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3 Oddly Satisfying Things I Like About My Toyota Prius

Call me strange, but there are some things on my Prius that when they happen are very satisfying.

Have you ever felt that sensation when filling up your gas tank and having the numbers line up perfectly? Or maybe you have pulled up to your house, and the odometer rolls over to a fresh set of numbers?

Look, we all have those weird things that "just do it" for us. I found a few that I would like to share with all my readers, and maybe even see who feels the same.

Boot Up Your Prius
Call me nuts, but this strange thing about my Prius makes me happy on the inside. I love it when I power it up, and it goes into "Ready." Crazy right? But there is something so satisfying about that whirring of electronics, the click of the contactors in the traction battery, and the final quick "beep, beep" that fills my soul with joy.

2008 Toyota Prius Ready Dash Light

I think I enjoy it so much because it is the Prius way of telling me everything is fine, drive on and love your life. Maybe it is because I see no warning lights, and I know that I am about to embark on a fuel-saving adventure. Whatever it is, I know that my Prius has my back, because it already told me that it is "ready" to go.

Charge That Battery
If you own a Prius and have for quite some time, I think this will resonate with you a lot. The second thing that makes me love my Prius is watching the consumption hit 99.9 miles per gallon. Having this happen makes me consider getting a Prius Prime.

2008 Toyota Prius 99.9 mile per gallon

I think this one feels so good because I know that I am not using gasoline when I am driving on electric power. Or it could be when I am coasting, and the gas engine is shut off. However, it happens I simply cannot get enough of the Prius driving on electric power and seeing those MPG's hit the highs.

How Do You Turn It On And Drive?
There are a couple of interwoven things here that give me ultimate satisfaction when getting into my Prius. The first is the Smart Key. I have owned loads of cars over the years (mainly Toyota and Honda), and my favorite has been the Prius for a vehicle. The reason for that is Smart Key.

2008 Toyota Prius Smart Key

The Smart Key feature is the best option, hands down about Prius. I love that feeling of never having to take the Key out of my pocket, or even having to press the unlock button when I open the door. Smart Key takes my Prius experience to a whole new level of happiness, and one that I never anticipated.

Conclusion
All this talk of my Prius has made me want to head out for a drive. I will catch you all later, stay safe out there. Thank you for reading. I look forward to seeing you in the next story, Why Your Toyota Prius May Sound Louder Than Normal.

Do you have something that is oddly satisfying about your Toyota Prius? Drop me a line or message me on Twitter @the_hybrid_guy. I would love to hear from you and see what makes you like you, Prius, as much as I like mine.

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Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting. Read more of Peter's stories at Toyota news coverage on Torque News. Search Toyota Prius Torque News for more in depth Prius coverage from our reporters.

Comments

John Goreham    March 27, 2020 - 11:45AM

More automotive writers need to talk about "satisfaction" and forget specs. I loved this story. When I test vehicles I try hard to focus on how satisfying the vehicle is (or is not).