Prius Four or Five? Pre-collision worth it?

I really appreciate DRCC and LKA on long trips and the PCS is a nice safety feature that I hope to never use. Nevertheless, there is a thread on this forum where several people describe how PCS saved their bacon. If safety is what you're seeking, then the five with the AT package has those features.

 

I had a 2004 Prius. When the 2010 Prius was first announced, I saw many minor feature improvements, none of which would justify replacing my car. However, they also announced the solar moon roof and the dynamic radar cruise control (DRCC). I really wanted both features. When Toyota finally announced the pricing and available options, I was very disappointed that I could not get both the solar moon roof and the DRCC together. I decided that I wanted the DRCC enough to replace my 2004 Prius with a 2010 Prius five with the Advanced Technology Package.

The traditional cruise control was almost useless to me. I used it on both limited access highways and local roads with limited traffic signals and speed limits of 55 to 60 MPH. The traffic flow was so uneven that the cruise control could only be engaged for short periods of time until either the traffic slowed down or someone cut in front of me.

I now use the DRCC on most short trips. I can set the DRCC to the speed limit (or slightly higher) and it adjusts the speed to maintain about a two second following distance from the car ahead. When the traffic slows down, the DRCC slows down to match. When the traffic speeds up, the DRCC speeds up until it hits the set speed. The only time it turns off is when the traffic slows down to around 25 MPH. After stopping at a traffic light, when the light turns green I only have to get up to around 25 MPH and reengage the DRCC, which resumes at the speed I had set before I stopped.

I wish I could have the solar moonroof also, but I wouldn't trade the DRCC for any other option. Here in Austin, TX it gets VERY HOT during the summer. Of course, opening the windows for about 5 minutes gets rid of most of the hot air, but it would be nice if the solar powered ventilation system could do that before the heat builds up inside the car.

Today, for the first time since I bought the 2010 Prius, I believe the pre-collision system (stage 1) kicked in. Some idiot in front of me (in a right-turn only lane) decided he didn't want to turn right, signalled for a left movement, and hit the brakes. I hit the brakes also, felt the ABS kick in, and felt the seat belts tighten. I think that was the PCS activating.

Often, when a car cuts in front of me, some system (I don't know if it is the DRCC or the PCS) flashes a warning on the display and starts beeping. However, I never noticed the seat belts tightening before.

In my experience, I don't think the Lane Keep Assistance (LKA) feature works very well. It very often can't detect the lane markings, and turns off. Perhaps if I was traveling for a long distance on an interstate highway it would be more stable.

You simply have to decide which features are most important to you.

 

A Four with solar is not that much cheaper than a Five with ATP. A Four looks like any run of the mill Prius while the Five looks more sporty and high end with its LED headlights and 17" rims.
I read an article a few months ago that most car buyers sprung for gadgets more than safety features. http://www.insidevandy.com/online_features/travel/article_35d4401a-0645-5640-8598-587061ad3e4e.html
Shortly after I bought my Prius, I saw this post. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/83567-local-prius-in-deadly-accident.html There's also a thread in the truckingboards http://www.truckingboards.com/forum/trucking-accidents/230-pa-ohio-man-killed-i-79-crash.html The KDKA's article is gone but I've found another http://www.wtae.com/r/24644608/detail.html
If that Prius driver had bought a Five with ATP, he would've lived and even walked away without a scratch.
I had the PCS warning gone off on me 3 times. In all 3 occasions, there were plenty of time to react and brake. With DRCC set, there are even more time and room to react and take over the car. The DRCC will always have at least 2 seconds of distance between you and the car in front of you. The braking force applied by the DRCC is pretty hard.

 

My impression is big difference between the Four and the Five is the safety systems: radar cruise control, Pre-collision system and lane assist. Since my college age son will be using the Prius a fair amount, I tried to sell my wife on these safety features, but she is not convinced.

Any advice?

My advice is yes, it's worth it for a 5ATP - but maybe for some different reasons, as well as those stated above. At least it was worth it for me.

I plan to keep my Prius for a long time, hopefully 10 years or so (depending on what the Gen4 looks like!). I also will drive long distances at Interstate speeds, many times. I want the functionality of all the hi-tech PLUS the shear enjoyment of using it all. I don't want to have any doubts or regrets about the car I bought.

Also important is that - it's true - you do only live once. Work hard/play hard!

MrBill

 

I now have a non-Prius (non-hybrid) sedan with the equivalent of DRCC and I love it. I am about to buy a Prius and must have a level five w/ ATP for that reason alone. LKA doesn't appeal to me though. I had a car with it and I agree that it was not useful. In that car, it could be disengaged, and would only engage on demand. Can the same be done with LKA in the Prius?

 

What a nuisance. If it's as sensitive as the one I had in my Infiniti (which could be disengaged) I will try to get the dealer to just shut it down. Sometimes these things just help you too much.

 

Of course you can disengage the LKA. I find it a nuisance on two lane roads at low speeds but really appreciate it on multilane roads and at speeds over fifty.
The DRCC is incredible and is even more valuable in heavy traffic. Not like the regular CC which is unusable in traffic. The DRCC really is a great safety feature and leaves you much more relaxed and less tense after a drive in heavy traffic.

 

For the money spent you might consider a 12 Camry XLE Hybrid, safer, same dough, gas mileage still good.

 

I find that long trips are easier with the DCC & LKA. The PCS does several things. Increasing the tension & locking the seat belts is the most obvious. It also increases braking force. What's it worth to NOT hit the car that just swerved in front of you? What's it worth to NOT get whiplash because the belt held you in the seat? Turn one collision into a near miss & the package paid for itself. What are the airbags worth?

LKA is visual. If the lines are weak or moved (as in construction zones) or if the lanes are wide the system won't lock on. The beeping & screen flipping are annoying to a degree.

RCC won't work when the nose is covered in ice & snow.

I'd be happier if the systems had an "always on" mode.

 

The Prius is like the iPhone. Any other hybrids are just any other cars.

 

Honestly, if the $2,000 is a concern, there's nothing wrong with passing on the ATP. PCS is nice and might save your bacon, or you could buy some driving classes for the whole family to improve their safe driving skills, and still get the solar package too.

I bought it because I'm an engineer (and a nerd), and I like technology. I also recognize that buying technology supports other nerds. And I didn't feel a pressure on my budget (no kids), so I went for it over the Three with Nav.

On the other hand, you could spend much less than $2000 in other ways that might also net you a similar safety improvement - say a monitoring box to tell you if your son is speeding, plus the threat of revoked driving privileges!

It also depends how long you plan on keeping the car; if you buy a new car in 3 or 5 years, the PCS will probably be much better, and much cheaper. It also might be available in a package with the solar roof and the hovercar upgrade. (In 15 years, it'll be cheaper still, though at least you got 15 years of use out of your $2000 upgrade.)

I guess what I'm saying is that it's not the end of the world if you can't convince your wife that you want the fancy toy. The solar roof is a pretty nifty toy too, after all.