u/No-Neck-568

Hi everyone,
My wife and I are in Southern California and my father-in-law is currently homeless and living in his old Jeep. Unfortunately, it’s on its last legs, so we’re starting to think about replacing it. We can’t afford to house him, but we may be able to help him buy a more reliable vehicle.

We’re considering a gen2 because it seems like one of the best cars for someone living in their vehicle—good fuel economy, the ability to run the A/C overnight, and generally good reliability. We don’t think we can afford much more.

He probably will not drive it for long distances seeing that he stays within a 15 mile radius most of the time.

I had a few questions for those of you with experience:

Is a Gen 2 Prius still a good choice in 2026 for someone living in it full-time?

What mileage would you consider acceptable? Is 150k okay? 200k? 250k+?

What are the biggest things we should inspect before buying one?

Our biggest priorities are reliability, low operating costs, and keeping him safe and comfortable. Any buying advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!