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Taking my Gen 4 for granted

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by raspy, Oct 10, 2017.

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  1. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    I don't see many people putting bumper stickers on cars now. Perhaps it's to prevent $group from keying one's car?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #41 pilotgrrl, Nov 24, 2017
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  2. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    @raspy Perhaps that's because your report comes from someone who more thoroughly understand the Prius, not the inflexible hack accustomed to driving would-be racing cars. (y)
     
    #42 RCO, Nov 24, 2017
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Geesh, Volvo used to be the staid/sensible car company.
     
    #43 Mendel Leisk, Nov 24, 2017
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  4. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    The first car on my short-list last year before I bought my PRIUS, was a Golf Wagon. Good on paper, great layout - till I drove it. I really wanted a Manual with RADAR Cruise, but they're not bringing Manuals to Australia, so I took a DSG for a run. It was very quickly removed from my short-list. I agree, the DSG was so lumpy - I'd only driven it a few hundred metres, and had to do a merge into traffic - pressed accelerator, nothing, nothing, nothing, then it lurched into the space which had rapidly closed up because it had been so tardy. I quizzed the salesman, he said "you get used to it". Hmmm. Of I went and did the things I always insist on a test drive, like a 3 point turn in a narrow street, a drive through and park in a supermarket carpark and reversing up a hill. EVERY time, I quizzed him - is this normal - "yes, you get used to it". I will say - the hill hold worked well both forwards and in reverse.

    I was so relieved to return to the dealership and get into my Fiesta Diesel Manual - and it took off on a steep hill without any lurching, just so pleasant - and I think it rode just as well too.
     
    #44 alanclarkeau, Nov 24, 2017
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  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Yes, at least 2 of my VOLVOs were staid and sensible.

    But my first one had lots of get-up and go - a 1973 164E. It was basically a 144 with a 3 litre 6 cyl Fuel Injected engine. It had a decent turn of speed for 1973 - 17.4 standing quarter, not expected in a VOLVO, nice car.
    upload_2017-11-25_14-9-0.png
     
    #45 alanclarkeau, Nov 24, 2017
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Nice whitewalls!
     
    #46 Mendel Leisk, Nov 25, 2017
  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Actually not my car - mine was identical, but without whitewalls - my only photo is in B&W:eek: (& lost I think:oops:).

    My variant with the narrow straight bumper only existed for a short time - most I ever saw were the early version with the dropped middle bumper with a larger grille
    upload_2017-11-25_15-46-47.png
    then soon after mine came out they put the shock-absorber (ugly) BIG bumpers on.
    upload_2017-11-25_15-48-17.png
     
    #47 alanclarkeau, Nov 25, 2017
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  8. raspy

    raspy Senior Member

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    So I spent yesterday driving a 2017 Prius plug in hybrid (also called as Prime) - it felt heavier than my Gen 4 (especially the steering) and the battery seemed be fine driving on the motorway at 70mph, although the range of the battery declined rather quickly with all my overtaking on the motorway. Didn't feel as smooth to drive as my Gen 4 though.

    It was the top model so I tried out the parking thing where it backed up into a space in a car park by itself, and it did well. Not as well as the Volvo XC90's park assist, but way better than the VW Arteon's park assist.

    Bottom line: I still love my Gen 4. Apparently, Toyota have got their EVs ready to go into production, market forces have brought their timing years forward. Well that's what a little bird told me. I think I would prefer to replace my Gen 4 with a Toyota EV (rather than the Prius PHEV) if they do bring something out next year.
     
    #48 raspy, Nov 28, 2017
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  9. raspy

    raspy Senior Member

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    I am test driving a bunch of EVs now as there are huge financial savings for me in London if I were driving an EV (or even a plug in hybrid) every day. I have test driven the Prius plug in, but it's lower down my list because it's longer than my Gen 4 and ideally I want to get something a bit shorter.

    I test drove the new Nissan Leaf today. It has a range of 150-170 miles in the real world, some kind of semi autonomous tech (brakes, accelerates and steers on the highway) and one pedal braking.

    Overall, I think I will be crossing that car off my list. Compared to my Gen 4.

    Pros
    The silence as you waft around
    Felt more spacious (especially legroom in rear)
    Instant torque off the line (but runs out of puff quite quickly)
    E pedal braking was fun (driving with only one pedal was fun but a bit weird at very low speeds)
    A bit shorter so better for parking at home/my travels in London
    Less tyre roar at high speeds from rear

    Cons
    Steering wheel only adjusts for rake, not reach. Plus the seat wouldn't go low enough for my knees (I'm 6'2") and the driving position was seriously odd, where my knees were up in the air near the wheel and my hips were really low down. I got knee pain and general discomfort during the 45 minute test drive.
    Feels like a much cheaper car in terms of build quality
    Missing the essentials (such as Auto windows for ALL 4 windows, it just had auto for the driver's window)
    Road sign recognition was silly. The speed limit sign is tiny on the dashboard compared to the Gen4. What's the point of making it that small?
    Much firmer ride on 17inches (50 profile tyres vs 65 profile tyres with 15 inch on mine) - it made my Gen4 feel like a Cadillac. This was the worst part of the Leaf, the way it crashed over ridges/bumps in the road that I would barely feel in the Gen 4)
    No Heads up display
    Larger turning circle
    The Propilot seemed less smooth than DRCC on the Gen 4 when following a truck. The auto steering in the lane was less confident than either Tesla or Volvo's systems that I've tried.
    Blind spot monitoring was not as good. Only a small red dot appears. I like the Gen 4 where it's solid orange light but also then flashes to indicate changing scenario.

    Oh and the sales person who took me on the test drive didn't know anything about the car and the technology, often providing me with BS answers, claiming that he'd driven every car on the market as part of Nissan training, and he remarked at the end of the Gen 4 Prius drives really poorly compared to any Nissan on the market.

    I then drove around 100 miles the rest of today in my Prius and there are so many small things in which I really notice and appreciate Toyota's approach to the car.
     
    #49 raspy, Feb 6, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2018
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  10. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Thanks for your detailed review @raspy . It is so refreshing to hear a critique from someone who 'really' understand the subtleties and finer nuances of hybrids and EVs.
     
    #50 RCO, Feb 7, 2018
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  11. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    We're waiting for Toyota's EV coming out, SWMBO's 2006 Gen 2 is getting a bit old now
     
    #51 kithmo, Feb 7, 2018
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  12. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Hmmm - I don't think it'll be "while you wait", TOYOTA doesn't seem keen on the idea.

    Maybe check out the IONIQ? I haven't seen it yet, but they've held off them and will release all 3 mid-year. If it's like other KIA/HYUNDAI cars of late, it'll be built at least as well as a TOYOTA with a better warranty. (My KIA 11yrs ago had no warranty issues, whereas I had 2 in my PRIUS in the first few months + a recall.)
     
    #52 alanclarkeau, Feb 7, 2018
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  13. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    I'm watching the Ioniq!
     
    #53 RCO, Feb 7, 2018
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  14. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Be interested to hear - I'm sure we all secretly are ;).
     
    #54 alanclarkeau, Feb 7, 2018
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    They are throwing money at it.
    Toyota to form electric car technology venture with Mazda | Reuters
     
    #55 Prodigyplace, Feb 7, 2018
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  16. padroo

    padroo Senior Member

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    Interesting story, at the end it mentions James Dyson the vacuum guy getting into the EV business.
     
    #56 padroo, Feb 7, 2018
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  17. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Yes but that was news last September when we all need about how Dyson sucks!
     
    #57 RCO, Feb 8, 2018
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  18. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    Also Toyota and Mazda are building a new plant in Alabama. The stories may be related.
     
    #58 Prodigyplace, Feb 8, 2018
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  19. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    #59 RCO, Feb 8, 2018
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  20. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    I like the Ioniq, but I couldn't go back to a speedometer behind the steering wheel, having to look down to check it. (n)
     
    #60 kithmo, Feb 8, 2018
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