The life of an Octane staffer has taken me to some exotic locations over the years, driving some truly epic machinery. Yet as a die-hard car and driving enthusiast, I genuinely enjoy experiencing all aspects of our wide-reaching automotive world. On this occasion, that meant spending a day driving a Toyota Prius on the outskirts of Bedford…
No, I haven’t given up my day job and taken up Uber driving to pay the bills. Instead, I was behind the wheel of a 2014 Prius bought by eBay as part of its High Mileage Hero project. A slightly unusual choice, perhaps, but actually a rather inspired one. The Prius has long been the default choice for taxi drivers and private-hire operators because it has earned a reputation for surviving almost indefinitely if looked after properly.
That reputation is central to the point eBay is trying to make. According to its research, 72 per cent of motorists would not consider buying a car with more than 100,000 miles on the clock, while 81 per cent admit they are wary of high-mileage vehicles in general.
Personally, I have never subscribed to that way of thinking. Most of my own fleet has comfortably surpassed six figures, while my daily-driven Audi A2 still feels remarkably fresh as it approaches 180,000 miles. I think a there’s a certain amount of fun (and challenge) in keeping a car running well beyond it’s expected lifespan. Modern cars are capable of astonishing longevity if properly maintained, and the DVSA’s own figures support that. More than six million vehicles tested in the UK last year had already exceeded 100,000 miles, while over 400,000 had travelled beyond 200,000. Nearly 43,000 had hit the big 300k mark.
The idea behind eBay’s project was simple: buy a high-mileage Prius, refresh it using parts sourced through eBay and demonstrate that there is plenty of life left in older cars. Choosing the right starting point was important. This particular Prius has covered 293,000 miles but had been properly maintained throughout its life and avoided any major accident damage. It was a little rough around the edges, but fundamentally sound.
A fresh set of Michelin CrossClimate 2 tyres (£493) and new discs and pads (£149) dealt with the essentials, while genuine Toyota wheel trims (£291) instantly took years off the car’s appearance. New headlights (£164), replacement rear lights (£130 combined), a bonnet seal (£78) and a host of smaller exterior details completed the makeover.
Inside, the improvements are even more striking, with a set of new leather seat covers (£160), replacement steering wheel (£60), fresh Toyota floor mats (£49), fitted boot liner (£43) and various replacement trim pieces transforming what had become a tired working environment back into a surprisingly pleasant place to spend time.
As someone who runs older cars, eBay has become an invaluable source of parts over the years, often supplying components that traditional motor factors are either unable or unwilling to source. Features such as My Garage and Assured Fit make finding the right parts refreshingly straightforward, while the Certified Recycled scheme offers quality-checked used parts from end-of-life vehicles.
So how does it drive? I actually had the opportunity to drive this generation of Prius when it was new and distinctly remember being impressed by its build quality and how polished it felt. No, it wasn’t the most dynamic experience, but it was exceptionally refined and the hybrid technology was considerably better than pretty much anything else available at the time.
Starting out at Caffeine & Machine, the route took in a number of fast-flowing A-roads and dual carriageways around Bedford, including some excellent roads near Woburn Safari Park. What I remembered from that original drive remains true today. This is a car that actually loves to flow down a UK A-road. The trick is maintaining momentum and driving smoothly, extracting the best from the hybrid drivetraint. What is genuinely remarkable is how little the mileage reveals itself. The steering remains tight, the engine still runs like a Swiss watch and the interior feels incredibly well screwed together. In fact, I was told that one minor squeak from the rear of the car turned out simply to be a piece of trim that hadn’t been fully clipped home, and has since been sorted.
There are, of course, reminders that this is not a modern hybrid. The regenerative braking lacks the natural pedal feel of more recent cars, while the infotainment system feels firmly rooted in the early 2010s. Then there is the ‘optimistic’ Sport mode, which seems largely to encourage the uninspiring four-cylinder engine to rev considerably harder without delivering much in the way of additional speed.
As much respect and admiration as I have for the Prius, especially after spending time with this high-mileage hero, I still can’t quite see one occupying a space on my driveway… What I would do, however, is wholeheartedly recommend one to anyone looking for dependable, economical transport. eBay’s total spend, including the purchase price and refurbishment, came to £5655.
That seems remarkable value for a car that could quite conceivably cover another 100,000 miles with little more than routine maintenance. It may not convert the mileage sceptics, or those that like a new car on to impress the neighbours every year, but for those of us who enjoy getting every last mile from a good car, it is certainly food for thought.
