2010 Opinions from someone who is not exactly a Prius-phile...

And I'm thinking they will be pleased to read this post, because it probably validates what Toyota was trying to do, improve on the current generation and attract a whole new group of buyers.

 

Headroom in the back is fine in the 2004 - 2009. I'm 5' 6", who needs to be any taller? If you don't have enough head room it is you that has the defect, being too tall!

 

Darn it Evan, you beat me to the punch. I was going to say exactly the same thing. The width and front overhang of the new Prius have increased by less than one inch over the Gen II, which is not enough to be visible, and height is about the same. It's amazing what styling can do.

When I used to be in charge of designing MRI scanners at a major company, we had an industrial designer on staff who was a master at making the bore in the magnet look bigger that it was. Claustrophobia is a big problem with MRIs, but making the magnet larger hurts the performance of the device, so we used every trick in the book to make it look and feel bigger than reality. The facade had a larger opening that smoothly transitioned to the actual magnet bore, and the lighting got brighter as you went into the magnet. Everything inside was white, and fans ensured a steady flow of comforting air. You can do a lot with styling and industrial design.

Tom

 

SW03ES,

Seems we have many opinions in common. I too find the 2nd Gen ergonomics just ok at best. It's a shame to make a mid-size car where you really need to be within a certain height range to fit and be able to drive it without modifications. To add some salt, my 6ft 4in brother in law could fit in a new Honda Civic with no problems and be very comfortable in it.

I use a $5 foam wedge on the front part of seat only to support my thighs. I cannot stand driving around without that foam wedge any more. Tried without wedge on a road trip last weekend, hated it. Took 3 months to wake up to 'WTH am I driving around with my legs flailing in the air with no support'.

I have, just barely, a livable view underneath the massive rearview mirror, which is btw, flipped upside down, because if it was right side up, it would totally block my view. Maybe others don't mind driving around with a rearview mirror blocking their view. I cannot stand that.

And I tend to agree with Car and Driver's quote 'big money for a small car'. From reading C and D's reviews, their credibility has caught on with me

The ace in the hole with the 2nd Gen Prius is the outstanding, 50 mpg average fuel economy. The rearview camera, 3 door smart key, quiet ride, decent sound system, and storage areas are nice to have.

Consumer Reports says Prius has a 92% satisfaction rating. I'm one of the other 8%. As a first time new car buyer paying full sticker price, $27.5, over $30k otd for the car, I'm less than thrilled at this point. Yet, the technology looks so darn promising.

The technology just needs to be put in the right package. I think the 2010 will outclass the 2nd generation car in every way.

What's really crazy is, by the time you get the important stuff, to me - good ergonomics, comfort, adequate hill climbing power, decent sound system, a few nice to have add-ons (basic smart key) ....

I think the 2010 will cost the same as the 2009 car, since they seem to be trimming down on some options such as 3-door smart key, and rear view camera, and the problematic HID headlights, glad they are going away.

 

So why did you buy it? Ergonomic factors are something easily checked with a test drive.

Tom

 

Because I did not know I would react to having the rearview mirror in my way. The mirror did not bother me when driving a rental for a couple hours.

After a few weeks in the new car, I found myself trying to adjust the mirror up, even while driving, anything to get the darn thing out of my sight. Was fidgeting with it on just about every drive for a while.

You are 5ft 7in tall, you've probably never had a rearview mirror block your view. It's not fun and makes driving less safe.

We've butt heads since last July over whether or not the car should have a way to lower a person's body such that they can sit at the same level an average height driver does, without paying $$ to some upholstery shop to butcher the stock seat. Nothing more I can say about that.

I like my Prius, don't love it. It works well enough. I bought it for the HSD and hatchback format.

 

I love my prius a lot except for a few features that are missing. The sunroof, heated seats and seat adjustments will be great. The only problem is that my fog lamps will not be in the current model if you get the sunroof. It is one thing to offer new features; it is another to take away something that was always there.

I hope Toyota reconsiders and puts fog lamps in the GenIII model with gold package and sunroof. Those dummy plugs where the fog lamps should be really cheapen a $30,000 car.

 

Hi All,

I really like the present cars ergonomics, except for the lack of seat adjustments, and a possible scallopped out feature in the center drawer. Its really genius design.

One of the reasons I wanted out of my Saturn SL2 was the center console, which just destroyed the ergonomics of that car. I am somewhat disappointed they put in that boy-racer feature in the 2010 car for no good reason (mechanical shifter linkage), and downgraded the controls to old-fashioned technology.

I am 5'10 and somewhat wide at the hips and shoulders for my height. I have little fat below the waste ( I will be out for a 2 hour walk shortly), with short legs, and a long torsoe. My pelvis is just that wide, and I can feel it just beneath the skin and muscle. To give some perspecitve on this, during High School Footbal, if the team bus was full, I could sit hanging from the hip pads, between two seats in the aisle. The pads hooked into the tubular seat rails. And this was when I was 17.

The other day was in the car with another guy of similar build, although he was a couple inches taller, and a little narrower at the hips. Our knees were both in that area where the new console is in the 2010 car, but in the 2006 there was plenty of room. No problem. There is no way the new car will be as good with the console intruding into the leg space.

The rear view mirror is a little low for me, but not nearly as bad as on the Saturn SL2. They really should make the mounting points of those things some kinda slide rail. In the SL2 it was so bad, it was contributory to an accident I was in.

Being built as I am I just do not get the complaint about a the lack of thigh support. Its just about perfect - for me. But I showed a 5'10" female (20 something) acquantance with long legs the car. When she was in the driver's seat and her thighs just were way up in the air.

I also showed a VW Golf driver, with short legs, but 6'3" the car. His head it the roof, and he had to stoop to sit upright in the seat. While, in his Golf, he was fine. This indicates the problem with the upright seating postion, and thick seat bottom for such drivers. An easy solution would be an optional thin seat bottom seat.

Although, I have gotten all sorts of comment about the car being plenty wide - its is just barely wide enough for me. I concieously push my hip into the center drawer, when I get in the car, so I will be centered in the seat.

The Microfiber seats in the Prius are reasonably cool in the summer, and certainly warmer than other seats in the winter. I do not see any need for heater - and this from somebody who drives the car, after being parked outside, with limited heater usage (just enough to keep the windows clear) down to 0 F. A better heated feature would be the driving wheel.

 

I promise I will let it rest. Thanks for your advice.

 

All will be well for your 6'3" friend when he sits in the 2010 and cranks the forward handle in this picture ....



down about 8 times or so. He will have plenty of headroom. There was plenty of room under the Gen2 seat for this feature, even with the Navigation computer underneath it. Enough said.

Some of my frustrations stem from things totally unrelated to my Prius, so I won't sit here and bad mouth a good car.

 

I too went to the DC Car show. I was about to buy the 2009 but instead pre-orderd the 2010. Just to many nice features on the 2010 and it looks like it is going to be a nicer driving car. The toyota rep had great trepidations on the "late spring" delivery date. He kept saying "June 20th" and the number of cars coming to the US is unknown.

 

Unfortunately it isn't that simple. I took my seat apart and discovered that the foam isn't nearly as thick as one might expect from looking at it. You really have maybe an inch or an inch and a half, and taking it away could easily make it too uncomfortable to sit on.

Modifying the seat frame is the only real solution for a G2 Prius. It almost worked for me, except that the steering wheel is still too far away from my body.

 

Yea,

I forgot that in the upscale models they have the GPS box down there.

That was my female aquantance problem. The steering wheel was to far away from the reach of her hands. Thus the scrunched up legs.

Except for the center box, the Gen 2 Prius fits me perfectly.

Cycled...,

Well, that is good progress. Now if they could put a lever on the console so you could crank it under the dash board.

 

LOL ...

I moved my seatback forward 1 single notch to drive the twisty backroads (hands on top of steering wheel). I liked the seatback at that angle, except I got mad in the city 'darn rearview mirror more in the way!!!'.

So, in the city, I click the seatback 1 notch back, but can really only use bottom of steering wheel (arms totally straight reaching top of wheel).

Sigh .... would all be sooo much more simple with few clicks down of seat height adjuster or power seat. Ah well, make do with what I've got.

Telescoping steering wheel coming in the 2010 also, whew.