I tried so hard to dislike the Toyota Prius, nicknamed “Pious” for the attitudes of most of the people who drive them. But still, it had been more than three years since I’d driven one and that first Prius test drive was admittedly short on miles.

It was time for a long drive and the 2008 Toyota Prius was ready to run. I forced it to run hard, too. All the way from home base in Long Beach to Sonoma and back, with side trips at high speed through the Marin County area, for computer ills that sidelined me for more than a day. (When you make your living with a computer and it dies, there aren’t many alternatives to throwing away added money)

I found the seats on the Prius comfortable and the driving position excellent. There were no blind spots to speak of and the ride was soft – perhaps a bit too soft for me, but good for the balance of the world. Acceleration was good and the payment for lead-footing it wasn’t terrible. In fact, it was surprising to me.

Here’s the bottom line: On my trip, I averaged more than 50 mpg around town and at least 48 mpg over the road from the 11.9-gallon tank. This trip included plenty of hillclimbs through the Tejon Pass departing and returning to the Los Angeles basin, together with hills in Marin County. I drafted where possible and never let the tank go farther than 1/2-empty.

The 2008 Prius gives up more than sufficient power from its dual-mode hybrid synergy engine system to make it up hills without complaint. The 1.5-liter engine puts out 76 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 82 lb-ft of torque at 4200; the battery-powered motor gives up 67 horsepower between 1200-1540 rpm and a whopping 295 lb-ft of torque between 0-1200 rpm for a net output of 110 horsepower from this 2932-pound machine.

The Prius’ transmission is a bit different than what we’re accustomed to: it juts from the steering column and moves forward and up for reverse; forward and down for drive. You don’t push or pull it with energy; rather the stalk is delicately placed in whichever position the driver wants to put it. There was no hunting and pecking from the continuously variable transmission as it hauled through most of California; all shifts were positive in nature.

The MacPherson strut front and Torsion beam rear suspensions are compliant but not overtly soft and the ABS and EBD-equipped brakes on the Prius are amazing in their stopping capabilities. They grab and stick with precision and they release on command. The rack and pinion electric power steering is spot-on and easy to maneuver with no slop at all. Turning circle for this front-wheel-drive sedan is an excellent 34.1 feet.

The 2008 version I drove to Sonoma and back has a list price, with extra value package discount of $27,803. That price included a special technology package that contains leather seating and steering wheel cover, an excellent voice-activated DVD GPS navigation system that helped me find everyplace I wanted to go, a wonderful JBL 6-disc audio system with nine speakers and MP3/WMA capability, satellite radio setup and hands-free Bluetooth® phone operation.

There’s a handy backup camera (with a really irritating beep), proximity smart key and anti-theft systems, auto-dimming rear mirror with HomeLink and HID headlamps that gave perfect illumination, together with integrated fog lights. The same vehicle for 2009 goes for $29,364. There’s nothing more one could want on this car!

Like so many cars these days, Toyota equips this Prius with a proximity, pushbutton-start system. With the fob in hand, there’s no need to press buttons to unlock or lock the sedan; it’s very happy to do those maneuvers for the driver. As the driver approaches the car, the door automatically unlocks and it relocks as the key is located farther from the vehicle.

The cruise control system on the Prius works extremely well, even with undulating hills on the 101 and I-5. This sedan isn’t the best handler, thanks to its low resistance-rolling Goodyear Integrity P185/65 rubber on 15-inch six-spoke alloy rims. The tires aren’t noisy at all but they don’t inspire utmost confidence under heavy loads in a corner. (Nor were they meant to do so). The ride is so good that this petite driver needed only one relief stop in the 450+ mile return haul on Sunday night; that’s a first!

I love the visibility on the Prius, which has eight side windows (portholes front and rear on each side) and separated rear glass. A nice dose of privacy tint will keep the sunshine from ruining any perishables inside. The instrument panel at the header of the dash is so well illuminated that all information is easily visible day and night.

I especially enjoyed the steering wheel controls for the navigation system that allowed me to check consumption and return to the map without taking my hands from the wheel. The driver can also control heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems as well as audio. I used the CD player most of the way up and back and my sole wish is that it had random settings. The drivetrain is so very quiet that there’s no need to heavily boost audio volume.

The Prius has excellent luggage space under its covered hatch with a yawing 14.4 cubic feet available for added cargo acquired on this run. Rear seat room is ample for all but the largest of passengers, who are treated to their own central armrest, cupholders protruding from the rear of the central storage, together with pockets in the front seatbacks.

In closing, the Toyota Prius is a car for all seasons and all reasons – it’s really hard to hate, although some of its stuck-up drivers might be. Prius is not a wagon, but it can handle just about anything one might normally place in any other hatch. It has economy and ecology without compare and is a star in the marketplace. Who could ask for more?

© 2008 Anne Proffit