A pod above the touch screen houses a digital speedometer, fuel gauge, turn signal indicator, and various warning lights. Placing the instrument pod in the center of dash may or may not be a good idea. It looks spacey, but it removes the gauges from the driver's immediate field of vision, to where they require a longer look from the road ahead. Saturn has copied this design for its new 2003 Ion.

The oddest interior feature is the dashboard-mounted gear selector for the automatic transmission. The shifter operates much like the lever a cabbie yanks to start the meter. You push a button at the end of the stalk and then move the lever down to engage a gear. It takes a little getting used to because it's unlike other gear selectors. And when the lever is in drive, it blocks access to the volume knob for the stereo.

The tall stance of the Prius makes getting into the cabin relatively easy, particularly in comparison with the low-slung Insight. The Prius also provides plenty of headroom both front and rear. Tasteful fabric covers the seats, and the front and rear cushions are comfortable. The rear compartment, while not overly spacious, is large enough to accommodate a child safety seat (LATCH tethers and anchors for child seats are standard). However, Toyota's claim that this is a "roomy, five-passenger family sedan" is a bit of a stretch; only two medium-sized people have adequate room in the rear.

The trunk accommodates nearly 12 cubic feet of stuff. In everyday language, that translates into a folding baby stroller with room left over.