Prius 2 versus Prius 3 pricing

I totalled my 2G Prius w/option package 9 and replaced it with a 2016 Prius Three w/ATP and TSSP.

I had the smart key on the first one. If yours had that, you will definitely want to go for a model that has it. My 2G didn't have a nav, and it had the standard premium audio, there was no screen.

Many people don't like Toyota's nav, but I do. I would be lost without it, as I moved not long after I got my 4G. Rerouting around traffic jams it's pretty cool, and it gets traffic data from the HD radio, no additional cost subscription necessary.

The HUD and DRCC are must-haves for me now, I can't imagine how I drove without them. I really appreciate the TSSP, too. I paid for it, and it's not the full package, but I find it well implemented, without nagging, even at the highest settings.

I do like the auto headlamps. The 4G has 3 door smart key and illuminated entry, which the 2G had.

I could live without the moonroof, Qi wireless phone charging pad, and Entune, but I don't have anything bad to say about them. (I find the Qi charging pad a curious accessory, makes me wonder how many Japanese phones offer the feature. Samsung devices are pretty much it for Android. Nokia offered it on the late, unlamented Windows phone)

Test drive a Three with ATP and see if the HUD is or isn't for you. Maybe that will help you narrow down the field.

 

The One is $1200 less than the Two and only deletes a rear wiper and seat back pockets. I'm pretty sure no one would pay $1200 for seat back pockets. I'm not satisfied with my navigation or head unit. The JBL sound quality is good though. I'd go with the One (or Two if you need the rear wiper for $1200). The Three adds some nice things like Qi charging which is nice for Apple-haters (unfortunately I like Apple), SofTex steering wheel and console, Auto-on headlights, more Smart key doors, navigation with bigger screen. The One is a GREAT value mainly because of all the safety features standard. You'll be able to negotiate because Prii are not selling well.

 

I went with the 3 over the 2. Decision was based solely on my need for Nav and XM. And...
I typically buy my new vehicles from carsdirect.com to avoid dealer hassle; however, I still visit the dealership to test drive. Got to talking with the dealer during a test drive, he offered to match the carsdirect price on the 3 (which was the same price the dealership had on the 2), so we took the 3 on the spot...
Maybe see if you can leverage with an online car sales site.

Edit: grammar

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Interesting question. NAV systems in cars existed before smartphones, and in their day were considered extremely high tech, and generally only luxury cars had them. Prius had built-in NAV as far back as 2002, but that was in an era when Toyota treated Prius as a technology showcase, for example HUD has been available in Prius since 2010.

Back in the day, a few people (including me) used a portable GPS in their car, at a time when GPS was mainly used by hikers. My first GPS twenty years ago had only a crude map with major highways listed and didn't even have a routing function. Eventually portable GPS evolved to the same level as onboard NAV systems, some would argue they are even better. Smartphone apps for sure are better than onboard NAV systems.

However onboard NAV systems have one big advantage, they are always there, front and center, ready to be used. Not everyone is comfortable fumbling around with a smartphone app while they are driving. And unlike a smartphone, if you want to see where you are, you just glance at the screen instead of having to reach for your smartphone and holding it up to our face

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is a nice merger of the two as it displays your phone's map route and upcoming turns on the MFD.

Another disadvantage of using a Smartphone for navigation is that it drains your phone battery the whole time it's in use, so you have to make sure your phone is plugged in while using it. And if you were planning to recharge your phone on the way to your destination, the GPS usage will slow down the charging rate of the phone.

 

I believe that the Two also adds the smart key for the driver door only, and a spare tire (instead of the tire repair kit that the One has)

 

The One and Two have smart key on the driver's door only. Two Eco and above trims add the smart key on three doors. Of course with the Two Eco you also delete the rear wiper, but you get better MPG supposedly. The One does not have a spare, only a tire repair kit. Two and Three have a temporary spare.

I'd use Google Maps or Waze on my iPhone all day long over the car's built-in nav.

Google maps has predictive traffic that tells you the best time to leave your house. You can search places in a snap on your phone where on the car it takes minutes. The phone tells you when there is an accident, cop car, or hazard ahead of you reported by other people. I find the navigation in the Prius to almost be unusable. You actually have to type in the address word-by-word. It's extremely annoying. Why do we have to type the state?? The POI list is not nearly as good as our phones, which are always up to date. All this is why everyone wants Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the Prius.

Cars just don't have good infotainment systems. They are simply not as good or easy to use as our phones. The only upside to the built-in nav is that it works if you have no service in your area and if you get the HUD you don't have to look at the screen for your next turn.

The price from the Two to the Three is pretty small, so the Three is sort of a good deal because of the bigger screen, more smart key doors, and SofTex steering wheel. ATP is also available on the Three.

 

A very nice appraisal of the system, but I'm not sure that the Prius allow any facility to mirror link from a phone. AFAIK Apple Car Play and Android Auto will not work fully without buying expensive bolt-on kit.

 

That's what I said without naming Beat-Sonic specifically.
Remind me again, what was the cost?

 

No problem.

 

The main reason I got the two over the one was the 2017.5 two came standard with Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (and emergency rear braking, and parking assist). I have used all of those features (minus the rear emergency braking) far more than I thought I would. I paid almost exactly $21,000+TTL. The threes seemed to be more like $2000 more ($23,000+TTL), and that did not seem to be worth it for the NAV and the rear hatch smart key (the only features that I would use at all). I'm also a little skeptical about the long-term prospects of the new Lithium Ion battery in the three.

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The One and Two have the nickel-metal hydride batteries and the Two Eco starts with the Lithium.

I found this article: Lithium-ion vs. Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries - Lithium-ion Vs. Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries | HowStuffWorks