Back Seat not folding down flat

welcome!
i think that's the way it is, and you have to build up the hatch floor to make it level. see the camping threads.
all the best!

 

Maybe it's flatter on levels with the spare?

 

I built my cargo area up with styrofoam (with holes for storage) to allow for a flat rear seat folded area.

 

@JimmyPri did some considerable camping modifications. I think there were a few others.

Here's one of his threads - and a YouTube to go with it.

Essentially - TOYOTA, and just about every other manufacturer focuses on many, many factors in designing a car. I think the last thing they think about is camping modifications. Though - PRIUS is good in that the Climate Control can be left running for a comfortable time camping - but I'm sure TOYOTA didn't think that through.

It depends on whether you've got a spare of not - but neither are level. With the donut spare, it starts at the same level as the boot floor, but the folded backrest is at a slight angle. You'd want your head up that end

I believe that if you don't have a spare, there is a drop - which you'd need to pack up as well as the slight slope.

[what is the instrument?]

 

No, it's normal in models without the compact spare. In models with a spare (3 Touring, at least) the floor is raised up to the level of the back seats when folded.

 

I think though, with a hatchback, it should be paramount, to have threshold flush with the interior floor, and the hatch floor level and unvarying, all the way forward to the end of the (folded down) rear seat backs. Essentially making the vehicle a mini cargo van. The Matrix was a good example, got that right. I believe hatch floor and rear seat backs were both a durable vinyl material of some sort, very easy for sliding things.

Our third gen is pretty good, I think once you get into the backseat zone there's a slight slope, but everything's pretty seamless, no ups/downs, fairly easy to slide things in, uniform support, say for items like a flatscreen tv.

 

Good in theory - but in practise, most cars don't do it very well. I've had 6 hatches - and only about ½ have had perfectly level. One of them was dead level, but there was a step from the boot area. It will only be level generally if the cushion folds forward and then the backrest folds down. Which can't happen with a PRIUS - there's a battery there!!!

When the backrest fold down over the cushion, as many hatches do, it generally doesn't get a good flat floor.

 

the problem with toyota, and most (all) manufacturers is, they don't make a habit of retaining the good when redesigning.
the new design takes precedence over function in many cases.

good function often gets compromised for questionable design improvements

 

About the only one I can recall with a good flat floor in 2016 was the HONDA JAZZ/FIT



Others - not so much

Honda Civic:

Mazda

AUDI

SUZUKI

FORD FOCUS

GOLF

 

Ours has a slight uphill slope, but all-in-all, pretty level.

 

I thought the Gen2 Prius was quite good too, at least according to old posts. The Gen3 didn't do nearly as well on this.

 

That's much the same as Gen 4 - which the OP was concerned about. It's flat enough to take a Flat Screen TV - I took some IKEA "wonder why there's an extra screw" boxes for a friend last week, and it was fine, despite it having glass panels.

I've considered camping - I'd put my head at the steering wheel end if I did.

This is mine:


But will depend on 1) does it have a Full Size Spare (no); 2) does it have a Donut Spare (yes); or 3) does it have NO Spare (no).

 

Mine's flat like that now, originally I had no spare and the gunge kit, but the dealer agreed to give me a space saver spare wheel and the surrounding foam as part of the purchase deal.

 

Yeah, I don't want to brag...
But the Honda Fit, excels at it's flat load floor, and configuration ability of the seats. For a sub-compact vehicle it's actually pretty amazing what you can fit in a "Fit".

There's some design elements in a Fit that I don't know why other manufacturers haven't copied. The "Magic" seats, the flat load floor, rear seat head rests that can be made level with the seats themselves. Just little things everyone could do.
Once designed into the vehicle, I can't believe making seats that can be flipped up, or headrests that can be pushed down, really cost that much more to produce.

But the standard seems to be, just being able to flip the seats down. If you end up a little uneven? They are thinking you won't really notice or care in the ether filled oxygen of a dealership showroom.

 

I think there is only one country (Israel?) that gets the full size spare.
The others are either donut spare or no spare.. More & more we are seeing no spare.
The Prime cannot even use that wasted space! The new e4WD has no spare.

 

The Fit (Jazz) was the first photo in my gallery in post #11. Yes, they're amazing. I remember the first hatchback I saw, the Renault 16, the amazing multi-folding seats - in 1965. It took till 2001 for Honda to do something almost as good - and most others haven't caught up with it - apart from the Honda HRV I think it's called. But - as I say, probably everyone is "happy enough".

 

I think someone commented on other countries in the Middle East - definitely Israel.

 

That 1965 Renault...is very "Magic Seats" like.
Guess the moral of the story is nothing is really "New".

Sorry, this is PRIUS chat..not Honda Fit chat....but if I could indulge myself one more time, I'd say Honda has what they call the "Refresh" mode with the Fit...which is like the Renault, pictured above, the ability to fold the front seat back down, flush and even with the seat bottom of the rear seats, effectively creating a long "Lounge" like seat. You can sit in the back seat...with your legs stretched out to the end of the front seat.
I love that feature for long drives, at rest stops. Allows me to drive a Sub-Compact, but create a seat with stretch out leg room, that is unrivaled by the most expensive luxury vehicle. Of course it's ONLY for rest...when completely stopped. But it's great on a long trip. I can take REAL naps on a long trip.

Maybe I'm underestimating how difficult it really is to employ design change? But really some of these aspects you'd think would be pretty easy to do.
IMO Honda doesn't "sell" what they have done right with The Fit aggressively enough.
It's not a Hybrid, but as a utilitarian, all purpose, hatch-back, it's a great product.