RUNNINGS BY HARRY KIRSBAUM PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN Compare MIL lettrothers In the FREE FUEL ECONOMY GUIDE available at the dealer. CITY MPG Fuel Economy HIGHWAY MPG Information - 4064 "PRiLle 1-CYL. 1.5 LITER DISC., VliT.I. bor ic. SFt ENGINE_ AUTOMATIC VARIABLE GEAR RATIO TRANSMISSION far 1,11,871.11 EMPP.S. r 4C,C2CS EIR ■ 11,.. MID-SIZE rA.teen-ustma mar from 10 to 59 rriGe CaT aret 14 to 51 ”`PC YQrm •Y see www.luelcconomy.goy Top: The dashboard display screen serves many functions, here showing the Energy Monitor between gasoline and electric power. Middle: Toyota's hybrid gasoline-electric engine. Bottom: Sticker shock — the city mileage of 60 mpg is better than the highway rate of 51 mpg. 'm trying my level-headed best to live in the moment, to balance my chakras, save the whales and garnish my vodka tonics with wheat grass. I'm test-driving the earth-friendly 2004 Toyota Prius, desired by sensi- tive Hollywood stars and. Birken- stock-wearing, tree-hugging techno- geeks everywhere. The Prius comes with a gas-elec- tric hybrid engine — a 1.5-liter 4- 8 • OCTOBER 2004 • PLATINUM cylinder gasoline engine combined with a 67-horsepower "permanent magnet AC synchronous motor," or two D-cell batteries to the layper- son. Whatever the engine contains, the Prius gets 50 miles per gallon in the city and 61 on the highway, which is wonderful with oil current- ly trading at $42 gazillion a barrel. The Prius base price is $20,875 with an 18-month waiting list, but the one I test-drove was about 527,000 and loaded with space-age features, including a voice naviga- tion system and Bluetooth cell phone technology, which I believe is good for periodontists. There's no real key to turn, just a micro-cassette-sized opener that automatically unlocks the door as you approach. Once inside, there's no ignition — you press a power button. When you first drive the car, you might think the engine has stalled out at a stoplight, but the energy monitor on the display screen is showing the electric motor is now running the car to save emissions, allowing the Prius to average a range of 500 miles with an 11.9-gal- lon gas tank. The car handles like any other mid-size sedan, smooth and easy, (continued on page 10)