I don't care who makes fun of my Prius. I bought it used 2 months ago for $3,000 less than any other model was selling and it has under 10,000 miles. I actuially like the way it looks....I think it drives awesome, has plenty of pick up & it getting amazing gas mileage plus is a 4 door hatchback that carries much more than my Landrover Freelander & Exploere sport used to....those cars were crap. My Prius handles great & I love to drive it. I did not buy it for any green reasons, but it nice to only fill my tank once or twice a month instead of twice a week. I am getting about 48 miles per gallon....sometimes more....of course I would LOVE to have my old Ford F-150 back, but I sold it a few years ago....I miss that truck.
I am a gadget guy. I bought a Prius a year ago (now have 35) on it, despite its enviro whacko association. It is a cool car. I am averaging around 49-50 mpg over the life of the car so far, and I enjoy driving it. My last car was a VW Passat, and the Prius is every bit as roomy inside. It is a 4 door hatchback, the back seats fold down (unlike the Civic Hybrid), and it has been very dependable. But I like the car because of some of its other features: keyless entry and start-- the car knows when the key is near, and lets you unlock the doors when you touch the handle. To start the car, you don't have to take the key out of your pocket, just push the start button. Climate control and stereo can be operated from the steering wheel or by a touch screen system.
The car uses regular oil, but a lower viscosity. Maintenance is almost non-existent. Brake wear is minimal. The brakes are regenerative, and the friction braking doesn' occur until you are down to about 7 mph. The rest of the braking force is used to charge the battery. You don't plug it in, and the switch off/on of the gas engine is barely noticeable.
My only complaint is that people think I am liberal because I drive one, but I am happy to disavow them of that. Everyone who has ridden in my car has been impressed. That said, this is not a car that you buy to save money overall. It does get good gas mileage, but I paid around $25K for it, and could have bought cheaper transportation.
Bottom line... for me at least... buy what you want.