximum capacity.  I realize that the Prius C was not designed as a family car, so I truly can’t criticize the cargo space limitations for a family headed to the beach.  My friend owns the new Prius V (which was designed with a family in mind) and is thrilled with the car.  She told me that the V is easily able to handle all of the gear a family needs.

The kids were fine in the back and had plenty of room, however they definitely missed having a DVD player in the car because we heard WAY more “When are we going to be theres” than usual.  While it is definitely not a MUST, the option to have a DVD player would be nice (As far as I can tell it is not an option on the Prius V either).

My only other items on my wish list that were not fulfilled with the Prius C were:

1. Seat heaters (I am a bit addicted to them)
2. Programmable driver-side seat / steering wheel / mirror positions

I am a true lover of a good seat heater and given that I live in utlra mild California, I am guessing those that experience REAL weather would appreciate the option to purchase a car with seat heaters too.  If only one person ever drives your car, then the programmable seat position is probably not a huge issue for you, however when more than one person does drive a car it is inconvenient to have to readjust everything to your liking.

On our way home from our day trip we made a quick stop at Trader Joe’s and when I came out to the car I found a Prius C parked right next to me and another Prius parked right in front of me…people have definitely embraced Prius (I of course had to snap a few pics of this parking arrangement)!

Technology-wise what is cool about the Prius C is Entune.  For those of you unfamiliar, Entune:

We used the navigation system for our trip to Long Beach and it worked like a charm giving me plenty of notice before turns, etc.

I was also impressed with the Bluetooth phone system in that it was really easy to use and extremely clear.

One of the fun features is that after each use of the car when you shut off the engine there is a message telling you how much that trip in the car cost you (This picture was of a local trip, NOT the Long Beach trip).  This is a fuzzy picture taken with my ancient iPhone (sorry), but you get the gist.

My husband said he was actually going to be sad to see the Prius C go back to the dealership and I will be too.  The Prius C has been a pleasure to drive and it soooo easy to park due to its compact size…I never met a spot I couldn’t fit into while test driving it and that is absolutely priceless for the city-dwellers this car was designed for.

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Toyota Youth Network.

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The kids and I were excited to spend some time in the car and immediately headed out the door to run some errands.  When I pushed the key-less start button I honestly thought something was wrong…I couldn’t tell whether the car was on or not.

Having never driven a hybrid before, I didn’t realize how quiet they can be.  The car was in fact on.  It felt neat to be driving a car that I new wasn’t using very much gas.  My son geeked-out by flipping between the touch screens which detailed the mpg and all the stats.

Our first errand stop was Home Depot to purchase an eco-friendly lightbulb as a replacement for the one which recently burned out in my daughter’s bathroom.  While there I was struck by how the Home Depot sign appeared to be quite “habanero.”

Stop two was the grocery store and stop three was my husband’s office so we could pick him-up for lunch (we averaged 48 mpg on the way there).  I wanted to see if we could truly fit 5 people in the Prius C comfortably.  We packed-in myself, my husband, two children (one of which is in a booster still), and my husband’s assistant.  While I wouldn’t describe the back seat as roomy, I was impressed with the fact that all three backseat passengers had sufficient room and no one’s knees were knocking into the chair in front of them.

We drove to The Camp in Costa Mesa for some tacos at Taco Asylum…their mushroom tacos are out of this world!  Topped with a sauce made from hummus, some cilantro, and crispy chickpeas, the meal definitely hit the spot.

After lunch our afternoon was filled with some time at home in the pool and then we were off to more activities (the busy life of a mama).  My daughter and I dropped my son off at his activity and she and I headed down to the beach for a picnic dinner.

Before we knew it it was time to go pick-up my son and go home to get ready for bed.  Time sure flies in the Summer when you are out enjoying the sun!

Impressions So Far

I really like the car overall when considering who the target market for the Prius C is.  If I were to purchase a Prius, being that I have a family and young children I would probably look into the Prius V since it is roomier and has more storage space, but I also realize that the Prius C is NOT targeted as a “family” car, but rather is targeted to younger buyers and city dwellers.

I would have been stoked to drive this car when I was younger and can see this car as a wonderful fit for my sister-in-law who is a city dweller.  I went to college in SF and think that the Prius C would be a HUGE asset there with it’s compact size (awesome for parallel parking) and fuel economy along with the knowledge that if I were to be the driver on a night-out, I know I could relatively comfortable fit 4 of my friends in the car with me (see the image below for cargo / interior space).

Top it off by the fact that the Prius C ranges in price between $18,950 – $23,230, making the car extremely accessible and financially palatable.  The features available in the Prius C for that price point are truly impressive.

Stay tuned for more posts about the Prius C.

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Toyota Youth Network.

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Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Toyota Youth Network.

I have some REALLY exciting news to share with you…a fun series that has been in the works for some time now.

Toyota contacted me a while back about test driving the new Prius C and I am thrilled to report that it has all come together.  I take delivery of the Prius C on the June 28th and will have it to cruise around town in until July 2nd.

My husband and I have been looking for another car and Prius is high on the list of possibilities which makes this opportunity that much sweeter (It gets 53 mpg!!!).  How awesome is it that Toyota is providing me with the Prius C for 5 days???  Now that really is the ultimate test drive!

I’d love to interact with Chic Vegan readers as much as possible while test driving the car.  Please leave a comment below with any questions you have about the car or feel free to contact me through Facebook and/or Twitter @chic_vegan

Let’s get this test drive on a roll!

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Toyota Youth Network.

The post MY PRIUS C EXPERIENCE appeared first on Chic Vegan.