Gen 5 Prius/Prius Prime: poor fuel economy, poor choice of colors, poor choice of packages/options

Same situation at my local dealer. 1 or 2 a month. Small town with a few other dealers within 20- 40 mins away. I called a popular California dealer a while back to verify some info my dealer told me and they said they stopped taking deposits because their list for the 2022 models was so long. I think he said 600 people.

My 2009 has been good to me but it was the last of its generation therefore already looked a bit dated the day I bought it. : }

 

The gen4 Prius had a parking brake issue its first year. The Prime with its hatch.

The 2023 Tundra lost CR's buy recommendation, the only pick up to not have it, because of the issues with the first year 2022. The gen2 Rav4 was once CR's example of how even a reliable brand can have major issues in a first year model. The Toyota name means the odds are good for no problems, but isn't a guarantee.

 

Just emphasizing TB's point...

First six months of production will always have an issue or three, and Toyota is no exception. I would the argue the difference between Toyota and most other auto makers is that Toyota is more likely to quickly address/acknowledge the problem, come out with a fix or new part, and get those parts and notifications to the affected owners so those cars get fixed quickly.

Maybe I'm not being fair to other car makers, but I'm reminded of one of the problems with the Rav4 Hybrid and its fuel level reading. Toyota found out what caused the problem and created a new part that fixed it, but it all happened at the start of the pandemic and all the supply chain issues that came with it. Instead of a few weeks from customer reports to fixed vehicles, it took months before dealerships got the new parts. But that exceptional case from Toyota is closer to standard procedure from most other car makers. How many BMWs, GMs, Fords, Audis, etc. NEVER get fixes to their problems? Or it takes months just for the car maker to even acknowledge a problem before starting to drag their feet to fix it?

Personally, I'm the type of person that would have no problem buying a Toyota vehicle during the first six months of production and having to bring it back to the dealership 1-6 times over the first year to fix things(at their expense, of course). But I know there are a lot of people out there that would be angry if they had to do that. The easy fix is to just wait six months before getting yours. I want to get a Prime and I live in a non-CARB state, so I'm not going to have a choice in the matter, but many of you do. Just choose which timeline works best for your personality and situation.

 

I got the base model of my Prime because A) I absolutely HATE leather/plastic seats (outdoors in a Southern California sun makes them murder to sit on), and B) the higher models were waaaay too much money for features I either didn't care about or would never use. I was miffed that the only smart door on the base model is the driver's, because I can unlock my 2004 (option package #7) on the driver's side, passenger's side and hatch. Sigh. I have to admit that the 2023 looks way cool, and I'm envious of the longer electric range, but I'll be keeping mine until it dies (sort of like my 2004, which I still have!).

 

i got one of the first pips fresh from the factory in 2012. toyota nailed it. unfortunately, it has all the other gen 3 foibles, but they're not due to early production

 

if you're not shy, this is a good place to share what you find, if you find anything. There should be lots of others talking about what they like and what they don't like about the gen5 s ... I started here a year or two before I got into my first Toyota, a 14 gen3 PiP. I got it because our 06 civic hybid just got whacked by the dealers last in warranty service. Besides, there were rumors of a class action on the specific model in Cali for not being able to get the EPA mileage. Anyways, that class action was something else to go alone with the way Honda handled the hybrid system update a year or so later, around 2013. blah blah blah.....

I learned so much from the other owners of gen3 PiPs here, and had so much fun doing it, I can't forget that time and place.

I think you are right, especially if those others you're referring to are previous plugin owners. IMO, the plugin is a completely new game when comparing to a regular hybrid, any make any model. as always ymmv although I hope you do agree this time ....

 

I think you missed the word EITHER in the requirements!

 

You posted only the traction law.

According to the passenger vehicle traction law you do have 3 choices,

1. AWD or 4WD with any tires (which is dumb IMO)
2. 2WD with winter or all season tires
3. And if you don't have any of that you need chains.

The passenger vehicle chain law means you only have one choice: put on chains or else.

Certain roads have the traction law all winter, but the traction law is usually applied as needed. The same is true with the chain law. In other words roads basically have these levels in Colorado, depeding on the situation:

1. No traction law in effect (roads are good).
2. Commercial vehicle chain law in effect (roads are getting bad, but only commercial vehicles need to do something about it).
3. Passenger vehicle traction law in effect (you need either good tires or chains, but the state will let you slide if you have AWD. Roads are getting worse).
4. Passenger vehicle chain law in effect (roads are really bad and every one has to put on chains).
5. Road closed (roads are so bad that if you venture onto the closed road then you are nuts and you'll be fined).

 

Okay fine, but if the conditions are bad enough for the chain law, the last vehicle I would want to be in is a Prius. In fact, in my experience of 30 years on the front range (I-25), they will close roads before invoking chains because practically no one, except CMVs, is actually prepared with chains.

 

If I deam a road needs chains, regardless of what the government says, I'd rather be in a Prius with chains than an AWD anything without chains.

True, there are times that throwing on chains to get out of a sticky situation would have been easier to do in en an AWD. But I use chains liberally when roads are bad on long trips, and the AWD vehicles that I drive don't change my perspective on the need for chains. In reality these times are few. I don't get stuck but once every 5 years. And I try to advoid going down bad highways whenever possible. But if I do have to go down a bad highway I don't see AWD as being better than chains.

That and I'm cheap. Usually an AWD vehicle is thousands more than the 2WD version. A set of chains is much cheaper. For the few times I need either AWD or chains, I'd rather get out and put them on then to be paying way more for a car.

 

There are easier to use chain alternatives that meet the law requirement.
The experience of some with these laws is that the authorities invoke the chain law, and while people are pulling off the road to install them, they then close the road.

 

No....they ALL have the same clicking key fob as before. The Smart Key is a newer type that you can unlock with your cell phone...

No, higher octane gasoline does not not improve engine efficiency or MPGs....

 

Hi Gokhan.....There are many more differences between base model (LE) and the next trim (XLE) than just wheel and tire size.

 

Here are my current thoughts. : )

If I could design my own Prius/Prime I would want a 16 inch wheel XLE or Limited Prime with Prius interior and 1.5” off road lift. : } Since I can’t design my own….

I really want a Prime for flexibility (weekly free charging and possibly more frequent charging in the future) and the fact that it would get better mileage than my 2009. Hard thinking of going from a 2009 to 2023 with very little improvement in mpg. Unfortunately I really dislike that large copper looking strip on the Prime dashboard. Initially I thought it was just a red light strip. Maybe I should get the Prius (Bisco thinks this is a good idea) and if I’m really bummed I didn’t get Prime due to access to more chargers, I could switch to Prime in a few years when hopefully copper strip is gone.

Psychologically would probably be easier for me to upgrade from Prius to Prime with possible electric range increases and cosmetic changes. Electric range will probably be the same until next generation, right? Prius or Prime would have better resale value?

I was reading about the Prius off-road 1.5 inch lift kits and how they don’t affect gas mileage that much depending on tires. How is that so? I’m bringing this up because my 2009 slammed into a speed bump this afternoon despite my crawling over it. I’m turning 60 in 2023 and I really hate worrying about ground clearance.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

Right, Toyota doesn’t increase range until next generation, if at all.
Resale is generally based on purchase price, so it really doesn’t matter.
If prime were more desirable, they would be selling more

 

I guess I was overlooking that they don’t sell as many Primes. Thanks

 

Lies, and Human language.

If you send me $3,000, I will send you a check up to $1 Billion Dollars!
I'll also send you an add-on, that will increase your Gas Mileage and HP up to a Trillion Percent.
This mod will have no, or minimal effect on your gas mileage. ("minimal" isn't a definitive amount, and would up for interpretation to different individuals.)
All of the above are true, and legal statements.

I can also show real Dyno runs (yes real), that show that by duct taping my custom dead rubber chicken to the roof of my Prius(the only mod I'd do to the car), I had a Dyno gain of ~5HP gain! (yes, all real). Extremely few people are very knowledgeable about Dynos and Dyno runs. I did my first dyno run, when I was 16. My last dyno run, was ~4 years ago.

Plus, just the blatant mistake, misspoken, or incorrect statement in a forum: "I'm the King of the World."!

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItjXTieWKyI
Titanic 3D | "I'm the King of the World" | Official Clip HD
20th Century Studios UK
Mar 16, 2012

Raising the car will likely result in an ~10%-15% decrease in gas mileage.
Just check out the Rivan, Ford F150 Lightening, and Hummer EV videos, and when/why the trucks get lowered (on the highway), or raised (off roading).


More importantly, raising the suspension of a new car, could/would void ~90% of the Warranty Coverage.
I'm not going to argue with anyone, just call up the Toyota Platinum Care line.

Fwiw, I could make a case, that it even effects the battery power draw (which it does) and the recharging (boarderline, but imho, boarderline means that it could). Therefore, 100% of your battery warranty is void.
In fact, because of the added harshness of the ride, and the forces the car could be subjected to, an experienced subject area expert, could make the case that the added harshness and vibrations could be the cause of failure on the radio.

Fwiw, going back to the 90's, Manufactures have been voiding warranties, because of the use, driving of the vehicles. One of the earliest, was detecting Quarter Mile Runs.
Now, with the GPS antennas, going off road, or running in an open class night on a NASCAR track, and many other cases, could mean a possible 100% voiding of the warranty.
So, no taking your Prius on the dunes of the Cape.


Last, your new car is your car. It's up to each person to decide what are the correct things, if any, to do to their new vehicle. If you want to drift race the Prius professionally, that is your choice.
Just realize, what the limits of Toyota's warranty and responsibilities are.
For example, in some States, taking ownership of a new vehicle and saying it's for commercial use, can result in reduced taxes. However, in some States, that also means that the Lemon Law for new vehicles does not cover that Commercial Use vehicle.

Good Luck!

 

I certainly wouldn’t do it if it voided the warranty and didn’t have any plans of driving off road. Heck the Toyota website used to say adding the cat shield offered as an add on could void warranty. Looks like they removed that warning.

At least the ground clearance on the 2023 XLE is .7” more than 2022. : /