I've driven one a little- I've two friends who own Priuses (Priui?). Little odd, I hate that all the data is on the center screen rather than on a proper dashboard (left eye dominant, have to actually think when I look down there). But nimble, great handling.

As for how they go in winter... It is front wheel drive and nose heavy. With good snow tires, so long as they don't hang up, they can muscle through snow if you are a decent driver. And if you find black ice, they will eat up guard rails like a pothead with a pack Oreos. The worst injury was a bloody nose from being popped by the air bag.

In mud, however, they can bog down a little if you aren't careful. But again, if you really know how to drive, it won't be much more of a problem than any other car.

Search the archives, we've talked about them from a safety perspective. But I might hold off a year or two- there are some new models that are supposed to go to market next summer with powerpacks that are being touted as better than the Toyota system. And honestly, if you are mostly doing highway driving rather than city driving, something like a conventionally powered Civic will still do you just as well on milage for a less money.