10/11/2026
WHY A PRIUS MAKES SENSE --
as Both a Daily Driver and a Nomadic Home
- by Suanne Carlson
(This is the first of several posts about the 2015 Prius that is the prize in HOWA's Sweepstakes fundraiser -- http://HOWA.rallyup.com/Prius.)
When people hear that I lived out of a Prius, the usual reaction is something like:
“Wait. A Prius?”
Which is fair. It is not exactly what most people picture when they hear “home on wheels.”
My Prius story started in a very ordinary way. At the end of 2003, I bought my first Prius because I needed a fuel-efficient daily driver for my 45-minute commute to work. I wanted Toyota dependability, better gas mileage, and less dependence on gasoline.
I also got a secret thrill that it was an oddity in my small town full of pickup trucks. There was something satisfying about being the weird little spaceship parked on the street in front of my house.
At that point, I was not thinking “nomadic home.” I was thinking “reliable commuter car.”
A few years later, as I was getting ready for retirement and dreaming about long camping road trips, I started thinking about building a small teardrop trailer to tow behind the Prius. Then one day it hit me: the sleeping space in a small teardrop trailer was not much different from the interior space of the Prius itself.
That sent me down an internet rabbit hole — as these things do.
I found people already living and traveling out of vans, including a woman living out of her Prius. That encouraged my thinking.
Maybe the Prius did not need to tow my camper.
Maybe the Prius could BE my camper.
At the end of 2009, I tested the idea by driving from Western Washington into Yosemite National Park. And it worked. Sleeping inside the Prius gave me the feeling of being close to nature, while still having the security of a locked vehicle.
I began thinking of it as my HARD-SIDED TENT.
For the next seven years, that first Prius was both my daily driver and my part-time travel vehicle. While at my house, I used it to commute, run errands, and visit family. While on the road, I explored National Parks, camped on public lands, spent time in nature, met other nomads, and built friendships that I cherish to this day.
In 2016, I became a full-time nomad. The next year, I gave that first Prius to family with 232,000 miles on it and bought a certified used 2015 Prius with only 19,000 miles.
That 2015 Prius is the one now being offered in HOWA’s sweepstakes fundraiser.
It became my home, my road-trip vehicle, and my office where the early work of Homes on Wheels Alliance happened.
I did eventually try a full-size van. Many people thought a Prius was too small, and I wondered if they were right.
They were not right for me.
The van had more room, but the Prius fit the way I actually like to camp and live. I sold the van and moved back into the Prius.
That is one of the reasons I believe a Prius can be such a good option for the right person. It is not trying to be an RV. It is a practical, fuel-efficient, dependable car that can also become a simple travel and camping vehicle.
And when you are not camping or traveling, it is still just a Prius: easy to drive, easy to park, fuel efficient, and practical for errands, appointments, commuting, grocery runs, and everyday life.
For someone who wants a daily driver, a road-trip car, a weekend camping setup, or a possible first step into nomadic living, a Prius can make a lot of sense.
Is it for everyone? No.
But if you value simplicity, fuel economy, easy parking, Toyota dependability, and a vehicle that can serve more than one purpose, it is worth considering.
This Prius has already carried me through many miles, many campsites, and many life changes. Now it has another task: helping to raise funds for Homes on Wheels Alliance.
To enter to win the Prius and support HOWA’s services for nomads, go to:
http://HOWA.rallyup.com/Prius
You can get 10 entries for as little as $5.
Thank you for your support of HOWA's work.
This is a sweepstakes, so no purchase or donation is necessary to enter. See “Alternate Methods of Entry” at the bottom of the linked page for details.
Suanne Carlson
Vice-President and Co-Founder
Homes On Wheels Alliance, Inc.
