I've had my 10 Prius III for a year now. The things I would change if I could...... 1. Improve rear view 2. Foot brake 3. Arm rest/covered cup holder....I like the design on the 12 a lot more. 4. Type of fabric used on the seats, I like my 09 Corolla 100x more 5. I wish there was a MT option vs just a CVT.
I miss the underseat storage in the Audi as well as a slot under the steering wheel to hold the manuals. They seem to take up the entire glovebox. I would like to make the passenger seat higher.
My responses/list based on our 2012 Prius Three: 1. Agree 2. Agree 3. Not sure what you like better about the cup holder on the 2012. The 2nd cup holder is at the front of the center console and does not have a cover. My elbow is always stuck in that hole when I'm driving. I've taken to stuffing a towel in there and will probably buy some soft foam to fill it unless/until there's a good aftermarket solution. 4. We wanted to try the new SofTex seats but those were unavailable in the Three level. Wasn't worth paying more for a Four to get them. 5. I don't think they could mate a MT to this drivetrain. Too much automation to achieve the high mileage would be negated by having the driver involved in selecting gearing. On my list: I'd also add extensions to the sun visors. They barely cover half of the long window and the sun beats in on me in the morning and afternoon. The center console and armrests need padding as they are very hard.
I love my prius but I 100% agree on first two point. My old 2002 Elantra was much better. The wind noise around the windows. The road noise from under the car.
So it did. Having the driver choosing shift points just seemed counter-intuitive to allowing the ECU to make the optimum mileage decisions.
But then again, the Insight was a very small, light 2 seat mild hybrid with a 1L 3-banger. Now look at the CRZ, still 2 seats, still small(ish) with a manual that gets 37hwy and cvt 39hwy with a 1.5L 4.
I live in a very cold part of the us and the heater doesn't preform well when it very cold outside. Windshield stays icy and passenger compartment never get really warm. Although the electric mirror and rear window defrost works better that most cars
I always leave the arm rest cover slide back to expose the 2nd cup holder. I've never found it a problem being 6'2" but my wife is only 5'3" and she doesn't have any issues either. I sat in a new 12 & my arm sits on the arm rest great. I wonder if I can fit the 12 armrest on my 10?
1. Reverse beep 2. Rear view 3. Small outside mirrors. 4. Handle to close the hatch is oddly placed 5. Hard to find comfortable seating position. 6. Steering wheel feels like its covered with sandpaper 7. The steering wheel controls. Volume up and down buttons are placed side by side rather then top bottom, that makes no sense and is not intuitive, 8. The seat fabric for th cloth models. 9. Placement of the intelrior light dimmer switch, I keep hitting it with my knee. 10. Can't think of a tenth. I love this car, these were just nit picks.
The console cup holder does not have a cover on the 2012. If the wheel telescoped out farther I could sit back a bit and my elbow probably wouldn't be in the cup holder.
In addition to the foot parking brake, the fact that the rear floor mats don't cover the center, and also the steering wheel controls are poorly illuminated at night (even though there is touch tracer, I just can't get the hang of not looking down at the steering wheel). Also, the fact that the battery vent is right next to the rear passenger seat and can be blocked. Oh yes, I forgot to mention how annoying and tedious it is to set up/adjust the computers using the steering wheel controls.
I didn't mention this one before, but: I park in an attended garage and the idea that the glove box doesn't lock (there is no place in the car that can be used to securely stow belongings) is a concern. I've been locking my EZPass in the glove box, but now I'll have to leave it unsecured or take it with me. How much would it have cost Toyota for a lock?
What if you put some velcro strips under the center console and stick your pass there when you hide it? That's what I plan on doing when my pass comes in haha
A glove box lock can of course be forcibly broken, but why do most cars have a "valet" key? It gives more security than a push button non-lock. I would just like to have the option of locking it as I have done for 30+ years. And nobody ever broke the lock.