Buy a 2010 or 2009?

This will be my last post on this and then I'll drop it. I just want to be clear though - your original post was not based on geography, but rather race - your post -

In it you talk about the type of person that you are - no geography there.

You then follow it up with a comment about looking either American or Japanese - no geography there, but it sure does touch on race. Does looking Japanese mean that you live there, no but it does mean that you are likely of Japanese decent.

As I said early on, your intent might not have been to bring race into the discussion, but that is exactly what you did.

As I said earlier had you brought up the demographics of each nation that would have been completely different - based on your follow up comments I think that is really what you were trying to do. Trying to make that argument by saying if you "look Japanese" is at best inelegant.

I do not think that anyone would disagree that international companies tailor their products to the country where they will be sold.

 

You realize that countries are geo-political boundaries correct? They aren't named based on race on colour...

 

Guys, guys, cool it off por favor, it's a no win. 2k1 could have used a little better choice of words, but I never thought his intentions were racist or enflamed, but yes, SteveMc, the language wasn't too awesome.

anyhoo, there's lots of 2nd gen vs. 3rd gen threads already, so OP could have done google search.

thread is a touchy subject of '2nd gen vs. 3rd gen' ....... as in 'which to get' , which is better, etc....

both cars have their strengths and weaknesses, but in the higher realm of automobile-dom, it is generally agreed the 3nd gen Prius is ...

'nothing revolutionary this time around (as from 1st to 2nd gen), but a solid improvement overall'

The rest is up to the buyer, so choose carefully and wisely.

:rockon: a'ight

 

robnlynn et al,

Can also try a google search here. select search button in banner, find google search at bottom. 2009 vs. 2010 , or gen 2 vs. gen 3, like that.

We've been batting the subject around for couple years here and there.

 

Unless the '09 is a screamingly better deal go for the '10. They did a number of small improvements, but YMMV.

First let me say that the gen II and gen III seats both leave something to be desired. I don't think it has much to do with how fat you are. A seat like a recaro will feel much better to someone that is not too fat, but there are gentics involved. A thin person might still have a jungle booty That may be a good thing especially if you listen to sir-mix-a-lot. (note slight non pc joke intended). If you have a better genetic cushion, some hard seats will feel beter.

Agree completely. I was thinking of sumo wrestlers.

I think he was trying to be anti-american, but ended up sounding racist about japanese instead

Gen I was definitely tailored to the Japanese market. Toyota changed some things in Gen II specifically for the american market. We don't need to guess when a specific product is involved, the prius has been well analysed.

Then I'm not quite sure what you meant. Often someone is not a racist, but uses racially charged language and thinking because that is the way they were brought up. Often the person does not realize that is what they are doing. I went to a big state college, and many people came from small towns where racist language and thought was prevalent. By senior year most of these small town folk that were not really racist had changed their speech to actually say what they meant without bringing some of the bad old colloquialisms into play.

 

2009 2nd gen and 2010 3rd gen Prius driver's seats, IMO are not be to compared to each other as if they're problems are about the same.

I'll be glad when the friggen '12 power seats get here and this topic starts dying off.

This link refers to the 2nd gen, 04 -09 Prius .

Problems With a Prius Driver's Seat | eHow.com

I just came out of a 2011 Honda Accord Coupe, IMNSHO, the 2011 Prius driver's seat stands up pretty darn well to that Accord seat and seating overall.

3rd gen driver's seat and seating 'pretty much' fits the class of car.

2nd gen Prius driver's seat and car was 'less intended for the NA market', they lifted seats about the same size out of the 1st Gen Prius and shoved them in the 2nd gen Prius, which btw, is what, at least 10" longer car?

Others opinions may vary, but my niece's 2002 Civic was/is MUCH more tolerable to sit in and drive that any 2nd gen Prius, for me. I'm 6'2" and never felt 'qualified' physically to drive the damn car, although with an optimized design it could have easily worked well.

Toyota did a nice improvement on 3rd gen Prius, just needs small refinements in next gen and open center space.

 

First time in Sweden I shocked at how well dressed the, um, bums were.

About one quarter of Japanese are overweight as opposed to two thirds of Americans. Ethnic Japanese living in america are more likely to be overweight than ethnic Japanese living in japan.

Many Americans are fat, many Americans are thin, treating such a diverse population only as fat is not very helpful to discussions on seats. American butts come in all shapes and sizes, if the poster wanted to say some of these shapes and sizes fit the seats better it would be more clear if he had said which ones. I have a fiend whose mom told me she loved toyota's and honda's because they are built for short people like her. That was much more clear and less odd a statement than if she said that they build them for those short japanese like her, instead of tall sweeds. Does that make more sense?

 

Problems With a Prius Driver's Seat | eHow.com

<LI class=section itxtHarvested="0" itxtNodeId="2">Lack of Seat Adjustments

• A little known interior ergonomic problem has arisen among some Prius drivers. The lack of a height-adjustable driver's seat is one of the items which plagues the U.S. 2002 through 2009 Prius models. The seat track does not allow extended range of movement for drivers well over 6 feet tall. The driver's seat is good for short commutes, but because it does not offer bolstering support (i.e. little thigh support), multi-state, multi-hour drives for some drivers were not comfortable.
  
  

Visibility Problems

• Drivers, who are not the regular body height (5 feet, 8 inches) can have visibility problems while they are behind the steering wheel of a Prius. Short drivers cannot raise the seat and this can make the blind spots on the lower sides of the windows a problem. And the sloping hood can pose a blind spot in the front of the car.
  Taller drivers cannot lower the seat to their respective optimal levels for visibility. And, again, for these drivers, the sloped roof of the Prius will interfere with viewing their surroundings from the front and rear windshields. Also, using the sun visor may block a tall driver's vision, because his head is closer to the ceiling of the car.
  
  

Car Writers' Opinion

• An Edmund's.com test drive report for the 2007 Prius mentioned the awkwardness of the driving position of the car. The contributing factors are the driver's seat is not height adjustable and the steering column does not telescope. Overall, the interior of the car is roomy.
  
  

Improvements

• The 2010 Toyota Prius was revised. The major complaint about the driver seat comfort was addressed by adding a height adjustable driver's seat. Specifically, a six-way power driver's seat with an adjustable head restraint is standard on all Prius models I through V. Lumbar support is standard on the Prius IV and V and only comes with leather seating surfaces. Lumbar support is not available on Prius models I through III. The driver's seat travels on a longer track, which gives shorter and taller drivers a greater range of adjustment
  
  

Conclusion

• The driver's seat position is one of the most critical things to consider before moving the car. Poor seating position can lead to fatigue on long trips and/or result in a collision because objects may be hidden in the vehicle's blind spots. The lack of driver's seat travel can add to these problems if the driver is very short or very tall.
  
  

Read more: Problems With a Prius Driver's Seat | eHow.com Problems With a Prius Driver's Seat | eHow.com

 

I didn't mean to say the gen III seats didn't improve on the gen II, they did. This includes better adjustments to the seats and telescoping wheel. I did mean to say that the seats could definitely still use improvement.

They increased the power of the car and its interior volume for NA in the Gen II. I don't think there is much of a difference between the domestic japanese market versus the world market on seats, but NA needs more seat and steering wheel adjustability as there is a greater range of heights, you are one of those that the adjustments were inadequate. They addressed this somewhat in Gen III. The seat comfort still has great room for improvement IMHO, and both gen II and gen III seats fit me.

Gen III added more power, so it is less of an under powered car than the gen II. The over aggressive traction control was aslo improved. The new drivetrain allows drivers to get good fuel economy without working as hard as they did in the Gen II. Both cars still have large hits to mpg on short trips.

 

Power seats / bottom tilt knob on mechanical seat, center steering wheel, better feel / shape of base steering wheel, larger gas pedal, 1" more telescope, pad armrests, open area in front of center console ....

that'll do it.

 

Sorry, 1 more - I'll try and promise to stick to that.

Yes, countries are.

Japan = country, a proper noun

Japanese (as in "someone who looks more Japanese" and what you said in your post) = refers to the native people of Japan, an adjective = ethnicity of said person or people

 

I agree! I see it as a great selling point, but to tell you the truth, I'd never buy or not buy a car based on the center console.

To the OP, I also considered an G2 versus a G3. I bought a used G2 and quickly upgraded to a new G3 and I'm really happy that I did. It's not often that you get both more power and better fuel economy.

 

I never realize that talking could be so complicated. And I thought in this country, we all suppose to have the freedom of speech.
And who should determine what I can say or can not say? Is there a King?

 

Did you not know in the new improved PC world everything is a beautiful shade of gray? We have gotten rid of all the ugly differences between people, too much racisim in thinking we are not all identical.....

 

In short, if you are a racist - then go with the 2009 G2, otherwise the 2010 G3 is for you!

 

That's very true, but I can't blame Denny, because this site needs to survive and profit under the environment. I guess the main source of income of this site indirectly come from Toyota one way or the other, through dealer support. I don't think their accessory shop makes lots of money at all. It is not in Toyota's best interest to see PC become a tea party or libertarian club. I'm just guessing...

 

I think I need to clear up an error I may have made, PC meant politicaly correct, no implication to Prius Chat.