Rear underdeck storage?

the deck is only lower if they don't include a spare. but the space is taken by the new double wishbone suspension. so no more storage.

 

They could have done better in this regard .
An adjustable floor would have been the answer to this,but who knows,Toyota didn't stop calling the shown models prototypes,so maybe they will surprise us in the end !

 

push button electric? hydraulic!

 

civicdriver might have something here. How about an aftermarket floor caddy to fit the Gen 4?

 

where would you store it?

 

OK, I guess I have to design it. Imagine an insert that takes up the whole back floor, is about 5 inches high, and has a hinged lid. You wouldn't have a flat floor with the seats down, but what a great place to store your snow brush.

 

oh, permanent. now i get it. i thought it was 2". 5 is much more sensible. you could almost get a donut in there.

 

do any n/a models come with full spare?

 

No full size spare, but the small spare is available on some models. If you are asking about -any- vehicle, some SUVs and trucks come with a full sized spare. Usually on a steel wheel, but sometimes on an aluminum one that you can include in the tyre rotation. Not sure if they include the TPMS sensors in that wheel. They -should-.

Do note that they now have styrofoam in there for crash energy absorption. If you have the small spare it is part of that (must be installed properly and secured properly).
Removal of the foam -would- give you storage space, but at the risk of injury problems if you are rear-ended.

The GIII lost some storage space compared to the GII.
Looks like the G4 lost some more storage space compared to the GIII.

 

how can styrofoam help in a crash? is there any testing?

 

Starting on page 674, the 2016 manual on Toyota.com shows the 3 variations mentioned above by rocketrob (Compact Spare, Full Spare and No spare).
Potentially good news for those who prefer a full spare.

 

do the package configurations differentiate?

 

All the spares are temp, at least for North America, the levels with spare shown here:

Visual Tables of Gen4 Package Combinations | PriusChat

 

thanks!

why no spare in the 4 and 4t, what is in that space? is it to make up for weight of accessories?

 

With the temp spare models the deck is level with the hatch opening threshold, and with those without temp spare the deck is dropped down some. Both cases have some sorta Styrofoam filler pieces.

Looks like the same crappy scissor jack, works but barely. One thing in the pdf of the manual, the illustrations hint that they've actually reinforced the crimped seam on the rocker panel at the points you're supposed to put the scissor jack.

 

Yet the full size spare configuration is also shown in the 2016 Prius manual on Toyota's US website via Owners, Resources - Manuals, 2016 Prius.

There is a difference between this info and the current listing of models on Priuschat.

Perhaps it is an option or something they plan to make available in future. .

I also notice that the image in the manual shows some underfloor storage space being available on either side of the full size spare as well as within the spare. This could be very useful and help compensate for loss of the Gen 3's underfloor storage

 

There do indeed appear to be three options re spare tyre. The first is "no spare", instead they give you a patching kit including an electric air pump. The second is a "temporary spare tyre", known colloquially as a "donut spare". The third option is a "full size spare". Check out pages 675 and 678 in the owners manual document "OM47A29U.pdf" to see the full size spare. Further down in the manual they discuss the temporary spare and the tyre repair kit with pump. This owners manual may or may not be the one for the US and Canada, but as it was allegedly taken from the Toyota US website, I suspect it is the correct one. I got my copy on this forum. Not sure if it's still here. I further suspect the "prius team" have read some or all of the strong opinions on this forum, and adjusted the spare situation accordingly. They want to sell cars, and they want us to be happy with our Prius!

As for the styrofoam being for energy absorption, check out a Prius C. The "hatch area", such as it is, is the home of the crash energy absorption foam. A lot of it. On GIII and GII Prius, they warn repeatedly that you MUST secure the temporary spare correctly, as it is part of the energy absorption design. I submit, without really seeing the new car, that the same applies to it. The foam is most likely extra protection, to meet more stringent standards now in effect.

 

in the gen4 sticky, 'visual tables of gen4 package combinations' done by tony, only shows a donut spare. i wonder if there is any toyota documentation showing which package(s) come with full size. i wonder if it will be based on the weight of the rest of the car, or just thrown into package 4 as an up sell or value added?