Hi everyone, I’m in the market for either the Prius 5 Lifeback or Plug-In Advance and I’m ready to move forward with the purchase but I have one concern, the car’s clearance to the ground. I live in an neighborhood where our curb is angled about 30 degree. When backing out and not turning the steering wheel all the way to one side, my Acura TSX will hit the curb. The Prius looks like it either has the same clearance as our TSX or even lower which I’m afraid because the bumper can easily be cracked/damaged. So here is my questions: 1) if I buy the Prius 5 which comes with 17” rims with low profile tires (205/45/17)?, can I swap those out later with thicker tires of let say 205/65/17? 2) If I buy the Plug-In which comes with 15” rims with tires size (195/65/15)?, what is your suggestion to replace the rims to 16” or 17” with thicker tires that can increase the ground clearance without changing the way the car ride? My main goal is to get the car up about 1” higher and I don’t mind losing a little MPG by doing so. I only drive 13 miles to work (one way) and going from a TSX which takes Premium gas with 20city/28highway to the Prius is already a major improvement for me. A little less MPG on the Prius to get the car higher is worth it for me. Your help is much appreciated.
You may want to consider the Prius v Five wagon... The ground clearance per Toyota for the 2015 Liftback is 5.3 inches. For the 2015 v wagon, the minimum running ground clearance is 5.7 inches. You said you were willing to trade some MPG for ground clearance - that may be a painless way to do it.
Thanks for the suggestion. I have looked at the V and to be honest, I don't like the look of it. I don't mind sacrificing some MPG for the Prius but the V isnt. Sound like this could be a deal breaker for me.
I picked the liftback myself, so I understand. Looks like a 2013 TSX has 5.9" of ground clearance. However, other factors such as front/rear overhang make it very difficult to tell real-world clearance for your particular situation. Could you just rent a Prius Liftback from a Toyota dealer for the day? Or ask a neighbor - I would be shocked to find a Prius-free neighborhood in the Bay Area ps - looks like the HOV stickers are about to run out for CA if you are looking at the plugin...
You're right, there are plenty of Prius on my block and each one I have asked said it will go down fine as long as the steering wheel is turned all the way. The thing is, we want to replace our 2008 TSX with ground clearance of 6.1", with the Prius. The TSX is my wife's car and even at 6.1" clearance, my wife tends to scratch the front bumper because she forgets to turn the wheel all the way. We don't need HOV sticker due to our commute, so I'm actually hoping it runs out quickly so Toyota can increase the rebate to $4000 like last year. The only reason why we consider the Plugin is because of the Clearwater Blue color and we consider the 5 because at the moment, Toyota is offering $3000 rebate with average dealer discount anotber $2000. In the end both car cost about the same, but one has LED headlights which we like and one is a Plugin which is unique.
I can't determine what may or may not be a deal breaker for you. But I will say your observation that The Prius has a low ground clearance is correct and it could be an issue. But as you also know, a lot of cars today have a low ground clearance. Is this YOUR driveway? In other words could you change the parameters of the curb? Or since you are already somewhat use to this problem with your TSX, could you just continue to live with the "must be careful" reality?
I would think a good way to get an answer to your question about raising your car is to go to a local indy car shop and ask. They can definitely tell you if a different tire size would work for the car or perhaps a different set of springs.
If I'm the driver, then I don't mind the low clearance but I can't speak for my wife... Also, I know it doesn't take much to crack the front bumper as I have witnessed many on the street which I'm trying to avoid since it'll be expensive to fix. I rather spend $1000 on a set of rims to avoid the problem if its possible, hence my questions earlier but seems like it is not possible? Actually not all cars today have low clearance. The 2015 Accord which is our 2nd choice have 6.2" clearance. Maybe we just get the Accord which about $3000 cheaper , impressive MPG and features and call it a day. The thing is, they are everywhere. ..
Test drive one and ask if you can try the entry at home. 13 mikes one way may be further than PiP one charge can handle. That means you will be hit with warm up penalty the last mile. You cab choose to use only half the charge only if you cannot charge at work.
Do you rent or own your place? If the latter, maybe you can get that driveway reworked? The Prius likely will be bottoming out, and it has a lot of flimsy plastic on the underside. Personally I wouldn't mod a vehicle to accommodate a driveway profile.
It's a pretty common occurrence to have somebody come to Prius Chat and ask if buying a Prius is "right" for them. My standard reply is that they should really, really want a Hybrid or PiP because they REALLY want a Hybrid or PiP. And I think you have to want them for the benefits and reality of being a Hybrid. If a standard ICE vehicle is nearly as appealing? Or if you are buying The Prius just for the novelty of it being unique? Then I'd think your satisfaction or ownership cycle would be short lived.
[QUOTE="usbseawolf2000, post: 2181052, member: 2754" Thanks for the tip. I would never thought about using half of the EM for each way. If O to get the Plugin, is this the best way to maximize the Electric range? BTW, the commute is almost traffic all the time Also, we cant modify the driveway since it belongs to the county. Thanks.
I use EV miles to avoid ICE inefficiency such as short trips or very low loads or slower speed and traffic jams. With less stop lights/signs in NJ, I am doing 155 MPGe on EV miles and 55 MPG on gas. So, I am doing something right. I am making the best use of EV and HV without each dragging the other down. You may be able to get those figures in two cars driving in their ideal environments. The point is, I am able to get both in the same car while maintaining the same cargo space as a regular Prius. I am loving PiP to get the most out of both fuels. When gas prices went below $2.10, I stopped charging because EV miles cost me more and not worth the inconvenience of charging. I like that flexibility. Something an EV extremist will not be able to enjoy.
There's a bunch of tire experts around here. Maybe make a post about tires to raise ground clearance. F8L is one expert had a PiP.
