Go-Go-Gadget-Prius

I really like the Prius. It's a decent around-town second car. The mileage is excellent, the interior is roomy for everyone but the driver (where it's not bad, it's just not as good as the rest), and it can hold a goodly amount of cargo. It's got flaws, certainly - what car doesn't - but overall, we're pleased we got it.

If there was one thing, though, that would make us look elsewhere when it's time to replace it, that thing would be how it handles snow and ice. Which is to say: abominably. There are few pleasures as intense as pulling out for a left turn, noting a school bus bombing down at you from the right, and having the Prius suddenly hit a patch of ice in the middle of the road. The wheels start to spin, and the Prius throws up its skirts, jumps up onto a chair, and shrieks Ice! Eek! Make it go away! Immediately, the Prius kills all of your go-power. Dead. The engine's still running, but it's not connected to squat - it's just humming to itself. The only motive power you have at that point is: momentum. Once it hits dry ground again, you're good, but for those couple of seconds: hey, blind skydiving has nothing on it.

Will Toyota fix that? My guess is, they consider it a feature. No, really. Their manual says that this is intentional, to prevent you from skidding because you applied power while the wheels are spinning. That only one side might be spinning, and that you really need to get the hell out of there, doesn't appear to be a consideration. It's a nice, neat answer that also happens to be terribly wrong.

I suppose we could move to Arizona.