OT: Prius Shopping

[campy man]

Looking to lease or purchase a Toyota Prius in the near future for city driving/commuting. Hoping some Paceliners can share their experiences with the Prius ... the good, bad n ugly is appreciated.

If used ... are there certain model years to consider or avoid?

[joosttx]

Looking to lease or purchase a Toyota Prius in the near future for city driving/commuting. Hoping some Paceliners can share their experiences with the Prius ... the good, bad n ugly is appreciated.

If used ... are there certain model years to consider or avoid?

We lease a Prius for my wife to drive to work. So far we are on our 3rd Prius and have never have had a problem or issue.

[scoobydrew]

I have a 2013 Prius (3rd generation) that was purchased new. Currently have about 78k miles on it with no issues at all. With periodic oil changes and other maintenance related stuff there have been no issues at all. The original tires (Bridgestone EP20) lasted about 65k miles which was beyond my expectation.

Mileage wise, I'm averaging 50mpg (calculated) with a mix of 65/35% highway/city. If you live in a flatter area you can probably achieve a bit more.

[thwart]

2012 Prius V. Owned since new.

Reliable, yes.

Fun to drive, no.

Average mpg during our ownership, mostly city driving... about 41 mpg.

it's the wife's car primarily... I don't really mind driving it, but definitely an 'appliance' sort of vehicle.

[buddybikes]

We have had 2 prius (since 2004), the 2007 is being driven by our daughter - nothing but normal maintenance. 2 years ago we got a certified Lexus 200H (same thing with fancier skin) wife loves it. It is a perfect car for the smaller person.

Boring yes, but sometimes boring is ok (this week my wife took my Saab 95 5 speed std, and if it had bluetooth, I wouldn't see it again

[NHAero]

I'm curious if the Prius has improved in its driving experience since the 2005 I owned for a few months. It was an eminently practical car but I didn't like the way it drove - it kind of wandered like a small version of an older American car. Have subsequent models gotten better?
And has anyone driven Hyundai or Kia's competitors, the Ioniq and Niro?

[scoobydrew]

I'm curious if the Prius has improved in its driving experience since the 2005 I owned for a few months. It was an eminently practical car but I didn't like the way it drove - it kind of wandered like a small version of an older American car. Have subsequent models gotten better?
And has anyone driven Hyundai or Kia's competitors, the Ioniq and Niro?

For what it is, mine handles decently. I believe the latest models are supposed to handle a bit more "sporty".

[Satellite]

Have had our Prius since 2004 had a few issues. Headlights went out a few times Toyota wanted $1000 to fix them. I said "no" and bought salvaged eBay headlight HID controllers. Cost about $150-200 with me doing the labor front bumper comes off. The hybrid inverter radiator went out covered under warranty. We have 175000 miles now and I thought it needed front breaks turned out it didn't but I replaced them anyways because I was already there. Dashboard lights went out but again Toyota fixed them under extended warranty for free. Also the Prius has a regular automotive 12v battery. It died and I thought I was having an issue with the hybrid traction battery. The 12v battery was so weak it couldn't get power to the computer to regulate the hybrid system. Pretty sure it's time for another 12v battery they are hidden in the trunk/hatchback.

My wife said she would buy another Prius so I guess that says a lot. Get one we dont regreget ours in anyway.

[d_douglas]

A colleague of my wife’s is planning on selling hers, and my wife said she wants us to look at it. They seem great to me, but isn’t our $4000 Subaru good enough ;)??

[Spaghetti Legs]

I had an 06 Prius, sold it in 2013. Good reliable car. Averaged about 50 mpg. My wife currently has a 2012 Plug In Prius. She works 2 miles from our house and most errand stuff is within 4-5 miles of the house. She mostly rides her bike to work, and with the 10-12 mile range on the battery, she fills the gas tank about 3 times per year. Prius also passes the “can I put a bike in the back” test.

I drive all electric now and love that. Occasionally stop at gas stations to use the window squeegee.

[ultraman6970]

Need a new car and I been thinking about a prius aswell, IMO it is sad that are so pricey compared to other car, good that can get a bike in the back, i was wondering the same thing.

Drove one like 10 years ago and was not that bad, not my type of car to be honest but wasnt that bad either.

[ceolwulf]

I'm curious if the Prius has improved in its driving experience since the 2005 I owned for a few months. It was an eminently practical car but I didn't like the way it drove - it kind of wandered like a small version of an older American car. Have subsequent models gotten better?
And has anyone driven Hyundai or Kia's competitors, the Ioniq and Niro?

I've driven an Ioniq and quite liked it. I may still buy one, it's not out of the question, although I'm leaning to something bigger at this point. The "sport" mode dramatically sharpens up the response. Handling is quite good, although steering is numb as with most modern cars. Reasonably quiet on the highway and comfortable, plenty of room for four. It looks way better than any Prius. Actually kind of reminds me of a CRX if they had kept making them and added a five-door version. I believe they're rated better fuel economy than Prius as well. Of course nothing will ever be as reliable, probably.

[ultraman6970]

hyundai ioniq??? gotta have to check on that one.

[Alan]

We have a 2014 V and a 2017 hatchback. The V is a great bike car. It is basically a station wagon. The new generation Prius is a big improvement in pickup and suspension. It drives like a normal car. No hesitation etc. Bikes also fit in well in the 2017 hatchback.

They have a lot of incentives as well to help w price etc. No problems with either car. Highly recommended.

Alan

[roguedog]

+ to what others have said

Been a great little car. Bike fits in the back if needed. I put a tow hitch on it for bike rack. Great gas mileage. Had a car that required premium gas and every time I'm at the pump with Prius, I do a little happy dance when I see the total price.

Safe or at least it's been in the tops in the IIHS ratings which was my other criteria. The car is often used to transport kiddies so want to be sure it's safe. For this main purpose safe is more important than sexy.

No regrets. Nice to hear the feedback on the newer version though. Mine is the 2015.

[p nut]

I was in a Prius taxi in WA with 500k miles. Still going strong.

I wish they had AWD option. I’d consider one then.

[pjm]

I like this guy’s reviews
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_GEwxjpH6ZQ

[azrider]

2012 Prius V. Owned since new.

Reliable, yes.

Fun to drive, no.

Average mpg during our ownership, mostly city driving... about 41 mpg.

it's the wife's car primarily... I don't really mind driving it, but definitely an 'appliance' sort of vehicle.

Having owned and driven a 2014 Prius V for past two years I’d say this review is spot on.

We’ve loved the room, the gas mileage, and fact it doesn’t elicit 3 speeding tickets in one month like my previous car

[Satellite]

I was in a Prius taxi in WA with 500k miles. Still going strong.

I wish they had AWD option. I’d consider one then.

Take a look at the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4WDi. That's what I drive I have owned a lot of cars in my time but I will be hard pressed to get anything other than the Highlander Hybrid for the rest of my days.

When we got the Highlander I tried to get the Prius from the wife and she wouldn't have any part of it. Highlander doesn't get the same mileage it's a V6 and much larger but it is awesome. I use it to tow dirt bikes and it climbs Eisenhower Tunnel Pass like the Prius drives going down hill.

[giverdada]

We drive a 2014 Prius V and love almost everything about it.

It was a shock as to how big the windows were and how much room we had when we first got it, moving to it from a tiny, touch-everyone-from-every-seat Yaris.

One of the major selling points for me was that the back seats slide forward and backward just like the front ones. The space that opens up behind them makes a perfect wedge spot for four 700c wheels, maxed out with cross tires on them. :banana:

We love the car and its ability to charge stuff (12V adapter to USB to device), particularly enjoyed by the lady when she was setting a course record in a 24h TT a couple summers ago. Great for charging lights, etc. We haul 4 bikes around on a Thule roof rack and it has also taken a single whitewater canoe without trouble. It's not recommended for any towing whatsoever, but I imagine a hitch rack for bicycles wouldn't really count there.

Living in this part of Canada, sometimes the hybrid system struggles with sitting in -30 - -40˚C for nights at a time. It always starts, but there's a warning light until the whole system is warm enough to be happy. Road control is great (snow tires of course), pick-up is totally fine for our needs, and it cruises very comfortably. We've been using it increasingly over the last couple of years to ferry the (growing a lot) kids to their various activities, with and without equipment. It still needs a clean following their provincial CX campaign, which it handled with aplomb.

My biggest gripe with the thing is the visibility. I don't know what kind of physiology the windows/sightlines were designed for, but it's kinda terrible. There's a very small window in the back, right where a rider in a blind spot would be, and everything else is either opaque panel, or blocked by my backseat passengers' heads. What the heck? I also find it difficult to see out of the corners of the windshield. Huge, thick (A?) posts there, so entering intersections, seeing pedestrians in their cool, urban, all-black outfits on rainy nights is nearly impossible. I roll down the windows for this.

I enjoy the tech features like bluetooth and all of that, find the audio fine, and appreciate all of the space that has been designed into the interior. We only wish for more room when camping with bikes and having everything, including a cooler and stove and dry goods box, and everyone in the vehicle at once. It still gets pretty good gas mileage on that drive to Quebec though.

Anyway, hope this helps. I think it's a great car, and the new ones are supposed to be even sportier. Whatever that means. Give'r.

N.

[josephr]

just got second Prius...first was the Prius C (Yaris based) and now a full sized model....the smaller C was good for local, but on long distances would wear you out. Much more comfy in the regular sized version. Thanks to SouthEast Toyota Distributors, you cannot buy a Toyota at Costco. We got our best price from Costco in Nashville and then took that deal to our local Toyota and they bested the price by $700 --- of course, this was an on-the-lot, end of season closeout on a 2017, so it behooved them to move it along and we were happy to oblige.

[belopsky]

I just traded my 2013 Tacoma for a 2014 Prius.

[makoti]

hyundai ioniq??? gotta have to check on that one.

I drove one of those in my aborted search for a hatchback. It drove nice enough, but didn't have enough oomph for me and the back area was really tight for getting a bike into. Plus, the back wasn't flat. It had a pretty good lip where the seats folded down. I figured I'd rip that up quick.

[campy man]

How is the road noise on the highway?

My neighbor is a Toyota guy and had a Prius ... his only major complaint was the road noise on the highway. He thought the interior materials were kinda cheap but he's funny like that.

[72gmc]

I'm glad you all like your cars. Drive them in good health.

Here in Seattle, every Prius seems to come with a lobotomy.

[montag]

How is the road noise on the highway?

My neighbor is a Toyota guy and had a Prius ... his only major complaint was the road noise on the highway. He thought the interior materials were kinda cheap but he's funny like that.

I have a 2015 Prius and the road noise is my only real complaint with it... At highway speeds I really have to crank the volume on my podcasts. The OEM tires are on their last legs at this point so I’m hoping a different set will improve this.

[allezdude]

we've had a gen 3 for about 5 years and just got a gen 2 for our teenage driver. I've also ridden in a gen 4 (2016+).

don't know your budget so it's hard to be more specific with advice, but after driving the above, i'd say skip the gen 3 and go for a gen 4 or if the budget is tight, a used gen 2.

gen 3 feels like it was given the step-sister treatment- car feels cheap and tinny. gen 2 has a much nicer interior and less road noise etc. gen 4 is where Toyota really improved the interior noise levels and interior.

hope that helps

[NHAero]

And some stuff I've read says they've made major suspension improvements so Gen 4 drives and handles better - is that your experience?

we've had a gen 3 for about 5 years and just got a gen 2 for our teenage driver. I've also ridden in a gen 4 (2016+).

don't know your budget so it's hard to be more specific with advice, but after driving the above, i'd say skip the gen 3 and go for a gen 4 or if the budget is tight, a used gen 2.

gen 3 feels like it was given the step-sister treatment- car feels cheap and tinny. gen 2 has a much nicer interior and less road noise etc. gen 4 is where Toyota really improved the interior noise levels and interior.

hope that helps

[topflightpro]

We had a 2010 Prius.

It was awful.

As mentioned, the car was not fun to drive. It was like driving a boat, with zero road feedback. Also, despite all the windows, there were blind spots everywhere. The A-pillar was so large, you could practically put a semi just in-front and next to you and not see it. The car was extremely cheap on the inside. Everything rattled. We got it right before Toyota got hit with a bunch of lawsuits, and it admitted it had cut quality to boost profits. It was noticeable.

The car had zero pick up, which makes accelerating into traffic a nightmare. This was improved some by using the power mode.

We also had to deal with the braking recall issue. You'd hit the brakes but the car would keep going. It felt like we were driving on ice.

At about 120,000 miles, the car started burning oil. We noticed because a warning light would come on when we turned but then go off when we straightened out. When I checked, there was basically no oil in the car. I had to put 6 quarts in.

After that, we had to check the oil every week dropping anywhere from a half to a full quart in there. The car was not leaking oil. There were no oil spots on the ground and multiple service techs could figure where all the oil was going.

Shortly after that, the car started shaking when we would try to accelerate. So, rather than go forward, it would just shake. It got progressively worse.

We took it to a couple mechanics to get it looked at. The independent guy said he'd seen it with a lot of Priuses around that age and suggested we sell the car while it still had value.

The Toyota dealership said Toyota had issued a notice about the burning oil and shaking issues, but they had not idea how to fix it.

We got rid of the car last year. It was 7-years old with 150,000 miles on it. Found a great deal on a CR-V.

[shovelhd]

We had the same problem with my wife's Highlander Hybrid 3.3L. It went from burning no oil to a quart per month to 2 quarts per month in the span of six months. We traded it in on a Rav4 Hybrid at that point.

[belopsky]

The only downside to my Prius is that it is a tan interior which will get dirty quick. Already had indigo stains on the seat from my jeans.
I need some seat covers..

WeatherTech mats are on order, need something for the rear. Once it is warmer, I will buy a hitch and a 1UP bike rack.

[axel23]

+1 on the V.
The only issue we've encountered are the factory tires. While good for gas mileage, they are awful in the rain. Seriously awful. If you get a used Prius (and no reason not to), consider changing out the tires.


We have a 2014 V and a 2017 hatchback. The V is a great bike car. It is basically a station wagon. The new generation Prius is a big improvement in pickup and suspension. It drives like a normal car. No hesitation etc. Bikes also fit in well in the 2017 hatchback.

They have a lot of incentives as well to help w price etc. No problems with either car. Highly recommended.

Alan