I own a Prius with the new Touring Package with 7658 miles on it. The touring package includes electonic stabiling control, shocks at the back, better acceleration and braking. Oh, I forgot that the tail fin stabilizer at the back is larger also. Included are bigger tires and wheels and a back up camera. I drove several Priuses and chose this one because it accellerated noticedably faster. How fast ? It keeps up with Atlanta traffic, one of the worlds fastest driving environments. The mileage has been 47-52 mpg. Out of town freeway driving gives less mpg than intown. The ride is very good, braking excellent and the handling stabilizer works very well when exiting and entering the freeway at speed. My mileage went down recently when my service light came on while I was on the road Before servicing I was getting 50-55mpg average and after service I get a consistent 45 mpg. Ask Toyota of Charleston what they did ! The a/c works well in the torrid south, it does not affect mileage because it works independently of the engine, it's battery powered. Starting merely requires the Key box be on your person, then a comination of buttons pushed gets it going. You can operate the a/c independently of the engines running. Say when wifey is at the beauty parlor and you don't care to shop. Reverse camera is a fish-eye and is one of the two negatives I've found. It beeps. Inside, to let you know you are backing up. Closely related to this is a whomping blind spot on both sides. That's what all the glass is in the cabin for, you absolutely have to look before changing lanes. Rely on outside mirrors and I guarantee an accident. As for keeping the car and battery replacement, that'll be down the road. Oh yes, Insurance. It's higher duew to complicated car and fixing it in case of an accident.