Summary of proposed improvements for future versions of Prius

Both armrests actually very thinly padded on 3rd gen fabric models. At least the door armrest improved so it's not as susceptible to cracking. A good push of elbow on 2nd gen door armrest will crack it, will need inner door panel replaced. I was lucky Hayward Toyota was very willing to replace it when less than 2 years old, 12k miles, no questions asked. Cracked door armrest would have hurt resale a little. It was replaced during the height of Toyota's recall woes on gas pedals, so they were extra motivated.

 

Wow!... this is quite a list of wishes for our next generation Prius. Not sure if we would recognize a Prius with so many additions.

It would have to have a long pointy aero nose that would contain a Turbo sipping Diesel helping out a much larger electric motor/generator. The extra torque and power would go to motivate what would turn out to be an electronically charged, world class communications GPS guided hotspot that would be a nearly robotic (with all the motors and actuators that the summary of proposed improvements for future Prius enumerates) vehicle.

Motors would move and adjust the seats, steering and mirrors. There are some who would want an optional motorized hardtop convertible and I'm quite surprised that no one brought up an option for a motorized rear hatch, doors, and hood. Just push a button and the corresponding hatch/door/hood would open/close.

Since the main ICE would probably be bigger in our more portly Prius, I envision the pointy aero nose to have to look like, and have the similar dimensions of a vintage Plymouth Superbird. Wiki has a good picture of that beast of a car, for those not old enough to know what it is or those of us too old to remember what it was!

The passenger compartment would be topped by a full glass greenhouse to allow uninterrupted visibility around the entire 360 degree circle, with absolutely no blind spots. The car would still feature multiple sensors that would measure distance and azimuth to any object around the entire perimeter.

To control the maze of electronic sensors and devices in this car, the "Flying Bridge" would probably have to be supersized a tad to enable designers to fit a normal off the shelf (to keep costs down) quad-core processor driven laptop accessible to operator and passenger of the car. This laptop or "command and control point" would be easily customized for individual preferences and voice command.

To hold up all the gear that would be added to this Gen IV Prius, Toyota could source a good chassis from, say, Ford (or Chevy or Dodge). Ford for example already has a great frame and suspension system that is used for the F-250 or the Raptor. This set up would allow for a good deal more clearance, as some indicated in the wish list while still continuing to keep those usually expensive development costs to near zero. Ford also has a well sorted 4X4 system developed for this chassis, so those that need extra traction could add that option. Since walking 100 feet to a grocery store would be a deal breaker for a small segment, an articulating suspension option that would allow the car to lower itself to curb height and make stepping in and out of the car easy could be offered.

If you check Option Package #27, you get a "green" LED lit elevator system that lifts driver and passengers up the 3 steps it takes to climb into or out of the car. Remember that the lack of clearance issue needed to be dealt with. Please note that selecting Package #27 deletes the the fog lights.

To boost electric production and storage capacity, a color matched trailer covered in optional high performance PV panels will be available. These PV panels would be capable of charging the lithium-ion battery pack inside the trailer during the day, while also powering the optional ventilator fan in the car when it's parked in scorching conditions, thus lowering overall diesel consumption and interior heat levels.

The batteries would then have enough power reserve to run your car and heat all the heatable components in your Prius at night as temperatures cool off. Nothing like a warm seat and steering wheel! If needed, the Power Booster trailer could also be pressed into service powering a small village on those occasions you didn't need to drive.

The rear wing on this elevated Prius will be mounted below bumper level, and therefore, will not block the driver's visibility to the rear. It will also smooth the airflow enough to keep old Prius models from being blown off into the weeds when they happen to get too close to these new upgraded Gen IVs at highway speeds above 35 mph.:banplease:

...
I loved our quirky '05 Gen II that we recently traded in (even with its appetite for rear tires) on a new '11 Gen III. We are very grateful for all the improvements and new features in the new car. I imagine that Toyota is working hard to improve the coming Gen IV Prius.

My wish list would include stronger batteries, a more efficient ICE (although I'd like to see the top surfaces of the car able to produce electricity during daylight in enough quantity to charge the battery) and a body shape even more slippery to the wind. OK, they can stick some soft touch materials to the doors and dash in place of the hard, easily scratched plastics, if they want. I really don't need a rolling electronic office space, but I would like a great driving, well put together, leading edge frugal car to travel safely in. Like our Gen III!

Lexus is the place to go for more gadget rich luxury hybrid vehilcles.

 

Should be really interesting to see what comes down the road from Toyota in the next Gen. Would like to see comparable cars that get high MPG from all manufacturers. You know Toyota is already working on the next Gen.

Don't understand why no manufacturers seem to have addressed the everyday commuter more head on with a specialty car... maybe 2 seats that would get ultra high MPG. Most people have more than one car now. I use a 250cc motorcycle when the weather is good for around town or short errands and commuted quite a bit on it too. It yields 70 to 80 MPG. I hypermiled it to 84 MPG one time.

I really liked the first Insight and wished I had bought one way back then. It had plenty of room for 2 people and a load of space in the back. One of my co-workers used a manual Insight for a couple of years before he retired. He moved to Florida and still drives it. He was getting great mileage... in the low to mid 60s with that thing.

Toyota could develop something like the Insight and go one (or two) better. The original Insight was pretty low tech... other than the aluminum body and aero. I was commuting in a '92 Suzuki Swift (manual 4 cyl) that got 47 MPG at that time, so I didn't jump on the Honda. Kicking myself ever since. would have-should have-could have. It was, and might still be, the near perfect commuter car.

Toyota should investigate that market. I see a lot of large passenger capacity cars commuting in to work every day with just one or sometimes two people in them. What a waste.

 

The Prius is definitely an extremely well engineered car with an excellent development pedigree. We are on our second Prius. As a primary car it's fine. As a commuter, it will fit 5 people, but you hardly ever see 5 people in a car on a commute. Mostly just one or two persons per car seems to be the norm.

Still think that a small two seat commuter like the original Insight was a car ahead of its time. It wasn't supposed to be any sort of sports car. Surely it was not as technically sophisticated as the Prius, but it could have been improved had it been developed. The original Insight was capable of over 60 MPG. Nothing came close to its MPG figures back then and it still beats the new Prius c in day to day driving.

The concept was brilliant, one of the last brilliant things Honda did, but then the company started to drift off course a few years ago after they lost the guidance of Soichiro Honda.

 

For me the changes would be simple, and are part of Prii in different countries....

No need that a car of this cost does not have JDM side view mirrors with turn signals built in... For my 2012 a rearview camera should not be part of a value added package - given that it is required in 2013.

 

Liftback Prius interior designers need a cue from Camry

Check the horizontal alignment between center of steering wheel and the front to back centerline of the driver's seat. I think the wheel might be slightly to left in LHD cars compared to other models.

 

The requirement has been pushed back to 2014.

 

Little off topic, but, wow. That man lived a full life.

 

One simple one and often overlooked. A sun visor that either slides back and forth in its base or a plastic extension to cover more space in the sides. Simpler and cheaper cars have these, not sure why not the Prius.

 

I would be nice if Toyota can make the rear seats recline a click or 2.

 

Improve seats; adjustable lumbar on both front seats, height adjustment for passenger.
Improve road noise reduction; road noise is too loud for road trippin.
Improve handling; my 1999 Ford Ranger 4x4 handles curves better than a Prius! shameful!
** the ONLY 50 mpg car available in the USA needs to be road-trip worthy! Comfort and handling, dig?

 

We almost didn't buy our 2010 Prius because the accident avoidance and lane keep assist required buying an extra, $8,000 of 'eye candy.' I've long believed that safety systems should be at least an option for all trim levels. So I've been tracking all accidents for over a year to see what would have been the likely outcome if the Prius involved had these advanced, safety features:

	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5	Column 6	Column 7	Column 8	Column 9	Column 10	Column 11	Column 12	Column 13	Column 14	Column 15	Column 16	Column 17	Column 18	Column 19	Column 20	Column 21	Column 22	Column 23	Column 24
0	[tr][th]date[/th][th]AAV + LKA[/th][th]Prius[/th][th]motorcycle[/th][th]non-Prius[/th][th]pedstrian[/th][th]Summary[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/08/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed lane for a head-on.[/th][/tr][tr][th]02/13/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Bicyclist stopped in lane at night.[/th][/tr][tr][th]02/19/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Single car accident	left lane and drove into pillar[/th][/tr][tr][th]03/24/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Prius left lane for head-on	three car accident.[/th][/tr][tr][th]04/20/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Single car	Prius left lane[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/07/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed into opposite lane	head-on[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/07/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Pedestrian walking in middle of highway opposite traffic[/th][/tr][tr][th]07/22/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed into on-coming traffic	85 year old driver.[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/10/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed lane into a head-on collision[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/14/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed lane into head-on collision with jeep[/th][/tr][tr][th]09/21/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius left lane and hit tree.[/th][/tr][tr][th]10/09/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius failed to stop approaching a two-car accident[/th][/tr][tr][th]11/02/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius left lane to a head-on collision with truck[/th][/tr][tr][th]12/23/2011[/th][th]100%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Single car left road to hit a tree[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/25/2011[/th][th]75%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius driver medical condition	wife tried to steer car.[/th][/tr][tr][th]03/04/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]2[/th][th][/th][th]Malibu crossed lane	head-on	Prius drove into accident[/th][/tr][tr][th]05/11/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Speeding Prius hit speeding motorcycle[/th][/tr][tr][th]05/27/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Skateboarder in road hit Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]07/07/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Speeding Prius missed curve	hit car	landed inverted.[/th][/tr][tr][th]07/19/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Pedestrian stepped into traffic in front of Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]10/02/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Multi-car accident	pedestrian tried to cross traffic hit by Corolla	Prius involved[/th][/tr][tr][th]10/17/2011[/th][th]50%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Jaywalker stepped in front of Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/03/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius hit bicyclist crossing street[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/06/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Car cross lane to head-on Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/17/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]2[/th][th][/th][th]Speeding car crossed lane	airborne	10 cars.[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/24/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Minivan turned into Prius forcing accident[/th][/tr][tr][th]02/11/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Motorized wheelchair drove into traffic.[/th][/tr][tr][th]03/06/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Jeep ran stop sign in front of Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]03/15/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Pedestrian jay-walked in front of Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]04/16/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]ATV crossed in front of Prius on highway[/th][/tr][tr][th]05/27/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Prius-Jeep accident.[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/10/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Prius failed to stop forcing van into traffic[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/22/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Bicyclist rode into road ahead of Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]07/29/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Prius turned into pedestrians in cross-walk[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/29/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Ford crossed into head-on collision	multi-car	a Prius involved[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/29/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Tarus crossed lane	head-on truck	multi-car collision	Prius involved.[/th][/tr][tr][th]10/28/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius turned into traffic[/th][/tr][tr][th]11/15/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Delivery van crossed lane to head-on a Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]12/06/2011[/th][th]25%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]3[/th][th][/th][th]Subaru crossed lane into head-on with a Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]01/27/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Bicyclist ran stop sign into Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]03/19/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Motorcyclists passing Prius that made a turn into motorcyclists[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/08/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius stopped for jogger crossing street	bicyclist rear ended Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]06/11/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Oldsmobile ran red light and T-boned Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]07/31/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th]Prius was side-swiped after Honda-bicyclist accident[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/12/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius pulled into traffic	three car accident[/th][/tr][tr][th]08/18/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Cadillac ran stop sign	rear-ended Prius[/th][/tr][tr][th]10/09/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]Prius crossed into traffic[/th][/tr][tr][th]12/28/2011[/th][th]0%[/th][th][/th][th][/th][th]1[/th][th][/th][th]Jeep ran into Acura and passenger died	and then hit Prius[/th][/tr]

There are accidents that are unavoidable. For example, another car runs a red-light, stop-sign, turns into another, or in one case, became airborne. But it looks like this safety system, the accident avoidance and lane keep assist, could easily cut Prius fatal accident rates by 1/3d and the faster, mechanical braking, should help some fatal accidents become survivable.

In April 2009, it looked like the real cost of accident avoidance and lane keep assist was about $2,000 but you had to buy $8,000 of 'eye candy' first. We would have bought the Prius with a $2,000, optional safety system instantly if we could have had that option.

Bob Wilson

 

My brother has a Scion xD. The arm rest compartment has a small notch so a wire can be ran through.

My 2010 has no notch. So the wire for my iPhone charger/aux line is always pitched when the court meant door is closed (almost closed).

I suggest putting a small notch like the xD's to allow you to route the wire.

 

I'm not asking for more space. A reclining rear seat can be done with out making the back bigger.

 

OP, first off what a great idea to engage fellow PC'ers! Has anyone mentioned exterior styling? Toyota did a great job in redesigning the 3rd gen and I'm hoping it will be even better for the 4th gen. The Toyota concept (FT-Bh) that was revealed at the 2012 Geneva auto show was stunning. Okay from some angles not so much...

As for improvements, how about better sound insulation with something lightweight like felt or styrofoam. I know they can do it, they build Lexus afterall. Doors that shut with a solid thump, window visors that actually block the sunlight, hid/led lamps on all models, a more durable looking interior fabric, moving the dash closer to the drivers side and a space saver spare for the plug-in model.

 

This is a simple one.

When the climate control is manual (Auto light if off), my car sometimes switches from recirculate to fresh. I don't know why. It's in manual, so i don't want it do do anything on it's own.

My suggestion is when the climate control is on MANUAL, the climate control DOES NOT DO ANYTHING ON ITS OWN.