First off.... I'm pretty sure you weren't behind us in the fast lane, not a fair label. The hubby likes to be able to go and getting a consistant 45mpg for interstate driving with his heavy foot is ALWAYS going to be a plus. Yes, we bought it for commuting purposes. Our 2005 Prius that we bought with 84 miles on the odometer is now reading at 85,000+ miles and still running great. I know that we didn't buy it for a family car, that's why we have our Audi wagon. But if it came down to having to travel a longer distance I would feel okay driving our Prius. It handles well for what it is and it's fairly roomy inside. (It's not the Audi but it'll do.) BTW I've been run off the road by a retarded SUV driver while I was driving our old SUV!! So even when you're driving something bigger they still don't see you.