For a few months, I had been trying to decide between a Chevy Volt and a Prius C--two very different cars, mind you, but we were going to get a good deal on the Volt (sub $30k) because they're last model year and just aren't selling in our area. I saw the Persona series online and decided to give it a try just on a whim. We have a 2006 Prius in the family, so I'm used to the Prius style and handling. But in the Persona, everything just felt so much more refined--the seats are of better quality and are more comfortable, the dash makes sense, and it just drives better (no more shuddering when the engine kicks on/off!) When I saw the black Persona with the black interior, I fell in love. And I immediately realized the flaws with the two cars I had been considering: I'm not sure what my living situations are going to be in the future, so a Volt plug-in may not work for me. And I decided the C was just a little too small (and slightly underpowered) for my needs. The Persona is replacing a 1999 ML320 that has over 163k. I've been without air conditioning for about two years with it. It has simply gotten too expensive to maintain--we've had no major mechanical issues, but having to put synthetic oil in it rather frequently and using required premium fuel with only 20mpg made the decision to go more efficient easy. I'll definitely miss the ML with all of its quirks (including its extensive hail damage!), but it's nice to return to a fully functioning, wonderfully efficient car. From the old... To the new! The wonderful Persona interior A more artsy shot?
Congrats! I found the Persona to be the best overall value on the HB model. Aside from the Softex though, the interiors are identical to standard prius. What I think it is that makes it seem higher quality is the color, black. The gray or beige just makes it look and feel cheap!
Thanks everyone! I'm very happy with it so far and love the technology built in. I have decided to use an aux cable rather than use Bluetooth for music as I prefer the greater quality on the aux input, though I'm probably going to make a specific usb drive for the car so I can have the better quality along with the steering wheel controls.
