Who Buys A Toyota Prius New In 2003 And Only Drives It 13k Miles?

The Toyota Prius has become ubiquitous on today’s roads, so when you come across one you probably don’t think much of it.

However, while a normal Prius, even a first-gen one (technically second-gen if you include the earlier one sold in Japan only) is not really anything to write home about, what makes this 2003 example that’s been auctioned off at Cars & Bids somewhat unusual is that it has just 13,300 miles (21,404 km) on it.

That means that in the past 18 years, the owner of this car has driven an average of 739 miles (1,189 km) per year, which is only about 2 miles (3.2 km) a day even assuming they drove it every single day of the week. Keep in mind, this is a car whose entire reputation is built around it being the epitome of a fuel-efficient, daily drivable workhorse.

Both the Prius‘ interior and exterior are in mint condition, and the car looks as if it had just been driven off the showroom floor. The Brilliant Blue Pearl paint, aside from a few noted chips, is in immaculate shape, and the bright silver wheels still have a like-new sparkle to them. Similarly, the inside looks as if no one had ever sat in it, and all the plastic trim has managed to stand the test of time.

Something else interesting about this and other first-gen models that becomes evident by looking at one is the relatively traditional design. Today, we’ve only ever come to think of the the Prius with its signature single-curvature side profile ending in a “cut” rear end, so not many people know (or remember) that the original was shaped like a fairly ~~boring~~ conventional three-box sedan. Nevertheless, we hope whoever ends up buying this Prius gets to enjoy using it for its intended purpose for a long time.