2005 Toyota Prius Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Overview
The popularity of the 2004 model led to few changes for the...
The popularity of the 2004 model led to few changes for the 2005 Toyota Prius. Toyota furthered the success of this new engine type by repurposing the engine for a hybrid Lexus, the RX400h.
The Prius ran into a minor setback in 2005 when its cars started stalling at speeds upwards of 45 miles per hour. The cars would still run on battery power, but lost speed rapidly, making for a potentially deadly situation for the car and its passengers. 33 cases were reported, and a programming error that had been fixed in a prior recall was cited as the root cause of the problem.
107,897 Priuses were sold in the US in 2005.
What owners say
"Overall, Prius owners are very happy with their car, particularly praising its exceptional fuel economy, comfort, and spacious interior. Many drivers mention how reliable and low-maintenance the Prius is, making it a great value for the long term. On the downside, some find its acceleration underwhelming and note issues like blind spots and limited Bluetooth functionality."
I drove a Toyota Prius a few months ago as a Zipcar member, and I was impressed. It was my first experience driving a hybrid, and I was amazed at how quiet the car is. It drives comparatively well to any other non-hybrid car I have driven, and I enjoyed seeing how the inside of the car was being utizilized as I drove (you can watch it on a screen on the dashboard). I would certainly drive it again.
October 2, 2006I owned a 2005 Prius for 15 years, and found it to be very reliable, comfortable to drive, and I liked the convenient hatchback. And of course, no other car this vintage can touch its legendary fuel economy. My only complaint was that it does have a bit of a blind spot. But overall a great value!
March 12, 2022I commute 75 miles each way to work. The Prius has given me fuel economy (mine is 40-45 mpg, but I drive mostly highway, which is NOT the Prius's best environment), comfort, well-thought-out design, gadgets that make my life easier. If I win the lottery I will buy Prii for all my friends.
December 15, 2006What owners say
I drove a Toyota Prius a few months ago as a Zipcar member, and I was impressed. It was my first experience driving a hybrid, and I was amazed at how quiet the car is. It drives comparatively well to any other non-hybrid car I have driven, and I enjoyed seeing how the inside of the car was being utizilized as I drove (you can watch it on a screen on the dashboard). I would certainly drive it again.
October 2, 2006I owned a 2005 Prius for 15 years, and found it to be very reliable, comfortable to drive, and I liked the convenient hatchback. And of course, no other car this vintage can touch its legendary fuel economy. My only complaint was that it does have a bit of a blind spot. But overall a great value!
March 12, 2022I commute 75 miles each way to work. The Prius has given me fuel economy (mine is 40-45 mpg, but I drive mostly highway, which is NOT the Prius's best environment), comfort, well-thought-out design, gadgets that make my life easier. If I win the lottery I will buy Prii for all my friends.
December 15, 2006Pros: 48 mpg so far, very smooth and quiet drive. Comfy seats, has a lot of room for a smaller car. Body is good condition, air works great, Keyless entry works great so far. There’s a spare tire that’s easy to find and remove. All the fluids are full. The screen where MPR is in the perfect spot, and I don’t have to move my head around to find them. Cons: Bluetooth is super slow. It takes so long to make a call with voice command. You have to reconnect the audio every single time you turn the car off. It takes 40-60 seconds only in Park, but that seems forever when you’re going to work. I can’t use it when I’m in a hurry. The radio antenna onlypicks up near by stations. It’s speeds up pretty slow. A key replacement cost $450! There’s no interior button for the trunk and there’s not trunk button on the key. The wipers seem pretty old. There is a fog/cloudiness on the glass there the time and mileage are. It’s hard to see them both. It was over priced due to inflation but I had to buy a car soon because I wrecked mine. It was twice what I paid 3 years ago.
August 12, 2022I wish I had another one. I have over 300k miles on my 2005 prius. It's been a great car. I drive well over 1500 miles a week and still get in the mid 40s mpg. The gas tank can be a little goovy in the winter, but I can live with it.
May 14, 2014Incredible reliability, fantastic mileage, great room even in the back seat for such a small car. My husband can put his bike (standard commuter bike) in the back without removing the wheels; he couldn't fit it in the Camry without taking both wheels off.
February 27, 2013We love this car. It takes some time to get used to when it stops at traffic lights - quiet and no engine running movement. People often can't hear you driving behind them or backing up in the parking lot because it's so quiet when the gas engine is off. Among all the hybrid cars in its class, I think Prius has the best performance in terms of handling, power, reliability, fuel efficiency, and cargo space. On highway, it's a little noisy compared to Honda Accord. Great gas mileage for local commute especially if you have to go through a lot of traffic lights. The smart brake system works really well if you allows it to work by not pumping the brakes. Because the gas engine is not on all the time fir hybrid cars so the recommended oil change is every 5000 miles instead of 3000 miles. Less wear and tear on the engine parts. Smart key is very convenient, so I never need to look for car key in my purse to open the door or start the car. The built-in navigation system just makes every trip we took more fun and less stressful. It's comfortable for road trips, and we defintely enjoyed the gas savings. The cargo space is large and usable with the back seated folded down. Loading and unloading are also easy because of its flat bed design. It's a great car!
February 6, 2012Overall great vehicle. Well kept, reliable, lots of room, economical with great gas mileage. Would highly recommend a Prius to anyone looking to purchase a front wheel drive vehicle. It handles well in traffic with decent acceleration and is easy to maneuver.
January 16, 2015Runs and drives great, very reliable and convenient, gas saver, 45-50 mpg, fun to drive and specious, nice options like navigation, cd player, push button start , keyless entry, looks stylish, its worth the money and i recomend to others!
September 27, 2013Surprisingly large on the inside. Build quality is typical Toyota, meaning very good. Performance is uninspiring, but adequate for commuting in Chicago. Not the car you take out for a fun Sunday drive on a twisty road, but nothing beats it for a 32 mile commute in Chicago. Averaged 45 MPG in winter (I think temperature affects battery performance) and 52 MPG in summer. Only one dislike is that the cream interior shows dirt easily and the design of the arm rests on the drivers side led to visible wear. Liked it enough that I gave it to my daughter and bought a second one.
June 26, 2010Trims & specs
Base MSRP $21,815 | Seating 5 |
Engine 1.5L 110 hp I4 Hybrid | Cargo Capacity 16.1 cu ft |
Combined MPG 47 | Drivetrain FWD |
