[RedDevil]

Priuses are generally good cars, there are a couple of years with typical problems but nothing earth shattering. You'd need a Prius expert for the details.

A 5 speed manual is an easy way to hand the user the tools to kill the hybrid battery. It may be one reason why so many Gen 1 Insights and early Civics had battery problems - owners milking out the hybrid battery way beyond its preferred range of operation, aggravating battery wear.

In a hybrid, you really don't need a stick shift.
I never had an auto, always had manuals except for the odd rental. And when a rental had an auto gearbox I hated them. Especially the CVTs. Couldn't live with them, minimized driving until I could return them.

So I test drove a Fit Hybrid (they did sell those over here) expecting to loathe it for its CVT. But the hybrid assist perfectly compensated for all the CVT's vices. It was an absolute gem in start-stop traffic and suburbia with its maze of speed bumps and T junctions... Completely switched me around.

So I went out to buy a Fit Hybrid and ended up owning an Insight, which shares the same platform. A bit heavier and less versatile but a lot cheaper in my case.