I bought it in 2004 and really wouldn’t drive anything else. But hold up now! Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t a push to get you to sign up for one yourself, but rather a gentle nudge for you to consider the possibility of switching to a more environmentally friendly car; any environmentally friendly car.

Earth friendly message aside though, the Prius is just plain cool to drive. Check out the video and tell me you’re not the least bit curious about a car that turns on by the push of a power button! You don’t even need to take your keys out of your pocket in order to turn it on (go see one yourself and find out why). You’ll also get so used to the sweet silence of driving one, that you won’t want to go back to your old loud and vibrating car. Just imagine if everyone drove an electric or hybrid car. I’m talking about a city world with virtually no noise pollution. Pretty crazy eh?

Believe it or not, Toyota hybrid vehicles meet and often exceed the performance of their gasoline-only counterparts. The combination of a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and an electric motor produces an incredibly smooth ride and provides powerful and even acceleration. Idling also becomes a non-issue when you’re driving a hybrid. During startup and idling, the vehicle runs from its electric motor, greatly reducing CO2 emissions.

If anything, I’m sure you know, or have heard about its money saving aspects. Hybrid vehicles simply need less fuel to travel the same distance as non-hybrids, so it’s good for the environment AND good for your wallet. I drove down to San Francisco with a couple of friends as soon as I got mine and the round trip cost me just a little over $100 US in gas. I was floored. The mileage for this thing on a highway is phenomenal. I averaged 4.8 L per 100 km!

If none of the above seems to make any difference, maybe you have some misconceptions about hybrids that need to be cleared up. Even though they’ve been around for a long time, certain myths prevail:

Myth 1: All hybrid vehicles are the same

There are several hybrid technologies available but I’ve done my research and believe me when I say this one’s ahead of the class. Other technologies may be smart but will still take a lot of time to perfect. Are you really willing to wait?

Myth 2: Hybrid vehicles need to be plugged in

Nope. It automatically recharges the batteries through advanced technologies such as regenerative braking (this is so fascinating that your eyes will be glued to the touchscreen monitor). There is talk of an upcoming plug-in hybrid where you can charge your batteries overnight to further increase the mileage, but as of now, no such vehicle is available. Even if it was, plugging it in would be optional.

Myth 3: Hybrid batteries need to be replaced

It’s designed to maintain the battery at optimal performance levels over the life of the vehicle. In fact, the batteries in Toyota hybrids have an 8-year/160,000 km warranty.

Myth 4: Hybrids are expensive

They are competitively priced and provide excellent value through lower fuel costs and reduced maintenance. Click here to find out exactly how much it would cost you to own one.

Myth 5: Hybrids are small and underpowered

Actually, the Highlander and Camry hybrids are the same size as their gas-only counterparts. Because of the interaction between the gas engine and electric motor, Toyota hybrids have a higher net horsepower than a typical gas engine of similar size and a 0 to 100 advantage due to the electric motor torque being available from 0 rpm.

It doesn’t cost anything to test drive one of these puppies, so do what Nike says! Falling in love with a Prius is inevitable.

For more info, visit www.hybridsynergydrive.ca

In the video, Bryon Stremler talks about Fuel Efficiency Incentives or in other words, getting money back by purchasing a hybrid vehicle (or a fuel efficient car like the Yaris). With the Prius, you can get up to $4,000 from the Canadian Provincial and Federal governments (similar rebates are available in any other country). It is important to note though, that this program has yet to kick in here. They are quite late in implementing it and many customers have complained as a result. Don’t worry though. If you buy one, you’ll definitely get that money. It’s how long it’s going to take for you to get it that’s going to frustrate you. Check in on Saturday as Mad Morten addresses that very issue in this week’s installment of Parliament of One.