Does the automatic air conditioning also heat the car in cold weather, or do I have to use the manual controls on the climate MFD? I've only had my '05 since April and have not had to use the heat yet. I read somewhere that the G2 Prius has an electric heatpump instead of the traditional air conditioning compressor / hot engine water heat coil.
Just set the temp at whatever is comfortable and you will get either heat or cooling as needed. I find that at this time of the year I do have to change the setting in the morning or else I get a lot more heat than I want but otherwise I love not thinking about it.
No heat pump, it uses a conventional heater core and pulls heat from the engine. BUT it also has an electric heater, so on a frosty morning the ICE can warm to operating temperature for lower emissions without keeping the passengers freezing. When the engine gets hot, the conventional heater starts working.
