This is a comment on a performance/driveability issue that hasn't been discussed much. It finally occurred to me that the zzzoom of the engine upon hard acceleration in the Prius is a lot like driving a manual transmission with a slipping clutch. It brings back bad memories of my student days when whatever car I was driving was constantly in need of repair. When the Prius engine zzzooms, I back off because it just doesn't feel right. I know the car is designed to do it, I just haven't gotten used to it yet. (I also know that it doesn't have a clutch.)<br> There was a posting some time back where the wife complained that the Prius doesn't have enough power to accelerate safely onto a freeway, whereas the husband thought it had plenty. They eventually discovered that the wife would avoid the zzzzoom (the slipping clutch syndrome), whereas the husband just floored it, ignored the zzzoom, and enjoyed the full acceleration of the car.<br><br>I may never get used to it, but I'm glad the power is there if I need it.<br><br>I used to baby my car so it wouldn't break, now I baby my car to maximize mileage. (I wouldn't trade these days for those, even if I could get all my hair back.)<br><br>Sam Williams

&gt;There was a posting some time back where the wife complained that the Prius doesn't have enough power to accelerate safely onto a freeway, whereas the husband thought it had plenty. They eventually discovered that the wife would avoid the zzzzoom (the slipping clutch syndrome), whereas the husband just floored it, ignored the zzzoom, and enjoyed the full acceleration of the car.<br>&lt;<br><br>I was with a friend who wanted to test drive the Prius.<br>I wanted to test the acceleration of the car around a 270 degree turn that is marked 25mph to accelerate up to 65mph in about 300 feet, where the on ramp, must merge with the highway.<br>I floored it after the turn and found that it got up to 55-60mph range before entering the highway.<br>I suspected that this would be the problem with the Prius. In San Diego, I believe that you have to be able to do the speed limit entering the hightway, otherwise, it can be hazardous to your well being.<br><br>Disclaimers: I wanted a Prius, but could not wait for one. I ended up buying an Acura. I love the hybrid techology and I am waiting to see in which cars Toyota places the technology. Because of the technology, I lurk in this group.<br><br>Robert

It's pretty easy to ignore the zzzoom of the engine, you've just got to think of your Prius like a refrigerator. When you want something cold, you open the door. You don't worry about when to run the motor, and you don't worry about the sound the motor makes at random times. Same with the Prius. When you want to move faster, you push on the accelerator. You don't worry about when to run the engine, the Prius will handle that in the optimum way without you needing to deal with the details. Don't worry about the sound the engine makes at random times. This transmission cannot slip. Period. So the sound you hear is not bad like it might be in an inferior car.<br><br>Driving the Prius is very relaxing since there are so few details you need to worry about. The computers are in there to do all the tedious work for you, so sit back, relax and point it where you want to go. (Of course this would be even more perfect if it had one of those new cruise controls with radar to prevent following too closely.)<br><br>Robert Snyder

That was my wife. Now she 'zzzooms' too. :)

My wife also complained about the engine "racing" at times--and the sales guy used the same "refrigerator motor" analogy that someone else mentioned. We'll know more if she can get used to it, in 3 weeks after she gets the car for an overnight trip. E in Enfield, ME, P - 14 d