Difference 15" vs. 17"

I test drove a 2016 with the 17" and 15" wheels. The 15s have a much better ride than the 17s. The 17s don't have much better handling compared to the 15s.

I ended up buying a 2016 Prius 4 non touring because the 4 had a better ride and you could get the sunroof and the heads up display (tech package).

 

I hope @GrumpyCabbie chimes in:

. . . About the only thing that goes wrong is that the water-pump can fail at around 200,000 miles. . . .
​

This may be a cultural phrase but I know @GrumpyCabbie had multiple issues with his Prius. Issues that still have me scratching my head. But the reviewer had one other comment:

Has it sold one to me?

Actually, no. The sort of people who will buy the new Prius are those to whom it makes the most practical or perceived sense.

Green Tomato taxis, Addison Lee, ‘private hire’ station and airport taxi operators, hotels, businesses that want to look ‘green’. Toyota is only predicting about 1,000 sales to private individuals.

So while the Prius is an excellent car, while I’m all for petrol hybrids and while I’m happy to make a strong case for it, it isn't my kind of car.​

VW diesels are 'stop sale' in the USA. I wonder if "Honest John" still likes them?

Bob Wilson

 

Sounds like in the UK the Prius is sold more for commercial use rather than for personal use. I thought it was funny on the 15" vs 17" wheels being brought up first time I have seen it in a review.

Myself I put on 20k a year 15s would be cheaper to replace.

 

The EU has a different drive protocol than the USA for emissions and mileage testing. In the USA, the manufacturer is required to report any configuration change that results in a different MPG or emissions result. No doubt the EPA is taking notice of this.

Bob Wilson

 

What makes Toyota's legal fraud particularly frustrating is that thier ad campaigns feature cars with the 17" wheels.

It matters little to me that the they can absolve themselves of responsibility for their subterfuge, thanks to the rules set forth by the EPA.

 

Actually, tread wear is 600 on 2 Eco.

 

The Prius seems mainly to be sold to taxi/private hire operators now as it is (was?) the ideal vehicle for that use. But many were also sold to private people as a nice family car. I don't know what Toyota UK are playing at lately. It's like they've got a new boss or new marketing person but they seem to be aiming the gen4 Prius solely at businesses. Just look at their range line up;

Toyota Prius - A Hybrid Icon. Again. | Toyota UK

Calling 2/4 of your cars a Business Edition is really alienating a chunk of customers. You might be a private person wanting a mid range car, but you're not going to get one called a Business Edition Plus. Well I wouldn't. You'd have a hard time selling it on as it gives the impression it would have been a work horse vehicle.

Sales of the Prius have almost collapsed over here, though the locally built Auris HSD appears to be selling well. I imagine the Prius is the sacrificial lamb as it's just way too expensive for what it is. I fear it'll be the last model Prius sold here. If as above most sales were taxi's and Toyota are now aiming more to that market, they'll have a hard job with the new lower rear roof line. The only saving grace will be if the plug in has a minimum 30 mile range, otherwise it really will be the end.

Just look at those sales bomb TOYOTA PRIUS (model family) - How Many Left?

Shame. A nice car with potential with a following of loyal owners if being mishandled. The EV forums I now frequent are full of ex-Prius owners.

 

Re: size vs emissions, it also depends on the tires used, and tire inflation pressure.

Yeah bigger wheels might improve handling, but that would require new rims and I'm cheap.

 

It is not mishandled if they dont want to lower the price

TMME (Toyota Europe) changed bosses 4 years back, focus is profitability and not selling maximum numbers of cars. Thats why they push Auris Hybrid, it makes them more money since it is cheaper to build and is built locally so no extra fees.

Average European thinks it is either a conspiracy against VW or they simply dont care since new VWs comply with EU6 regulations here and there is no stop sale at all. Now the fact that the testing is done on ICE roads, with taped doors and slick tires is not concerning EU governments so far. They simply glance over all the real world testing that shows 2000% more NOx released than EU6 maximum.

 

Interesting, Auris:

• £14,800 - base
• £20,000 - base hybrid option
• £1.01/litre - petrol cost

What would be the equivalent prices for a Jetta petrol, Jetta TDI, and diesel?

Perhaps what we need is a table with the various UK options:

	model	£ purchase price	interior	£ / km (or mile)
1	Auris petrol	£14800		£ ?
2	Auris hybird	£20000		£ ?
3	Leaf	£ ?		£ ?

Just reply to this note and extract the table to see the tags.

Bob Wilson

 

Toyota sells a lot of Yaris and Auris hybrids as well as Lexus ones in western europe... overall in 2015, they sold 209k hybrids out of 800k sales... not bad and record sales. I suppose they will do around 250k at least this year, with Rav4 hybrid and few months of C-HR.

When it comes to hybrid Auris, compare it to 1.6 diesel. Pricing difference is 1.1k GBP for same model and they are more closely matched, even if diesel is a manual. So all in all, about the same price for diesel and hybrid.

 

Let EU diesel regs mean the emission controls don't work below 20c/68f, so lots of poision to be emitted.

Maybe Toyota have realised people are happy to pay a premium for a hybrid (for now?) which is why the EU 7 seat Prius + (US Prius V) is £26k but the 7 seat Toyota Verso is £10,000 less. Similar sized cars, but £10k/$14k would buy a heck of a lot of fuel even at UK pricing.

Hybrids are main stream now I guess and the original owners who took the chance on what was new tech have just moved to pastures new? I guess increased interest in hybrids by the Muggles is a good thing and with diesel cars about to be hit with limitation on city access in many western cities, then sales of hybrids should improve further.

But the Prius is surplus to requirements in the UK lineup, even though in real life it achieves better mpg's than the Auris, and I would almost put money on the gen4 being the last model sold here.

 

Thats not going to happen. Core models for TMME are ones produced locally + Rav4. but that does not mean they will stop selling others. Prius + is certainly going away though. Core models as seen by Toyota: Aygo, Yaris, Auris, Verso and Rav4. I think Avensis might have fallen off that wagon and now C-HR is joining it.

Next Verso might get hybrid variant, and it is produced in Turkey so no customs, lower price. I think their goal is for every model to have a hybrid engine, thats what Toyota Europe is aiming for. Only thing missing now is Verso, as Aygo is too small, Rav4 just got it and C-HR is launching with it.

 

No, Dunlop Enasave treadwear rating IS 340

And, this jibes with the complaint of low tire mileage Honda owners have for Enasave's.

 

Is the Enasave actually supplied on the Eco?
I see that neither of the Ecos currently registered on the tire information thread have them. Need your help! Prius 4 tire information spreadsheet | PriusChat
If not, I wonder what implication this has for the mpg rating.

 

No, the Bridgestone Ecopia 422 Plus treadwear rating is 600. I know that because I have a Two Eco, and my Two Eco came with Ecopia 422 Plus, and when I look at the sidewall, it shows a treadwear rating of 600. I understand that Car and Driver reported Dunlops, but that was pre production. I believe that is no longer accurate.

 

So glad I found this post. We found a spotless '16 for my daughter and I kind of expected it to have 17-in wheels on it as it's an upper end model but discovered it had 15 in. I'm in the process of ordering snow wheels/tires and wondering the same thing but directly opposite. I was considering buying 17-in wheels and putting some bridgestoned blizzaks on it. I know the softer tire is going to yield worst MPG but I think it would be worse again still with the 17-in over the 15 in? Any replies would be greatly appreciated.