Is the gen ii Prius better in any way than the gen iii?

That's true, without the floating bridge console, the Gen2 feels more open in front.

 

i prefer ( after getting used to ) the dash shifter
and ofcourse no dash midsaction like in the gen3 a lot better.

 

SAL was voiced by actress Candice Bergen, in an
uncredited (not counting the fake Olga name) role.

 

Mud flaps for gen 2 are cheaper than gen 3.
ScanGauge codes are more complete for gen 2 than gen 3.

 

I really don't care...at all... whether you dislike me or not. The OP asked a question and I posted my opinion. Sorry...I think the Gen III is a much better car than my Gen II and I would trade mine for one in a nanosecond. Not that the Gen II isn't a good car for what it is, the Gen III is just a much better car IMHO. Want to talk to people who prefer the Gen II? Stay on the Gen II forums. Why don't you pick on some of the other people who posted EXACTLY the same thing I did. For some reason you have a hard-on for me all over the forums.

If reading my opinions bothers you then you should just ignore me, because I like posting here and I am not going anywhere.

And why bring up my Lexus? And twice! Did I say anything about my Lexus? No. If you're jealous of a 7 year old Lexus...I don't know what to tell you.

 

I prefer the neatness of the MFD rather than the OMGBUTTONS!!!1!one layout in the gen3 (that I recently drove). I also like not having the dash take up so much more of my field of view. I can't say the Gen3 I drove on stock integrities (not on 17s) handled any better than my Touring on high-performance ADVAN rubber. Superficially, for reasons I can't describe, I felt more in control of the Gen2 than the Gen3. This may have something to do with the fact that I'm used to my Gen2, or the fact that the Gen3 has a steering wheel whose grip diameter is wider than on the Gen2 (I have relatively small hands).

I also prefer the "open" feel even though the gen3 has a Supra-like dash layout.

EDIT: The car does look better than the gen2 Prius, and there are more options for it.

 

I would have to say they got all the bugs worked out of the 2009 which was a big selling point for me.

 

This is a tough question to answer unless you've had some good seat time in both vehicles to make a valid comparison. On paper, the nod easily goes to the GEN III. Once my GEN II dies I intend to get whatever model year is being offered. I am hoping to get 250,000 miles out of my current Prius. At the rate I'm going that will be in a 3.5 years (maybe a little less). By that time, who knows, there may be a gen IV! Bottom line is that once you own a hybrid and get used to the mileage and low maintenance, it's hard to go back to a car that gets on average 23-25 mpg. I just PRAY that my maintenance costs remain reasonable over the next few years. My darn extended warranty expired and I never received any benefit from it at all. Talk about flushing money down the drain!!!

 

Gen 3 is a much cheaper car than Gen 2. You can tell from the materials used immediately. And I am not going to list all the things Gen 2 is better than Gen 3.

But Gen 3 is more fule efficient. It is also lighter (thats due to a lot of the weight reducition hence the right to go cheap on a lot of things but I think they went overboard).

Biggest selling point for me for a Gen 3 is because It is much better looking. I am sorry but Gen 2 is just way too ugly. And I hate buying older model cars unless I am buying second hand.

 

I thought that they went light by way of using more aluminum, not necessarily from using cheap stuff??

 

Where did you hear that? I don't think thats true...

 

The Generation 3 has that intrusive massive Flying Bridge console that is almost useless underneath. This significantly reduces the space and comfort in the drivers seat when compared to the Generation 2 Prius. The information screen on the Generation 2 was superior, and the speedometer was in front of the driver not centered on 'the flying bridge' as it is in the Generation 3. Toyota should Redesign that huge intrusive center console and give the front seat occupants the benefit, and it will be a better car.

Cleaning these long sloping windshields on the inside is never easy under the best of circumstances. Attempting to clean the windshield over the huge Flying Bridge would be easy enough if my body had arms proportioned as an Orangatan. As a human being I had to conclude that Toyota expects you to junk the car when the windshield gets filthy on the inside. That would seem to be the only function of the Flying Bridge construction in lieu of a simple but functional center console, and orderly dashboard.

 

I agree the multi-function display on the Gen 2 is better. I used small blindspot mirrors on both cars, so for me they are equal. I would not say the 2 has a bigger trunk. The interior of the 3 suffers from the obtrusive flying bridge, so I prefer the 2 there.

Handling of the touring I found very similar, but the 3 is more likely to jolt my teeth out on a bump in the road, possibly because the 5 version has the low aspect tires that tend to do that.

 

Additionally, there is a greater upper "curve" of the front seat backs on the G3, as well as greater intrusiveness of the center console/rear cupholders into the rear seating area. These serve to reduce the spaciousness of the rear of the passenger compartment.

Coupled with the aforementioned reduction in open space in the front, the net effect is the elimination of the "Wow, this car is a lot bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside" factor that was characteristic of the G2, IMO.

Best wishes,

Frank

 

I don't have a gen 2, but compared my car with a friend's husband's 2008. I was curious about the opinions.

I think some of the cheapness feel comes from thinner high strength steel and plant based plastics. These are not bad things, but Toyota made them stand out more with the interior design.

IMHO they really were targetting the 50mpg epa figure, and didn't cheap out as much as went overboard with weight reduction at all costs. Otherwise, sound deadening could have been added at the factory. This would have made the thin high strength steel feel as higher quality. Adding a little more weight might have added better handling for a touring package which is missing (sort of there in the V).

I agree here that the Gen III looks better on the outside, but it is really similar.

Definitely expensive materials like aluminum hood and hatch help lower the weight of both generations of prius.

 

Wikipedia indicates that the gen3 Prius at 1379 kg (3,042 lb)is a little over 150lbs heavier than the Gen2 at 1,317 kg (2,900 lb)? So the Gen2 is a actually lighter?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius#2004.E2.80.932009_.28model_NHW20.29

vs

Toyota Prius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

right on! for 6 years, i hoped that someone would come up with a little filler to go between the front of the gen II console (front cupholder) and dashboard to use that space.
or, that toyota would redeisgn to make the whole thing more useful. more storage, cup/change holders etc. unfortunately, what they came up with was form over function instaead of vice versa.

 

No it is true! When I traded in my 05 for my 08 it had 80k mi. on it and I think i got right around $200 maybe $100 something back from Toyota. You have to call them and they send you some form to fill out.