Rear Window

i don't like the view out the rear, but i see what you mean. while the upper window is usually pretty clean, the lower widow and body above the bumper are always filthy.

i wonder if the v window gets dirtier.

 

Yeah that seems to be a criteria for rear wipers: the more vertical the glass (and hatches typically are the worst), the more you'll see wipers.

 

For me, the rear split window is THE ONE thing I absolutely do not care for at all. Visibility is limited because of the bar across the back window. I absolutely love my 2014 Prius, but it bothers me so much that I may not purchase another Prius when it’s time to replace mine. It’s a safety issue for me not having a full view on the rear window. No car manufacturer would split a front windshield thereby hindering driver visibility, so what made Toyota think putting a split windshield on the rear window wouldn’t also limit visibility?

 

i think they couldn't figure out how to curve the glass, or it was too expensive

 

The split rear window has been around longer than the Prius. The Pontiac Aztek had one, and Honda CR-V did long before that. I'm sure there are other examples in automobile history.

The Prius' rear window probably gives more visibility out the back than a sedan's. Where that little back window is blocked by the trunk. the split window allows clean air flow off the rear while maintaining more rear view.

I liked it because the divide was at the right spot to block following cars headlights from my rearview mirror.

Cost is my guess, plus distortion, but why bother with one piece when you are going to put a spoiler there for aerodynamics?

 

good question, is the spoiler in the line of vision?

 

The times when I hate it are when it just sits in the exact right spot to block the following car's headlights from falling on the mirror-darkening photocell of my rearview mirror....

 

It isn't aftermarket, so likely not. It would if the glass was one piece.

Never had auto dimming. With some cars and drivers, their headlights light up the entire interior, and the split helps with that.

 

It's the one giant fly in the ointment with the auto-dimming mirror in the Prius.

I have had drivers follow me for 20 miles just at the one precise distance where the spoiler shadow is keeping the light off the photocell, but the whole full-power undimmed beam is drilling into my eyeballs.

I remember reading that somebody dealt with it by spinning the mirror around so the edge with the photocell was the top. Then the following car would really have to be tailgating for the same problem to arise.

 

My 2005 Prius had the automatic mirror dimmer. I HATED that thing for that very reason. Even aside from the back window divider interfering with it, I'll decide if and when my mirror needs dimming, thank you very much. If the car makes a mistake, there's no way to over ride it.

As for the safety concerns of the divider, I can't imagine what kind of hazard could be hidden by that narrow horizontal band. If you're going to be concerned about vision blockage, how about those massive A pillars that you have to look around while driving around a left hand curve?

 

I had to spin the rearview mirror upside down in the 2005. It was manual, so not because of the autodimming, but because Toyota doesn't design car interiors for my body and preferred seating position.

The A pillar of that Prius could actually hide entire cars from view at some intersections.