handling...
I'd have to say WAY better in stop and go traffic. You're not idling away, wasting fuel. Stealth mode runs at the lower speeds, if u learn how to invoke it. The accelerator pedal is no longer just a "gas" pedal, it truly dictates what will propel the car, by how u depress it, stomp it, feather it, and such. Plus, your AC stays on, even when the gas engine shuts off! Win, win, win. Truly an amzing piece of car technology. Just the other day a Saturn Ion driver tried to tell me what a better 'value' their car was. They were under the impression I wasn't getting EPA numbers. I asked if they were, they said they were. I asked how they knew. They said they calculate mileage after every long trip. I said the Prius does this EVERYDAY, ALL DAY to maximize efficiency. And I can carry a full-sized wheelbarrow inside. (recently bought one and it fit no problem!). Try that in an Ion as well as stealth mode, smart entry/start, etc. The list far outweighs ANY and ALL perceived negatives. There just are't any substantiated reasons that this isn't the best car out there, bar none. I'm just a little satisfied... Drive fun, drive clean, drive Prius!