2004 Toyota Prius Reviews, Pricing & Specs
Overview
2004 was an impressive year for the Toyota Prius. It won Motor Trend's Car of the Year, was one of "Car and Driver's" Ten Best, was the...
2004 was an impressive year for the Toyota Prius. It won Motor Trend's Car of the Year, was one of "Car and Driver's" Ten Best, was the North American Car of the Year, and International Car of the Year. Luckily, Toyota was more than ready for any increased demand, as they switched to a faster production model, outputting a Prius every minute instead every 8-10 minutes.
The battery pack for the 2004 Prius is guaranteed to last 8 years, although Toyota has said they expect it to last at least 15. Available as a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatchback, the battery has a range of 201-288 volts, and capacity watt hours ranging from 1310-1728. The gas engine maxes out at 4000-5000 rpm.
And the best part? Gas mileage is 60 city/51 highway.
What owners say
"Overall, owners of the 2004 Toyota Prius are extremely satisfied with their car, praising its impressive reliability, fuel economy, and spacious interior. Many noted it feels comfortable, almost luxury-like, and is fun to drive, especially considering its low running costs. However, some owners mentioned minor flaws such as seat comfort and the lack of modern amenities like an MP3 player."
Best. Car. Ever. We bought our first 2004 model in October 2003 (yes, probably the first people in Idaho to buy a Prius). We still have it (252K)--its been amazing (including in gnarly winter conditions as we ski a lot in Idaho and Utah). Never a problem, plus low-cost to drive. In 2009, we bought a second 04 used. It was great too. Someone t-boned us, and totaled it, so we bought a 2006. Weve driven that several times across the country twice in really bad winter weather conditions and drove by all the SUVs and semis that had been blown off the road . 2004 and 2006 Prius have been amazing cars for us.
June 3, 2023I liked everything about this car from the cost to maintain it to the ease of getting my two children in and out of the car without hitting their heads on the too low roof, problem we have with my husbands car. We took it on several longer trips to see family and it was comfortable the whole way, even 7months pregnant. With the back seats able to fold down we've impressed quite a few people with just how much we can haul in our trunk. I wish they had a van like this but haven't found anything similar and with a growing family it's time to move on to something bigger.
May 23, 2012Test drive one and you'll know! But I speak from experience, mine has 117,000 miles on it and I've NEVER had to put in in the shop and I can't say the same thing about ANY other car I've ever owned!
July 11, 2011What owners say
Best. Car. Ever. We bought our first 2004 model in October 2003 (yes, probably the first people in Idaho to buy a Prius). We still have it (252K)--its been amazing (including in gnarly winter conditions as we ski a lot in Idaho and Utah). Never a problem, plus low-cost to drive. In 2009, we bought a second 04 used. It was great too. Someone t-boned us, and totaled it, so we bought a 2006. Weve driven that several times across the country twice in really bad winter weather conditions and drove by all the SUVs and semis that had been blown off the road . 2004 and 2006 Prius have been amazing cars for us.
June 3, 2023I liked everything about this car from the cost to maintain it to the ease of getting my two children in and out of the car without hitting their heads on the too low roof, problem we have with my husbands car. We took it on several longer trips to see family and it was comfortable the whole way, even 7months pregnant. With the back seats able to fold down we've impressed quite a few people with just how much we can haul in our trunk. I wish they had a van like this but haven't found anything similar and with a growing family it's time to move on to something bigger.
May 23, 2012Test drive one and you'll know! But I speak from experience, mine has 117,000 miles on it and I've NEVER had to put in in the shop and I can't say the same thing about ANY other car I've ever owned!
July 11, 2011This is an amazing car. It is surprisingly comfortable to ride in, almost like a luxury car. The boot holds more than you think. The car never needs repairs and runs like a clock.
February 23, 2008While there are flaws on this car such as seat comfort, lack of standard Ipod hook up and a few other minor nit-picks that arise from time to time, overall this is a fantastic car. My lifetime mpg is 53.7 over 57,500 miles and it drives like a charm, never a serious problem.
April 19, 2007I owned this car for 13 years. Best car I ever had. Cheap to run, fun to drive, super crazy reliable, practical, and great space inside for stuff. I should not have sold it.
July 8, 2021I LOVE MY PRIUS! I will be getting another one in 2010 for a weekend car. Performance: Handles great. I drive it like a sports car. Build Quality: Great! I have 135,000 miles on the odometer! Appearance: Would love a sunroof. Cost of Ownership: Gets awesome gas mileage (avg. 48 mpg), routine maintenance (oil changes) Fun Factor: FUN! FAST!
November 19, 2008Gets 40-50 mpg, plenty of space in back for storage. Took quite awhile to break in totally to get closer to 50mpg. GPS is a bit quirky, 2004 model didn't have MP3 player as part of CD.
April 27, 2008This is a decent car and a great commuter car. If gas mileage is what you are looking for this is the place to be, I get about 50 MPG on average. Performance wise this car leaves something to be desired and appearance wise it is not a very attractive car but that being said it is very reliable and a great gas saver
October 20, 2010Trims & specs
Base MSRP $20,810 | Seating 5 |
Engine 1.5L 110 hp I4 Hybrid | Cargo Capacity 16.1 cu ft |
Combined MPG 47 | Drivetrain FWD |
