Shopping for a Prius c. Two, Three or Four?

Toyota Prius c - 2012 Models: Prius c One, Prius c Two, Prius c Three, Prius c Four

If you have the money get the four.

 

I really wanted a base model (One) but cruise control seemed like a requirement.. also the split seats, intermittent wipers. It was really the split seats, I have little kids so we need to be able to fold one down.

If I had wanted to spend a lot of cash on doodads, I would have spent it on gas and bought a less expensive sedan with frills. So it sort of depends upon your motivation. I bought the car primarily to save money so all the options seemed like a waste of money. I use my car as a city commuter though, not for long trips. Although it did fine in that role too! The bluetooth and iPod integration came standard, that's more than I need. But can it update my facebook status?!? lol

 

Interesting post. I had planned to purchase the 4 for the seats. Today, I drove a 2. The dealer will have heated leather seat covers installed for 1100.00. That pretty much takes care of the reason I was going to pay for the 4. I will then add my own aftermarket wheels and am set. Studying the added features from the 2 up, they just are not things I really need. The dealer where I test drove the 2 adds a "life time" warranty to the gas engine and trans, which starts after the factory warranty is over. 100 deduct for new engine or trans as long as original owner has car. Price is what's on the window. Could not seem to budge them. I am not done yet though.
I was impressed with the driver/passenger area in front. We have a Vibe gt now and I could see little difference in the room up front. The car is visably smaller but seems well proportioned. I do like the way the back end of vehicle looks. I could not find an instant mpg reading but it may have one. I use a scangauge so no big deal. Left a red light and drove the speed up to 37mph before the gas engine fired up.
The car was much peppier than I had expected. Wish it had a 6 speed manual like my Vibe but, oh well, can't have everything. Will have to get used to the cvt. The wife really smiled when I told her it was an "automatic".
So, thanks for the above post. I will read comments to follow, just as you do. The "test" car was blue. Not sure what color we want yet. Kinda thought black might be nice since we have the black Vibe and like it.
Dan

 

Kind of in the same boat as you, looking at getting a Prius C in the near future. (Also — hey, a fellow Spokanite!)

The main jumps from the Two to Three are the smart key and the fancy Entune headunit with nav.

Three to Four: the slight change in interior colors/materials (compare 1-3 interior, 4 interior), the Softex seats, the 15" alloy wheels coming standard, and the foglights.

Since the Four gets pretty close to the lower-end Prius Liftback trims (and lightly used Prii of recent years) in terms of price, my opinion of it is that folks who go that route likely prefer the C over the Liftback for size or other reasons. (i.e. feature set vs having to pay more to get those features in a higher Liftback trim.)

I'm kind of on the fence between the Three and Four; I’d likely be happy with either, so will probably end up purchasing based on availability/color. Prefer the Three above the Two since I do prefer the smart keys and I’ll probably add a reverse camera to that headunit (and I don’t mind that headunit at all). Would prefer the foglights and Softex, could go either way on the other Four features.

Probably the only package or accessories I’d prefer are the Paint Protection Film (some folks’ opinions here; alternative is to get a third-party film installed and possibly have more parts of the car protected, but the price and warranty are things to keep in mind) and the all-weather mats & cargo tray (also available at the PriusChat shop, probably cheaper there unless the dealer gives you a deal for it).

Car’s basically going to be both a commuter and a long-trip vehicle — in fact, I’m actually planning to buy halfway across the country while I’m off for a friend’s wedding — so my criteria are probably different from others’.

 

The leather seats are real leather that get done by a local shop. I looked at a set while at the dealership and they appear much nicer than the upgraded seats in the 4We have fog lights on the gt. What good are they? None. Looks and that is it. I suspect one could adapt the Matrix foglights from ebay if really wanted. I hate cloth seats. The Vibe has cloth seats and I promised myself no more cloth seats. Too easy to ruin them with stains.
Everyone is different and that is why there are 4 trim levels. I decided today that we can be happy with the 2 and the upgraded seats, with my own aftermarket wheels. That will put us at 23 grand. The cheapest 4 models I can locate are 25 plus. Seems the prices may have gone up with popularity.
Dan

 

Having bought my C after owning a 1996 BMW 3-series for many years, I decided to treat myself to a little tech and went for the Three with moonroof and alloy wheels. I didn't think the extra features of the Four justified the additional price difference over the Three, but I'm glad I decided to go for tech features, particularly the smart key/pushbutton start and the fancy head unit.

The Three (and Four, of course) also has the tilt/telescoping steering wheel with controls for audio and A/C, the touch tracer display, the multi-information display, Bluetooth, and voice-command for the navigation and audio systems. I'm very pleased with it overall.

 

The two is nicely equipped. Has more tech than the BMW I was driving and rides better too. I do not miss the sun roof or the alloys. Have good navigation on my phone. Up to you but one point of the C is to save money.

 

I say the 4, that is what I got. Yes for all the bells and whistles, but for resale value down the line.

 

Dan, Please check with your dealer if the seat covers will take care of the airbags, before you'll spend $1100. Two front seats have 4 airbags.

 

Model One - basic model, but still a nice car
Model Two - adds some driving/cargo oriented options
Model Three - adds a suite of electronic features
Model Four - adds luxury features

I felt the Model Two was worth the extra money for the cruise control, variable wipers, and split rear seats. As much as I like the Smart Keys in rental cars I've driven, after 35+ years I have a compulsive need to pull out the car key at the end of the trip. I also tend to keep cars until the wheels fall off. The remaining Model Three/Four electronics will be long since obsolete by the time I am done with my C.

The primary aspect to consider when buying a new car is safety - crash safety and driving/handling safety. Fortunately, all four models have the same excellent safety package. Toyota is no longer selling safety features, such as anti-lock brakes as an expensive option. This is a definite win for car buyers. In my opinion, the next aspect to consider is reliability, which is why I bought another Toyota. Once safety and reliability are settled, then start considering mileage, features, style, and all the other things that make us like or not like a car.

One other point, will you keep the Sonata? You describe some work days that are better handled by two cars.


Tom

 

Thanks. Will ask about the air bags.
Dan

 

I do not think you will regret it . I am mightily impressed with this car. The technology is a marvel, the ride is superior to what I traded in, the Bluetooth audio works automatically once your phone is paired - a very cool feature. Today I just took it out and drove around just because I felt like it. I got 53 mpg without even trying on a 30 mile jaunt on country roads with the air on auto set at a comfortable 69 degrees. My sense is that this just might be the future. I don't see myself going back.

 

I personally think, if you are considering a C3 or C4, maybe you may jump to a 3rd Gen Prius Two, since it is much more spacious and multifunctional with a better view. If you want a C, I think the entry-level might be enough. It has the necessary eco-technology to be a hybrid, and what's more, the extra price you pay for a hybrid can be earned back as soon as possible.
Anyway, my point is, if the price of your choice is close to a 3rd Gen Prius, it is not worthwhile.