I finally had to scrap my '83 Tercel. And I didn't mean to be ironic. That car was "made in Japan" which means the specs wasn't lost in translation when they assembled it, and the same goes for the Prius. The five stars speak for themselves (did I mention I love hatchbacks?) and while I had no qualms about the on-road performance and handling (the brakes are divine, and the cornering is as on rails), the economy figures are probably a little hyped, like most EPA stats. I typically get about 40 around town, with gusts up to 42, but, as mentioned elsewhere, that is probably due to AC use in summer and headlight use in winter.
The interior layout is terrific, but the driver legroom could be a little better; I am only 5'11", and I swear I had more legroom in my Camry, or even my Corolla. Not really all that punishing, but maybe a lost star might get their designer's attention. ;-)
Definitely would recommend to anyone.