Handing the 2005 Toyota Prius an award for its powertrain is sure to make many a gearhead grimace, but here’s the thing: this car does exactly what it is supposed to do, and does it better than anything else on the road. Its Hybrid Synergy Drive delivers enough front-drive power –- 143 combined horsepower and 377 lb.-ft. of torque -- for what this vehicle needs. The hybrid powertrain is comprised of a 76-horsepower, 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine and a 67-horsepower, 50-kw, 500-volt permanent magnet electric motor. It returned an acceptable 42 mpg during hard testing –- your results will probably rise closer to the 48-mpg average we achieved over a week of driving the Prius.

That’s exactly why you buy a hybrid.
Seriously: if you are racing a stock Prius on the streets, consider acquiring a life. Mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Prius is a smooth cruising vessel that has passing power when needed but specializes in saving gas and lowering pollutants. It does its job with admirable efficiency. Now, if the White Jacket Brain Power at Toyota could only add a pinch more fun…