New Addition to the Family: Going Green

Well, the '99 Saturns ain't like they used to be, and Mom wanted a new car. So she got what she wanted.

We are now the proud owners of a 2008 Toyota Prius - a hybrid.

I've been skeptical of the hybrids, but after checking out the Prius and Toyota's track record on what is now their third-generation hybrid, I was impressed.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive System is simply amazing. Our new car switches from gasoline to electric and back without us having to do anything. The traction battery is charged by the kinetic energy from the brakes that would otherwise be wasted. In fact, the Prius gets better mileage in city driving than it does on the highway (it's the perfect vehicle for urban driving). We never have to plug the car in. We just have to go to the gas station as usual - just longer between fill-ups. So far we're averaging about 45 miles per gallon. Cool.

The interior is amazing. It kind of reminds me of the interior of the starship Enterprise from the Star Trek: The Next Generation series.

The extended service plan we purchased will pay for itself just by the free oil changes and tire rotations over the next seven years.

And we're a bit greener now!