I love my gen2, and my kids love theirs. But the wife will not consider it because there is no sunroof option. So what gen has a sunroof and is as reliable? Keep reading about head gasket issues on the gen3, so any opinions are welcome.
I would send my Gen 2 Prius if I was 20 years younger over to my buddy at trimline design and have him install the nicest electric spoiler activated type sunroof that they make now I think it's around $349 It pops up in the back and acts as a spoiler when you want it to and then it slides back into a tray when you want that with a front spoiler that pops up just like the sunroof on an 85 Supra If any of you all remember that or an 85 Celica GTS. And then I'd really never look back I don't know I guess you could get one of these new p h e v Prius things that are about 40 grand and you can get that cheap half white interior that's going to turn ugly gray in about a year or two and you'll be spending half your life sending it out to be cleaned etc etc The thinner sheet metal and if you lean against the car you put a dent in it and all that for 40K uhh no . I'd rather spend $5,000 refurbing and making a generation 2 tourer Nice again If I had one and really nice shape to begin with buying it correctly and all that even still today spend five grand on that not in repairs but on fixing it up nicely and that'll carry me until electric has become viable for the masses like when GM and Toyota venture off into the full electric world not Teslas and lucids. Anyway any of you older Toyota people know what Celica means?
From what I’ve read and heard, 4th Gen Prii are quite good from a mechanical and reliability standpoint.
skip gen3 if you want reliability. idk if gen 4 has a sunroof available, you can check 'toyota.com/owners' or wait for the panoramic roof on gen 5 next year
You know what is better than a sunroof? No sunroof. They all leak eventually, and I have never understood the attraction of having a window in the roof. Admittedly, on a very hot day opening the sunroof is the fastest way to cool off a very hot parked car, but it isn't that much faster than opening all the windows.
I agree with pasadena_commut. I always see problems with sunroofs on customers' cars. In particular the drains. Dirt and tree debris can/will clog things up and result in water leaks inside. Often I have to pull the seats and interior to clean and dry the padding underneath the carpeting (mildew - pew!). Even worse is if there is water damage (corrosion) to wiring and electronics. If you MUST get one, please open it up and carefully inspect - clean the drains once every year or two (more often if parked outside under trees). Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
I like the look of Gen 3 but would never buy Gen 4 unless for dirt cheap. Gen 4 is really fugly. Gen 3 has its reliability problems so I might buy a head gasket blown Gen 3 for cheap and fix it. If not I will wait for reliability info for gen 5 4 years down the road before I upgrade my beloved Gen 2.
Not discussing the logic or issues of sunroofs, wife requires it. My bad, too many old audis and volvos in the past that all had one. And only one had an issue due to a clogged drain. I never thought of aftermarket, figured the roof was not flat enough. Thanks, will do some research.
