New Prius or New Camry Hybrid?

I remember the early parts of that thread and thought it was so weird some people were saying it wasn't like a touch sensor since my Prime felt like one.

Well, I can also confirm CDN Primes are also touch sensors. I didn't expect so many differences between the cars though. They're subtle/small but make a decent difference in driving experience.

I was also kind of disappointed in the OEM ambient light on the dash, it is so dim and I don't like how they end the strip early on the edges. It was my first time seeing it in person. I'm one of the people who added it back with an LED strip since my SE didn't come with it and I wrapped mine up the edges of the trim and it's a bit brighter. I thought my LED were dim for my taste but the stock ones are dimmer.

 

I understand the Japan manufactured Camry has hood struts. The US built one has a heavy steel hood & a prop rod. Before 2025 US Camrys had struts and an aluminum hood. Of course, 2024 parts will not work on the 2025 due to other manufacturing differences.

 

yeah, our 13 had nice struts. gone, but not forgotten

 

They have aftermarket hood struts for the gen 5 Prius, new Camry might be a matter of time till some aftermarket option comes out.

 

personal preference, I ended up w/ the Prius over the Camry.
It was purely aesthetics, I just like the Prius look better.
I also like having a hatch also (been driving my 2015 until now)

 

I didn't know it had a vibration dampener. That would explain why the prime seems much quieter to me.

I did know about the capacitive touch on the steering wheel, it is a pretty big upgrade to having to move the steering wheel to tell it you're holding it. It's a great experience to just lightly hold the steering wheel while the ADAS does its job.

 

Once you get used to it, having to move the wheel isn't that big a deal. The amount of input required is so small you can do it without anyone in the car being aware of it. On straight stretches with no traffic or visual obstructions, I often either have my index finger and thumb resting on the outside of the wheel in an L shape at the 5 o'clock position, or I use my upper thigh/knee to put barely enough pressure to trigger the torque sensor. I've also driven enough long trips(1hr+) that my body automatically has a 15sec timer.

As for the balance shaft, I'm not convinced the PHEV has it to reduce cabin vibration. I wonder if there's something about the crankshaft or the interface with the electric motors that would otherwise throw things out of balance on the PHEV. Something that isn't needed on the HEV. Without some Toyota inside info about the reasons for it, we're all just guessing.

 

Was it a difference on the gen4 or PiP?

I'm of the opinion that it is for the driver. I notice more going on with the car when driving than when a passenger. Seen enough comments here, and in reviews about the harshness of the engine firing up on a PHEV after miles of EV driving for a manufacturer feeling a need to address it. The engine was in the Lexus UX hybrid for years before the gen5 came along, so they may not have needed to add a balance shaft for the new Prime.

 

Do you mind sharing why your son regrets his Civic? I have a Prius coming mid December (long agonizing wait with a multitude of questions asked on this forum) and just noticed the 2025 Honda Civic hatchback hybrid has arrived. From what I’ve read it is more comfortable and more roomy than the Prius. Possibly quieter too? Honda reliability compared to Toyota? Problem being I don’t like how the Honda looks for whatever reason. Looks a bit dated to me.

My only disappointment with the Prius is the lower seats/ride and the 19” tires. I’m 5’ 3” and won’t have people in the back that often. Mostly concerned about future ailments with age but so far pretty agile. I also don’t know how reliable the Honda hybrid is. I live near a great Toyota dealership but the Honda dealership is awful. I love my Gen 2 Prius and Toyota hybrids are so reliable.

 

I would get the Prius for slightly better mpg, a proven hybrid system rather than a first year design, a 10 year 150,000 miles hv battery warranty rather than 8 years 100,000 miles and a distinct respected look rather than a Civic that looks too much like every other Civic from years ago.

Of all those factors, a brand new first year hybrid design in the Civic is the biggest risk. New designs always have design flaws that take a few years to iron out.

 

Get the LE. You probably don't need the XLE.

 

Yes. I just saw the difference in warranty as well. I’m pretty sure I will be happy with the Prius for a while. 8 years from now not so sure but one day at a time for now. : ) Thank you for your feedback. I will have to post a photo when I’ve actually signed the paperwork. : )

 

I probably don’t need the XLE but I want the more comfortable seats. I could really tell the difference in comfort plus there was a strong chemical smell coming from the cloth seats.

As it stands I’m getting the bare bones XLE. If I could have removed the AWD, I would have but I wasn’t about to go thru the trouble of getting one from a southern state. CT has felt like spring for weeks now which is bizarre but eventually we will get some snow and ice.

I wish the website that gave updates on build and shipping status by vin # was still available.

 

Most people would pay a lot of money for that new-car smell.

 

His is a gasser, As far as I can tell, I think it needs more servicing & maintenance than his 2010 Corolla did. I suspect almost any current model would be an improvement over your 2009 Prius. My son had a 2005 Prius and then a 2015 Prius V so I am somewhat familiar with the Prius. He chose to move to a RAV4 Prime from the Prius V.

 

Any vehicle I see on the website has been assigned to a dealer. They can lookup more information on a particular vehicle.
My salesman provided regular updates as he checked Mine. I knew when the VIN was assigned instead of the Manufacturer's ID and got updated production date ranges. Later, there were update on the expected delivery dates but it actually arrived a little earlier than expected.

 

Thanks. Back when one could check on Toyota-tracker.com it took about 6 weeks from build to delivery. I see local dealerships including mine have build stage Prius with delivery 12/15 and some saying 1/15-2/6. My allocation doesn’t have delivery date posted yet but salesman said 12/17 but it was just allocated mid November. The person helping me with this purchase was hoping to get transaction completed in 2024. Surprised they aren’t 2025 at this point. Oh well time will tell.

 

I would add that Toyota has the most advanced hybrid system in the business, and always has. Honda has great cars, but they are just a tad behind the curve on the hybrid technology.

 

The Civic isn't a first year model. The current generation came out as a 2022MY, and gets a facelift next year. The hybrids came out when the new model was released. The US just didn't get it in the hatchback until now.
Honda Civic (eleventh generation) - Wikipedia

Perhaps Honda is seeing some customer shift away from SUVs(the CR-V uses the same hybrid system), which would be a good thing.

Honda's two motor system is very much like Toyota's. Biggest difference is in Honda's being more EV centric at lower and medium speeds. The US first saw it in the 2013 Accord, and it was used in the short lived PHEV version.

Toyota themselves are moving to a BYD system for future hybrids and plug ins.

 

Thanks. I thought I’d seen the Honda hybrid before but thought maybe they had changed hybrid system.