consumers reports tests touring!

Touring Suspension Parts Research

Hi Smitty,

Your dealer's Parts Dept is definitely wrong.

BerkshirePrius researched this issue on the Toyota Prius OEM Parts database, and his conclusions were that the following suspension parts on the Touring Prius were different than those on the Standard Prius:

FRONT: Touring Front Stabilizer Bar

REAR: Touring Rear Stabilizer Bar, Shocks & Springs

I also researched this issue on the parts database, and came to the exact same conclusions as BerkshirePrius.

FYI, if you want to buy these Touring suspension parts, they cost around $390.

You should read BerkshirePrius' thread on the subject entitled "Touring Suspension Parts Research". I would link it here but the new server is misbehaving and right now it doesn't allow posts with hyperlinks. So you'll have to do a Search using the words "Touring Suspension Parts Research".

If you decide to change to these Touring suspension parts, I'd love to hear your review and about your experience.

Good luck.

 

I think you have to gauge your own driving experience vs what you read in CR. I'm a subscriber, and I watch their reviews and reliability feedback closely--have participated in their surveys.
My experience is you can significantly improve a car's handling by changing the tires. The Prius sits pretty high, almost as high as an SUV--though the ground clearance is not as high. It sits a bit higher than a Subaru Forester, which I was next to at a traffic light yesterday. That may mean a high center of mass. If so, handling would be improved with a 55 or 60 series tire vs the 65 OE. I had a Jeep Liberty a few years back, and improved the handling dramatically with 70 series tires (vs 75 OE). Toyota opts for the narrower tire, probably for cost and gas mileage. The 16" wheel size is not as important as the tire width.

Does anybody know if a 55 or 60 series tire is acceptable to Toyota with 15" wheels?

 

Don't know exactly what you mean by "acceptable to Toyota". But a lot of PriusChatters have put 195/60/15 tires (and I think a few have put 205/55/15 tires) on their OEM 15" wheels.

 

Consumer Reports Full Road Test Report of Touring + Comparison Chart of Base (Standard) vs. Touring

If anyone is interested, attached is a Word file with Consumer Reports - online edition's full road test report of the Touring, together with its handy comparison chart of the ratings and specifications of the Base (Standard) Prius vs. the Touring Prius.

On the comparison chart, I've highlighted the differences in bold red:

Consumer Reports Prius Touring v Base.doc (291.5 KB, 0 views)

 

I drove the 2008 touring and found it stiff and uncomfortable. I drove the base model # 6 and found it took the bumps much nicer. There is more rubber between the rim and the road on the 15 inch tire. I had the 2 models side by side for 3 hours, as I and the salesman test drove them. The touring I drove was less money than the base # 6 which was "over" loaded. If you have a sensitive back I would stay away from the touring version. The price of replacing those 16 inch tires will add to the mpg loss.

 

rigor,

I was wondering, how do you find the HIDs?

If they seem fine to you, what do you think might account for CR's low opinion of the HIDs? Mis-aimed? Auto-leveler broken?