Thread repository for ALL non-PriusChat reviews of the 2017 Prius Prime

I sudder to ask but what 'score' did they give the car?

I spend one afternoon in the library to do this analysis: Consumer Report responds to criticism of their review | Page 7 | PriusChat


Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

CR scored it 73 out of 100, and 6th of 26 compact cars tested. The regular Prius gets a 77 and is ranked 3/26 compact cars. Apart from the inaccurate MPG and EV range figures (compared to my experience), it was a mostly positive review. It was on point about the touchscreen looking cool in the showroom but being a PITA to use. They said the shifter also had a "steep learning curve," which amused me: "up for reverse, down for drive, push button to park" ain't super complicated. But then again, my wife won't drive my Prime Premium due to all the newfangled technology (fine by me!), so maybe they're right.

Perhaps CR didn't try the different driving modes, as they weren't mentioned in the review; I keep mine on "eco" and can usually get 55-60mpg not counting EV, and that with a lot of highway driving. And as anyone here can tell you, it's capable of much more than the stated 22.5 miles of EV range. I usually get 30 miles myself.

This link is for the video road test, not sure if it's subscriber-only: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Road Test - Consumer Reports

 

Mr. Wilson, I believe they gave the Prime a score of 7.3. Yeah, I call that a Southern Implantation of the Cranial Member!
They rated the standard Prius at 7.7, and said the Prime got 2 mpg LOWER than the standard Prius!! I must secure massive doses of the intoxicants they are employing, as I could make a fortune with them, unless of course they are illegal!!

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Thanks for sharing! I guess I am just very surprised at the lack of love the prime receives from most reviews. I generally am pretty objective and don't think that just because I own something that it is the most amazing thing in the world, but the prime is pretty great. I feel like a lot of reviews are dinging the prime and making strange comparisons. Is the prime a perfect car? Of course not. However it represents a great value and does so many things really well. Before buying the prime, I test drove a new crv, a Prius 4, and a volt and for me it wasn't really a close competition. For the volt and the crv there were things I liked better than the prime, but when looking at the vehicle as a whole is was obvious what was right for me. I totally understand why someone else might choose one of those other vehicles. But a regular prius over the prime? Seriously? The extra five cubic feet of cargo and cramped fifth seat mean that much? If Toyota made a non plug in version of the prime that got 75mpg, which is lower than what most prime owners average, reviewers would crown the car a must buy and compact of the year. But the prime gets no love. The vast majority of people looking at a Prius values fuel economy and environmental impact, for many the prime doubles the mileage over a Prius! I was hoping CR would write about that value!

 

Thanks! I won't have to stand at the magazine rack:

I once read the Consumer Reports, Gen-1 Prius review and thought it was 'fair enough' although there was wasted ink on 'pay off the hybrid penalty.' Those false analysis were common back then. It didn't take long after I got my used Gen-1 that the difference between Prius standard parts and the omitted, high-priced, options on the comparison car became apparent.

About three years later, Consumer Reports (CR) had to apologize in their 'hybrid premium' analysis when they failed to include the Federal tax credit in the Prius price. But then I noticed how Consumer Reports was unable to achieve EPA-like MPG numbers. Actually, they consistently failed on fuel efficient cars, HUH?

Thanks to @cwerdna, we learned CR creates their MPG numbers using a very short, 5 minute, cold-start test protocol. In effect, engine start overhead is repeated often enough to make sure the car is always going through that most inefficient and polluting modes, engine startup. Then my analysis of how their 'score' was derived, MPG has no detectable effect except possibly negative (see earlier graph.)

CR has gone through at least two managing editors since we stopped our subscription. But their latent, anti-efficient car bias remains. Just I don't have the time to 'howl at the moon' about CR, to CR.

Again, thanks for the details and please understand my rant is about Consumer Reports practices which appear to be immune to the simple observation: no one else can replicate their results.

Bob Wilson

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I have always wondered how they got such consistently low mpg numbers compared to folks here who specifically disavow driving like hypermilers. I thought maybe they alternated between full throttle and slamming on the brakes, to minimize regeneration, but I guess the cold engine test suite makes more sense.

 

Not a review, but an NPR piece on EVs generally (mentions Prime as one of several the reporter will test):

 

Source: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Test Drive Review

Easy MPGs. It’s just as easy to achieve crazy-good fuel economy while driving the Prime as in non-plug-in Prius. Just plug it in each night so you have 25 miles of EPA rated electric range the next day (I experienced about 20 miles per charge). The feds estimate you’ll get 133 MPGe, or miles per gallon equivalent, which is second in the U.S. market only to the Hyundai Ioniq Electric. In my week with the Prime, I achieved around 80 mpg with two full recharges of the battery pack and plenty of miles driven with it empty (it’s rated at 54 mpg combined with the battery pack depleted). While there are three driving modes that let you control your fuel saving strategy – EV Auto . . .
​

So I thought this was a reasonable review until:

Touchy brakes. After all these years, Toyota still hasn’t mastered making regenerative brakes on the Prius feel like traditional friction brakes. Apply what feels like appropriate braking force and the car will give you either 25 percent more or less than what you’re expecting. The result is a lot of hurking and jerking at low speeds.​

At this point I realized he does not drive Prius or even basic efficiency driving. He is the typical floor-and-brake driver who typically makes me motion sick.

Bob Wilson

 

Now that you mention it, my Gen3 brakes were very non-grabby. From day one, my Prime, below 8mph (where friction brakes are 100% active) are extremely "grabby." Good for stopping I guess, but irritating when I just want to creep forward slowly. I'm hoping the strange behavior fades with age.

 

I agree that Prime's brake at low speed is far more sensitive than Gen3's. Gen3 brake was much softer. Even after a month of driving Prime almost every day, I still come to jerky stop at the end of my driveway as slowly approach the street and stop. I never had this problem with Gen3.

 

The 2017 Prius Prime Took Me To The National Museum Of African American History

Remarkable review because of her excitement with the excellent mileage. She got 26.3 mpg. That is surprising!

I would like to know her driving techniques. A lesson in what not to do. Perhaps using both feet, one on the accelerator and one on the brake.

 

Same experience here with my Prime Advanced vs. my 2012 PIP.

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Hey kids, just found this pretty good review of Prime dated October 5th. Only error I found was mention of heated and cooled seats.
Check it out:
2017 Toyota Prius Prime Review – Video












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Still waiting to read a good long term review of the Prime. But then again that's all of us I guess.