2010 Options?

There isn't an answer, at least not yet. Toyota has not published the various packages.

Tom

 

This is what's new for Prius here:

• Driver Knee Airbags
• Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Driver Seat Vertical Adjustment
• 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
• Touch Tracer
• EV/Eco/Power Modes
• Tilt/Slide Moonroof: Solar Ventilation System and Remote Air Conditioning System
• LED Headlamps
• Intelligent Parking Assist
• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Pre-Collision System
• Lane Keep Assist

.

 

Things have changed a bit since my parents ordered a brand new VW Beetle in 1961. They got the optional gas gauge, but no radio. Horsepower was increased by about 10% from the previous year ... from 36 to 40 HP. The car also came with syncromesh in first gear, another major improvement. Solar panel powered ventilation was not offered.

 

Yup. Optional fuel gauge. The year before it wasn't even an option. There was a foot lever that you kicked to flip over to the reserve portion of the fuel tank. So you ran until it started to cough, kicked the lever, and then there was about 0.7 gallon of gas left. If you were good enough at it, it only cost a few seconds of reduced power. If you weren't so good, the engine died and you were stuck until you figured it out. Some people kept a card clipped to the visor with the next estimated odometer reading for an empty tank.

The next year they made the fuel gauge standard. With one unique wrinkle, the labeling of empty was the letter R. As in Reserve.

Power brakes? You've got to be kidding. Drum brakes all around, no power. Not particularly effective either. Sometimes you wanted to drag your foot on the ground to help it.

And then there was the technology for operating the windshield washer. Instead of an electric motor, VW used air pressure from the spare tire to pressurize the reservoir. With a special valve to prevent running the tire pressure down too far. Part of refilling the washer reservoir was to top off the spare tire pressure.

Oil filter? Just change the oil every 1000 miles and you don't need a filter.

 

From comparing the different features in each package...

..the Silver is roughly equivalent to the current Package #4 ( with some +/- );
..the Gold is roughly equivalent to the current Package #6 ( + Htd seats, MR, Solar, RAC );
..the Platinum is off the charts.

 

But only if you get Nav.
No Nav, NO MFD and no back-up camera.

 

Note that Silver has a driver door smart key system, while the other two packages have a three door package. Hence this means that the Silver model will not allow you to walk up to the hatch or the passenger door and unlock by touching the appropriate spot.

 

hm, i am not so sure about that .

1. there is MFD in dash
2. quite possible backup camera will be optionally in rearview mirror, like on many new Toyota's

.

So at the end, no nav = no nav?

 

The backup camera displays only through the MFD color screen, and the MFD color screen only comes with the Nav package.

Tom

 

If the back up camera is inextricably paired with the navigation, then I hope the two are available in a decently priced, lower option package number.

I'd hate to see important safety items like the back up camera and stability control move from their present Package 2 to the equivalent of Package 5 or 6. That would be a huge step backward for Gen III which Toyota is hyping as the "safest Prius ever".

On average, about 2,600 kids a year in the United States are run over by vehicles backing up (resulting in about 100 deaths a year). If all vehicles were equipped with back up cameras, I think most of those accidents and deaths would be avoided.

 

What's the Star Safety Package?

In any event, it'd be terrible if the back up camera moved from Package 2 to Package 5 or 6.