My Concerns with the New Prius

The whole point is to use wireless Android Auto or Apple Car Play to send your phone display to the main screen and stick your phone in the Qi charging slot. The Qi slot has an on/off button so you can use it for just storage if you don't have/want wireless charging. If you really want a wired AA/ACP connection, you can connect using the plug at the front of the center console and leave your phone in that little tray underneath it.

 

Yes. Being single with no family to come to the rescue I have to rely on AAA. They have put a spare on but I can’t imagine them using a tire repair kit. Plus the two times I’ve needed the spare put on it was because of damage that I don’t think the repair kit could fix.

Does the Toyota roadside assistance work like AAA? Was thinking of letting go of AAA for the two years of Toyota roadside assistance.

How does one find a spare for these rare 19 inch wheels? If you take the foam out from under the cargo space floor in order to store the spare, I don’t understand how the cargo floor would be supported.

 

The temp spare would be the same for either 17” or 19” rims. The simplest, virtually the only sensible/practical method to get a spare, properly stowed, is to get the LE level, which comes with it.

that’s the only level I’d be interested in, but I’d need to hold-my-nose for the one-door Smart Key System. And, LE’s not even coming to Canada lol.

 

i 'think' i have read that toyota roadside assistance only tows you to a dealer, but i'm not sure

 

I guess I better inquire. I always tow to local dealer because I don’t have anyone else who works on hybrids and they have been decent with pricing. If it was a tire issue, I would tow to place where I purchased tires. You are reminding me that my AAA plan tows up to 100 miles. I rarely break down in a convenient location.

 

i remember reading that someone got towed to a dealer on a sunday by toyota roadside, and they had to go back the next day because they were closed.
but it might have been because they didn't have a spare, i'm not sure.

 

Toyota roadside assistance tow only to the nearest dealer. If it is for a flat tire, you will be forced to pay a high dealer price for repair or replacing the tire.

I dropped AAA membership after 30+ years due to no usage and high fees. $150/yr for two members. I added the roadside assistance coverage on my GEICO insurance. It cost $12/yr for a vehicle. For the towing, it is at the same level of service as AAA, as far as I can tell. Used once on my car that was throwing CEL due to faulty cam solenoid. I probably could have driven it, but used the towing service. No additional cost for 60 miles towing that time.

 

I’m comparing to see if I could live with LE in order to get better gas mileage and 17 inch tires but I’m confused about a few things.

High beams are only “auto off” on LE. I presently have what would be considered the 2009 Limited. Headlights shut off after I’ve parked and opened my door. They automatically turn back on when I start car. So I have to remember to turn headlights on when starting an LE?

LE doesn’t have smart key even for the driver’s door. I think this is the deal breaker for me after having smart key for 8 yrs.

During my quick test drive of LE 2022 I think the seats weren’t as comfortable as the softex seats. Softex seemed a bit more padded maybe?

LE now has softex steering wheel unlike 2022. Was hoping to avoid softex steering wheel so I could add leather cover.

XLE, XLE AWD and Limited are the only models that have 12 in media screen as standard or available.

Front and rear parking assist with auto breaking are standard on XLE, XLE AWD and Limited but available on LE and LE AWD. I think this is important for me. I’m good at parking but I like the idea of the auto breaking.

I asked dealer what it would cost to get 19 inch wheels switched to 17 but haven’t heard anything yet. Would I be purchasing the 17 in wheels/tires and then have to sell the 19 in? Dealer helps with this?

Thanks!

 

we don't yet know if there is no smart key, or if it is driver door only.

there's no standard for what a dealer will do for you on wheels, and it doesn't matter what they say now.

you have to accept the possibilty of having to buy 17" wheels, and selling the 19" yourself, and hoping the dealer will help.
and also if 17" will fit on 19" models, i don't think we know that.

 

I was basing my info on the Toyota website. I suppose it could be just preliminary info but it’s already set up to build your options and first allocation is supposed to be over the next week. I do see that some of the add ons have photos from 2022.

 

i added some more to my post above. agreed, the website shows nothing for sks, which seems odd.

 

Toyota isn't going to use different hubs between trims. The only thing to keep the 17'' not fitting the higher trim will be larger brakes. They are close in overall size, so would just be like rotating tires to swap them. Smaller wheels might be problematic, 16'' might be the smallest.

I hope its brightness is controlled with the rest of the dash.

I think there was two. There is an article on the team floating around here.

My guess is that it works like your current car, if the switch stays in the on position. The auto on/off likely means there is a photo sensor to allow auto switching from daylight running lights to headlights when it gets dark.

Until the site specifically says what the LE has, I won't count one door smart key out.

Any reason why leather can't be added over softex?

Dealers may not be able to do anything until you buy the car. Changing the wheels means admending the window sticker. Maybe you could find one willing to swap the wheels between cars on the lot, which means having multiple cars that haven't been sold yet.

 

The tax used to be 9/10’s a cent and once you add something it never gets removed

Now maybe it’s marketing? It’s like an appendix now that tax hasn’t been 9/10 a cent in 90 years

 

Thanks! I spoke with service manager today because I was getting a noise checked on my 2009. Another moment of gratitude that they put my car on the lift twice…once to remove rock from rotor and then today to check clamps again due to still hearing a noise. Total charge
$2 to replace clamp.

He said that assuming the 17” wheels would fit, I would have to pay for the 17” tires and wheels and then they could possibly consign the 19” for me. He’s not convinced the 19” wheels are causing a decrease in mpg. I just read that low profile 19” tires are not as good in snow and are a bit noisier! I manage to get through my local snow situation with all season tires on my 2009. There must be a logical reason for 19”.

Service manager was suggesting that upgrades in the XLE/Limited models like seats with electronic adjustments add weight and can lower gas mileage more than tire size.

I wish Toyota would explain why they put 17” tires and spare tire in LE and not the others. Manager thinks people buying the upgraded models aren’t as concerned about gas mileage but I disagree plus isn’t there a concern for comfortable, quiet ride?

 

Unless the 19in set are the exact same weight as the 17in, then it is the wheels are the main cause of the economy difference. The added features of the higher trims do add weight. Toyota is leaving the spare out to help counter that. Added unsprung weight has a much greater impact to efficiency and handling. That is weight not riding on the suspension system; the wheels, brakes, the suspension itself, etc. Some claim a pound added there is like adding 10 pounds to the trunk.

The different tires are the same width, so the contact patch on the pavement is the same. Any difference between the two in snow will be because of different tire models. Different tires can also explain the difference between noise levels, but also the spoke designs can have different air noise.

Shorter sidewalls will have a stiffer ride, but the suspension can be adjusted to compensate for it. It is going to take test drives to determine if the differences bother you. The 19in set is just borderline low profile; its sidewalls are 0.8in shorter than the 17in.

 

Heck, 15" tires are completely lost in the dust.

19" rims will likely be heavier, and the weight further out from centre, so greater inertia.

 

The new wheel and tire combos are about 2 inches larger in diameter than the old model's sets. This gives the car a taller effective gear ratio, which means better efficiency.

 

They could have the same gear ratio with smaller OD wheel/tires, depending on what's set at the transaxle design stage. Not now though; with the transaxle design done.

 

They could, but likely used an off the shelf part from the old Prius or Corolla to reduce costs. The hybrid drive trains in the new Prius are ones already used in other models.

 

Unfortunately the big ugly square is in fact molded into the bumper. It’s was specifically mentioned in a few of the video reviews. I hate it so, so bad.

Between that square, and the overly low head room and me being 6’ 3” I think this may no longer be on my list to purchase. Lastly I’d be fine with 18 inch tires but 19 will be too rough I expect. Would like an 18” option from the factory.