The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
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"2010 Prius is a hybrid most people can enjoy" on by kev_theobald
Pros: High MPG, Very Roomy inside, no engine belt to replace, quiet, tons of options, solar vent system, lots of safety features, much improve styling over the 2009, sonar cruise control, really nice JBL stereo system upgrade, different engine modes
Cons: Can't get the nice rims from rims off the Prius V onto an other level of Prius, the heated seats buttons are in a odd spot, the plastic dash material shows finger prints, the self park system is not ready for most situations,
Summary: I drove an Insight and each one of the 2010 Prius levels and I find the Insight feels like a classic cramped econo car, while the Prius feels like a nice mid-size sedan. The Honda Insight maybe a couple of grand cheaper, but the driving experience feels cheaper. If you drive the Insight in Eco mode, the AC cooling stops when your vehicle is not in motion. If you are stop and go traffic or at a stop light, you can feel the air getting warmer the longer you sit. I did not have the issue in the Prius. The back seats are cramped in the Insight, interior noise is higher, and the ride is on the stiffer side. The Prius feels roomy and it is a very quiet ride. It gives a feeling of being a solid built car.
1 star for something you have no crash test data on. That seems like overkill. Toyota is a conservative company and not likely to put something into their designthat would make the car less safe then the previous version. I would wait to see what the different major crash testing data shows before passing judgement.
There is engine belt to replace or power steering fluid to worry about. I like how the full electric mode last until 25 mph.
The self parking option is a feature for those who want the latest bells and whistles, but for most people I doubt it will have much value. The "lane keep assist" seems to work very well. You just have to get use to the car moving the steering wheel from time to time.
I love the rims on the Prius V, it is a mistake not to offer those on all Prius trim levels.
The Solar Vent system runs when the vehicle is parked. It keeps the interior cooler when you are away and will allow you to run the AC for up to three minutes before getting into the vehicle. Very cool feature, but it costs a pretty penny because it is packaged with the navigation/JBL upgraded stereo.
The touch tracer buttons on the steering wheel is one of those simple ideas that I wish every automotive company would use. It is just one of the many touches that makes you feel like Toyota really thought through the vehicle.
I am not sure who thought of putting the heated seats buttons in such an odd place and why do not they not have a USB connection for the an iPod or other devices is beyond me. I want to be able to control my iPod via the vehicle I am driving.
I think it is great that Toyota does offer a simple Prius for those who just want the basic while offering a ton features for those willing to shell out the cash. The Insight does not have leather seats or much tech beyond a navigation system.
I noticed if you don't want to pay for the upgraded stereo system found in a Prius III to get the bluetooth handsfree option, you can get a Prius II and have a stand alone bluetooth option installed by the dealer for a few hundred.
In my opinion, if you are looking at an Insight, go drive a Prius. It maybe a couple of grand more, but it feels like a much better vehicle. If you are going to be stuck with a car for many years, you will enjoy being stuck with a Prius much more than an Insight.
Updated on Jul 15, 2009 -
"51 MPG, and Drive better than 2009" on by 999johan
Pros: Consistent 50 MPG. Handling, ride show major improvement over the poor generation 2.
Cons: Dashboard tracer display is worthless. Only tells you that you which function of the dashboard (on steering wheel) you selected rather than the levels (fan, volume, temperature, etc.) EVO mode worthless.
Summary: Generation 3 now uses the Corolla/Matrix chasis which is stiffer, translating to much more solid handling. The electric steering assist has been lessened, making for much better road feel. Rear visibilty is slightly improved. Power ain't bad really, but if you lend it to someone, tell them about the ECO mode accelerator dampening before they pull out in traffic. Four tanks and I'm getting over 50 every time, whether city or highway. Holds two bicycles inside, too.
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"Love our 2010 Pruis" on by oldgrad
Pros: Actually got 58.8 mpg - ave. speed 65 mph. Almost always get over 53 and even on freeway at 75 over MT-ID passes still averaged 50.9
Cons: No cons at this time!
Summary: The gas mileage is wonderful. Don't understand the comments on handling. We think it does a great job on corners - because we have not owned it through a winter season we don't know about slick roads. We have now driven the car 5000 miles through all kinds of terrain - It will overtake anyone going up steep grades. Can't say as we use the ECO and or PWR buttons, we have tried them, but haven't seen that they make any difference. The GPS works good - I say who cares that the buttons for the seat warmers are not right is plain sight, they are easily reach and of course the weather is warm so have had no need to use them so far. The car has plenty of room for what we need. It fits the big man well. Really like the adjustable driver seat as I am not a very big person and most cars don't fit me, but with the adjustable seat can be adjusted to the just for me position. We have been driving toyota's for 15 years and have had great service with low maintenance from all of them and we are expecting that the Pruis will be even better. Sad to say we drove GM cars up until that time (1960 - 1994), but when our last GM started giving us trouble in less than 50,000 miles, we switched to toyota and never looked back.
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"Prius hands me $120/mo in cash compared to Camry" on by Krem1in
Pros: Gas mileage, cool tech features, makes me smile all the time. I feel great driving this car.
Cons: Being a Camry owner for 20 years I'm used to a plush, comfortable ride. 2010 Prius is much better than its '09 predecessor in ride quality, butmuch choppier than Camry (new or old). Not awful. I would say - average choppiness for most average cars.
Summary: Mixed feelings. I do not think I will ever go back to a regular (non-hybrid) car again. Trade-offs: -- ride quality compared to better cars. But it is such a pleasure to see when you are driving on a highway on a small decline that you are not using a drip of gas! :) :) I do miss Camry's seats, Camry quietness on a highway. I am very happy that I go to the gas station less frequently and spend $25 instead of $45 with Camry.
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"An improved but expensive hybrid" on by Jon Shimamoto
Pros: Looks a lot better than the older dated Prius. Very quiet, smooth ride. Roomy interior. At highway speeds the bigger engine is quieter. Can now maintain speeds on hills.
Cons: Still too expensive. Really slow in ECO mode, bearable in Power mode. Air conditioning is mediocre. Handling while better, is poor, steering feel is awful. The 15" wheels and tires, should be replaced with 16" or 17" wheels as standard.
Summary: The new Prius is an evolutionary upgrade to the earlier model. While there are a lot of improvements, it just does not seem far reaching enough.
A Car that does what it's designed for...
The bigger 1.8 liter engine runs quieter at speed because it runs at lower RPMs compared to the previous 1.5 liter. I wish there was a better improvement in acceleration, as the 2010 is almost as slow as the earlier model. ECO mode is painfully slow, Power mode feels a lot crisper, like a normal Corolla. The 1.8 liter engine is very quiet at speed unless hard pressed, but even then, it is quieter than most other 4-cylinder cars. I live up in the hills which is about a four mile drive. I can average only 42MPG because of the long steep slope which forces me to use Power mode (my previous car, a 2003 Passat GLX with a 2.8 liter V6 averaged 27MPG if the a/c was off, 23MPG on).
The car suffers from a lot of lean (needs bigger stabilizer bars) when cornering and the stability control is very aggressive, preventing quick handling changes. The steering feel is non-existent. You have no sensation of where the car is going while turning the wheel. The slow turning of 4.4 turns from lock to lock is an exercise compared to the the Prius V's 3.3.
The interior is a bit nicer, but the center console takes too much room. The dash display is easily washed out when the sun is overhead. I wish the car had a dash that was in front of the driver iso in the center. The nav display is useless when you wear polarized sunglasses. The air conditioner is mediocre, takes awhile to cool down the car, even when in Power mode (ECO mode reduces the a/c's power). The new seats are a lot more comfortable than the earlier models but still not perfect. I wish Toyota would use handbrakes iso footbrakes on the car.
The headlights now use halogen projector beams which are quite bright. I don't know how much better the LED headlights would be. The new body design retains the familiar Prius shape but is different enough to be recognized. The body crease improves the looks a lot. The front end is a lot cleaner looking. The back end is much like the older style. I did notice that the rear plastic spoiler looks cheaply implemented as it is very flexible and looks like it will break off the car if slammed hard.
I would have preferred that the Prius give up some gas mileage if there was a bit more power for acceleration. 0-60 in 8.5 seconds would have been ideal iso 10 seconds.
My Prius IV was $30,000 out the door with the NAV package as the only option. That's very expensive for a small car. The Camry Hybrid was only $500 more, with a lot more room and better acceleration, but the large 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine was very rough running. I could also get a Camry SE for $28,000 fully loaded with a regular V6.
Right now, the 2010 Prius has a 90-120 day wait in Hawaii. If you want one with the solar sunroof, it would be a 180 day wait.
Overall, the Prius would be a no-brainer if I did not have to contend with the long hill home. But prospective buyers ought to drive it home to see if the lack of power is something you can live with.
Updated on Aug 31, 2009
The 2010 Prius (model IV) is not a driver's car... It is designed as a economical transportation vehicle. Once you get that into your head and accept it, you will love the car...
Pros...
The car has adequate power for normal driving situations, but one cannot expect it to be a sporty car with only 134hp, once you are moving, acceleration is not bad. The car is very roomy, entry and egress is very good compared to the Honda Insight. The JBL sound system is very clear with a well balanced sound. Excellent gas mileage, getting 47MPG, driving mostly in hilly highway areas. Smooth and quiet ride.
Cons...
Seats are uncomfortable on long drives, expect backaches. Test car on long drives to see if that is the case for you. Lumbar support on IV & V is of some help but not a cure all. Auto-dimming mirror is useless. You really need the NAV package to get decent view when reversing. NAV screen is useless when wearing sunglasses.
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