If you buy a Toyota Prius, your wife’s name and phone number will instantly find itself on many online escort websites. This we know. But it sucks for money in ways your wife doesn’t. In fact, the car’s so confusing that Consumer Affairs couldn’t even figure out how to turn one on:

At first glance, the Toyota appears a lot like any other little car but there is one big difference: With the Prius, it helps to read the owner’s manual before attempting to start the thing.

None of the computer-savvy members of the ConsumerAffairs.Com staff were able to start the car without consulting the owner’s manual or asking for help.

And while Mark already informed us that the gas mileage certainly wasn’t the 60mpg that Toyota claimed, Consumer Affairs backs it all up, pointing out that they only got 3/4ths of the mileage claimed in the brochure.

So it might be wise to wait to drop your 30k, even if you’re not worried about a salesman writing your wife’s name on a bathroom stall.

Test Drive: 2006 Toyota Prius

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.