The front window is more angled than any other car I've driven. This all relates back to the "monoform" design making it

For me, an average height female, visibility out of the Prius was excellent while driving. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

more aerodynamic, but for taller people like my 6'4" boyfriend, it made visibility a little less than optimal. But for me, an average height female, it was great. Visibility around its C-pillar blind spots was good but the best part was seeing out the rear. There is an extra glass panel, separate from the rear window, on the Prius' liftgate which adds a few more inches of visibility when backing up and parallel parking. What a terrific idea. It's not completely new mind you, with Honda doing something similar on the Insight hybrid, which itself is similar to that on the second-generation Honda CRX sports coupe. If the extra panel was not there it would have been very hard

With all the money saved on fuel, you can fill the Prius' ample trunk with goodies. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

to see anything behind me because of the angle of the rear window. But that extra bit of glass made all the difference. At the end of my test week I experienced for myself the amazing fuel consumption of the Prius. It's no lie when I say I only put about $23.00 (CDN) of gas in the tank for the entire week, and I drove over 600 km both in the city and the highway. Fuel consumption has decreased to a mere 4.0 L/100 km in the city and 4.2 L/100 km on the highway. The reversed figures reflect how proficient the HSD powertrain is and that the Prius is optimized for maximum efficiency in stop-and-go traffic. As odd as it sounds, I enjoyed sitting in in the Prius in traffic more than on the highway, as it meant I was saving more money and more trees.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the 2004 Toyota Prius is fantastic.