Finally saw my first Gen 4 on the roads

Yes.

Really.

I haven't touched a G4.
Since I'd rather have a colonoscopy without being anesthetized than visit a SE Toyota dealership, I'll have to wait until the next time I'm up North to drive one.
I started driving my G3 in 2010, and there were still passionate arguments about how they ruined the beloved G2 on this forum.
However (comma!!!).....I've never actually bought a Prius, so I'm only biased by having driven 95,000 in my work car.

The human animal does funny things with memory.
See also: Nostalgia, which is a fancy word meaning "I don't remember all of the bad crap, only the good crap."
I still remember that my honeymoon with the G3 wasn't anything to write home about.

I made myself a New Year's promise that I wouldn't rag on the G4.
I was horrified when I saw the concept vehicle, but at least Toyota is moving in the right direction.

The G3 handles like a pig on roller skates, and it accelerates like a scared tortoise.
(There's a difference between a tortoise and a turtle I'm sure, but I don't remember what it is.....)
The seats are abysmal, and the interior makes a Nissan Versa seem decadent by comparison.
It has a Hellen-Keller radio, Camaro rear visibility, more blind spots than the NYT editorial board, and X-box 360 steering is about as exiting as a 1980's Atari video game, which is where they got the "see-no-evil" MDF.

The reason that I would buy a new leftover 2015 TODAY is that despite all of these unfortunate qualities (and more!) the G3 has been bulletproof in terms of reliability, it's capable of getting 50MPG in the real world, and they're inexpensive now at less than $20,000 out the door (TTL.)
And......I actually like how the G3 looks as much as you like how the G4 looks.
It's a little more angular than the G2, but it's not......well.....there's that New Year's Resolution kicking in again.

I'll just stay out of the car market for a while and either get a G2 Volt, or see what the folks do for a mid-course correction in 2019.

Until them?
I couldn't be happier that the G4 is attracting buyers that are willing to defend the car ON LOOKS!
THAT's new.

 

Yes I think the gen 3 looks better than the gen 4. I also think the gen 2 looks better than the gen 4.

I don't understand why you are talking about the fuel economy though since that's a completely different discussion. Are we not allowed to say a car is ugly if it has better fuel economy? Huh?

 

Right now, yes I do think the 2013-15 Prius looks better than the 2016. That's why I'm curious to see what the presumed 2019 will look like.

I didn't care for the 2010-12 Prius exterior aesthetic. The revised taillights, black wheels, & black trim accents on the 2013-15 really transformed the look for me.

No I don't get 62+mpg & unfortunately it doesn't really matter. At least not economically. Anything above 40mpg has ever greater diminishing returns in annual savings. I love the technological achievement the engineers have achieved. I'm assuming your aware of that economic model but if your not I will post follow-up info.

Lastly handling is a very subjective vehicle trait. I'm excited for you that your pleased with the handling performance of your new vehicle. For me personally when I'm after on-road performance I ride my sportbike because for me no car provides the same visceral feel & experience that a well tuned & set-up bike does when I'm leaning through a nice sweeper & then the acceleration as you leave that curve is unmatched by almost all current or past road legal cars.

 

I have one of each (Gen 3 and Gen 4) in my driveway, and think both look great.

It will be interesting to see how the most opinionated reviewers think once the new styling becomes common place.

 

I bought the gen 1 and gen 2 and was trying to hold out to buy a gen 4, but my car got destroyed last year, so I was "forced" to buy a PiP and I now own a gen 3 styled Prius.

I'd rank the look like this: Gen 3 ~ Gen 2 > Gen 4 > Gen 1

So yeah, I've not been deterred from buying a Prius by its ugliness, but I do realize that they aren't really great looking. I'd say the Gen 3 and Gen 2 are at best not terrible looking. And despite the fact that I think the Gen 4 looks worse than the gen 3 and gen 2, I still would have bought one, had I not had to buy the PiP last year.

However, despite my willingness to buy Priuses of any generation, I fully understand the opinions on looks for this car from non-Prius fans. IIRC when the 2010 came out, people didn't like its looks and were generally negative about it, but the reaction to the 2016's looks seem to be more harsh, and unfortunately, I can't say I disagree.

 

Have not seen any on the road at this point. Not like in the past when the new generation came out and everyone wanted to be the first to own one.

 

Well, it's still pretty early for them.

 

Other than mine, I've seen 2 others around. I bought mine out of necessity though rather than I was watching Priuses. Not being a previous owner, I had no clue a new Prius had just come out.


Merged.

That is because it is one sexy beast

 

True, but it's more than that.

It keeps looking better and better the more you have a chance to bond.

This is the automotive equivalent of a Picasso, in a world where some want Thomas Kinkade (the guy who paints the Jigsaw puzzles).

 

Hmmmm....

Yes.
I see..... That clears a few things up!!!

Thanks.

 

Those white plastic wheel inserts are very strange.

 

They aren't white. They are an alloy color. That said they are strange. I wish they were easily removable as I would like to see my rims without them. They don't just pop out like a hubcap though. They don't seem to be meant for removing easily.

 

hubcaps are not my cup of tea.

 

What are you / we talking about? Inserts? Can someone provide a closeup pic pls?

Do you mean the touring package rims have a plastic insert on the rim?

 

Yes. On 17", thr black portion is rim, the silver (or white or whatever) is plastic. In short: all the rims have plastic now.

 

Oh darn. This is weird!!

I honestly didn't realize this. Why I wonder? The old top level trims and special editions had decent rims?

 

Oh, I wouldn't wish that "blacked out" rim on anyone. Have you seen it? It shows in some of the early covered-up test car pictures: very utilitarian looking, there's lugs for the plastic pieces to push into, has an unfinished look too, at least judging from the rough pictures I've seen. It'd be nice if someone who's purchased a 2016 Touring level could some pics with the plastic bits removed.

When we were wandering around the lot in 2010, those plastic covers tipped us to go with the Canadian Touring.

 

It also isn't white, but rather silverish and I didn't think they were plastic until I touched them.