Yountville, California It has long been fashionable in auto-enthusiast and auto-journalist circles to dismiss the Toyota Prius as a precious affectation of misguided Al Gore devotees, people who find automobiles something to endure - for the sake of pure transportation - rather than enjoy. According to this mind-set, Prius drivers clog the carpool lanes, dawdle in intersections lest they ignite the internal-combustion component of the Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain too quickly, and undeservedly bask in the glow of a conviction that they are helping the planet and their fellow human beings. That Prius owners are self-satisfied idiots, hypocrites, and anticar zealots until proven otherwise is taken as writ by Prius critics, including some members of Automobile Magazine's editorial staff. 2010 Toyota Prius - Toyota Hybrid Sedan Review - Automobile Magazine
