Yeah, you DEFINITELY don't want to back into a cop car. The others probably aren't as big of a big deal, so it's nice to know if the vehicle you see behind you is fair game.
I didn't crop anything. That's the picture my phone took. That's what you see. Actually the iPhone camera has a better image since it is processed by the phone. It's just a major fail.
All I'm trying to say is "beyond" the left and right limits of your picture, due to the sloping belt line and c-pillars, visibility gets even more obscured. I'm in agreement with you.
Rarely -- the angle of the window is much sharper. With the rear windows defroster running, everything just runs off. I would suggest you should turn on your rear window defroster, it would have helped. That said, I don't like the rear window either, and I didn't like the hatch in a 2010 Prius any better -- I would much rather have a small sedan, but nobody makes one that fits the role of my prime, it's simply the best. That doesn't stop me from wanting more though!!
If memory serves, it was with the Echo, that Toyota started this "trend" to front-to-rear upward-sloping beltline. That means when you shoulder-check, there's precious little window area to see through. ^ I really don't "get" this, looks wrong; like the suspension is messed up, or God knows what.
It does look weird, but strangely enough, I actually like it! Just because it looks so odd and kinda ungainly......like a newly born foal.... iPhone 6s +
Sedans have had a slope to the rear window like the Prius top one for quite some type. In inclement weather, the view out my Camry's is just as bad as your Prime's, except I don't have a clear second one. The defroster helps with snow and ice, but not much with a mild drizzle.
The difference between a Camry and a Prius Prime is that the rear window in the Camry has a fairly steep angle whereas the Prime's window is basically flat.
I am the one who dose not miss the rear wiper on my PRIME for I rarely need to look the rear of my car using the rear view mirror or I already have way too much cargo in the back that even if there was a wiper I would not be able to see through anyway. That being said, I wonder what was the rational behind the car makers to equip almost all SUV (and minivans) with a rear wiper and not sedan or coupe. I've had numbers of sedans and coupes that had fairly flat rear window but did not come with a wiper, but as far as I can remember all of our SUVs and minivans had rear wiper even though the rear window was almost vertical.