Looking for a level trunk

Search (via GOOGLE is easier, but mention PriusChat in the search) for camping Gen 4 Prius - you'll find quite a few who have done it.

 

Any models with a spare tyre have a flat trunk.
As stated in your other post in the Prius Camper forum

 

McGyver a solution. I did, and have slept in the back of my L Eco ... and I have a full sized tire as a spare as well.

 

I suspect the 5” drop is due to a missing spare. Even the uk version without the spare only drops 2” at the most

 

I raised my trunk floor to accommodate a full-size spare tire, which has the additional benefit of making the floor nearly level with the rear seats when they're folded down. I used chunks of foam ordered from http://www.foambymail.com. I got two 70"-long, 6"-diameter cylinders of closed-cell polyethylene, chopped them into a bunch of 5-1/2"-long segments, and surrounded the spare tire well with them.

makes for a nice firm level trunk floor. photos are here: imgur link

 

same

A spare full-sized tire method | PriusChat

 

My 2022 Nightshade XLE does not have a spare and is basically level (the seat backs have a slight incline).

 

This sounds like someone took the foam support out that took the place of the spare tire and its foam.

Care to show us a picture of what is under the trunk floor mat?

 

On the 2022s if there is no spare you have a tire repair kit. If someone removed it and the foam it fits in I bet you would have exactly the situation you are describing.

 

Sounds like the XLE is just the ticket

 

I thought you were going to trade it in for a flat trunk

 

Idk, but post #8 says XLE

 

you used squishy foam, I used rigid.

 

Interesting choice.

I was looking forward to whatever sound mitigation the squishy foam would give to the rear, but it was barely disernable.

It is, however, a little (not a lot) comfortable to sleep on.

 

4th gen roofline slopes down more/faster in the rear, compared to 3rd. Seems to me they "slammed" the hatch floor, to recoup some cargo space stats? Even with a spare, the hatch floor drops an inch or two beyond the threshold? The last hatch they got right was the Matrix, my 2 cents: with the rear seats down you had a pancake-flat loading bay. For a few years it was plastic, with longitudinal runners, a mini cargo van. Then they tarted it up with carpeting?

 

I've never owned a Matrix, but I've heard so many good things about them over the years that I look upon them fondly when I see them out in the wild. Saw a pristine one driving a week ago.

The reason I learned about them was that they were possibly the last small car to actually have a substantial tow rating.

 

Here is my full-size spare conversion in my 4-touring. the flat level truck was a pleasant side-effect and not the main purpose

Installing full size spare in 2015 4-Touring | PriusChat