I've been car shopping, and my heart is set on the 2010 Prius (aka Gen3 Prius). Everything the Gen2 has, plus better looking, bigger interior, and most importantly better mileage (average 50mpg). The local dealers all seemed to be selling them for the same price: exactly MSRP, no negotiating.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from the Palo Alto Toyota dealer that they got 3 cars fresh off the boat that were available for test driving. So after work I dashed over there and took it out for a spin. It definitely drives better than a Gen2. Gone is the "mushy" steering, and the car now has a more responsive acceleration. It also has 3 alternate driving modes: EV (battery only for speeds under 25mph), ECO (reduced air conditioning, mushier acceleration so you don't burn gas by stomping on the peddle) and PWR (pretty much the opposite of ECO, useful when driving in the hills or if you have a guilty urge to burn gas in your hybrid). That nasty Prius blind spot is still there, but it's not as bad over the right shoulder (and is practically eliminated over the left shoulder).

Better mileage + better driving experience = time for me to commit. And since the Palo Alto dealer was more polite than the Sunnyvale guy, and he called me immediately after he got some in for test driving, I decided his dealership deserved my business. So I plunked down $500 to reserve a spot in line. I want Package #3 (cloth seats, smaller tires) with the nav system (no sunroof) in Winter Gray (squeeeeee the car comes in a color that's my favorite username!!!!).

Now I wait. All of the dealers are only getting a handful of cars every couple of weeks, and there's probably several people in line in front of me who want the same configuration. It'll probably be a couple of months before I get a car. In the meantime I guess I'll figure out how to dispose of my 14 year old Honda Civic, and keep pining away for the day I can christen it (I already have a name picked out).

But when that day finally comes, I'll be as cool as these guys: