Cant decide between 2010 Prius IV or V

ask yourself which will cost less, to add a sun roof yourself to a Prius V, or to add LED headlights and 17 inch rims and wheels to your Prius IV.

 

Buy a V and a IV with the SR, then swap the 17" wheels and LED light from the V to IV.
Then sell the V.

 

Buy the IV with the roof and get aftermarket wheels and tires. You could probably buy the wheels from Toyota, but they are heavy and way too expensive of course.

I'd advise you to wait until next year to see if they stop jerking people around with their packages, but that's not going to happen. Next year it will be solar roof is bundled with lane keep assist and all nav is bundled with remote AC or whatever.

 

Hey Mr. Maze,

I also live in LA and was struggling with the same dilemma. My first thought was to get a IV with sunroof and add the wheels, but I turned against the sunroof when I learned how much weight it adds. I had a sunroof on my last car and I do miss it, but I made the sacrifice for fuel efficiency and handling. And while I still considered getting a IV and adding tires (but I could never get a quote on what this would cost), when I saw those LED headlights I knew I had to have them, so I decided go for a V.

I then encountered a new problem. I also don't care about any of the ATP features, especially at the extra price. But I discovered I couldn't get a V with just nav in SoCal (even the official website zaps this option when you plug in a SoCal zip). Yes, the Vs currently being shipped to SoCal are ATP ONLY.

Solution: The amazing Dianne Whitmire at Manhattan Beach Toyota. She did for me what 2 other dealers said was undoable, and that was to get me a V + nav. No markups or price shenanigans. It's in the garage now.

Good luck!

 

I am also in the same boat, but I personally decided to go with the IV instead of the V. The only thing holding me back was the idea that maybe the usb port upgrade would not be upgradable to older 2010's. But according to the information around here and at the dealer, I was assured that would not be a issue.

 

I didn't really hesitate a whole lot to get the V ... I would've gotten a moonroof if possible, but in all honesty I never have used them for the most part when I've had them in the past. I like the factory 17s and the better steering of the Vs over the IV and under .... add in LEDs and it wasn't really a choice for me.

It is nice to have a moonroof sometimes just for the feeling of openness it adds to the cabin even when closed, but with the shade open.

 

One thing to consider is that the handling and feel in the V are unique among all of the models. The V has a 2.5 turn, lock-to-lock, while all of the others are closer to 3.5 turns. The V also uses a brushless motor for the power-assist for steering. I believe the feel is very different.

So . . . unless it is the solar panels that really do it for you, I'd suggest getting the V and then seeing about adding a sunroof or moonroof later. Yes, it has been done for the Gen2, and I'm certain you'll find a reputable installer who will do it for you later on a 2010.

 

Thanks for elaborating on that ...

Also ... how important is a 3mpg in fuel economy to you? Supposedly that's what the V with cost a person ... not sure if that's taking into account vs the III or IV w/moonroof or not though.

 

Good point! I never heard anyone at Toyota talk about an MPG hit due to the solar roof package, though you'd think there MIGHT be some because of the extra weight. Having all of that extra weight right on the wheels, though, makes a big difference.

At the same time, I'm now at close to 57 MPGs on my new 2010 Prius V (after more than 2,300 miles). If I've got a 3-4 MPG hit, I'll be kickin' something! Just imagine having a lifetime FE of 60!

Another consideration when comparing IV to V: With the solar roof package you also get the fan blowing ambient air through the car at no FE cost, plus you get the remote A/C starter. For those who live in sunny, warm climes, that probably has quite a bit of appeal.

 

We are also trying to decide between the IV and V with the AT package. "A priori": I believe you have the AT package. Do you believe it is worth the extra money/extra wait? Our name is on a IV coming to port soon on the Overseas Joyce, and our dealer does not yet have any V with AT allocated. Bottom line: is it worth the wait? I'm tempted to wait, but don't know how long that would be, so I really would like to hear your feelings on this (as well as on others who have the AT package). Thanks!

 

I'm getting the solar roof not because of the roof itself but for the advance cooling. I have a dog and a 2 year old son (and hope to have another little one in the near future) and to have the car "baking" when we get in is NOT fun.
But if I can keep the heat down while we are playing at the park with the fan and then hit remote a/c button as I gather the boys together, then climb inside to a cool interior....MAN. That sounds like heaven to me!!!
But we also have a full 4 months of 90+ degrees (and 2 more of 80+) where I am so it will be used ALOT.
The benefit of letting what little sun we see in the winter come through my roof is nice bonus.

But I didn't really have any choice between IV and V cause my husband and I don't really care for leather.

 

I prefer the look and handling of the V. At first I was concern about the 3 mpg hit but it appears that might not be as great of an issue depending on how you drive. I have been asking Prius V owners for their mpgs and most are getting over 50+, mainly for highway driving. In addition, some have been getting great mileage running around town. I would think the sunroof would be heavier then the four Prius V wheels but have no way to quantify my statement. May want to ask sunroof owners about their mpgs? I used to live in S. Cal. so understand the desire for a sunroof!

I have test driven the Prius IV and V, and prefer the V. I have decided to buy the five but w/o out ATP or the navigation package, so I'll have to wait. I did consider purchasing after market wheels but a prefer to have factory steering components and settings. That's my view!

 

Good luck EVER finding a V w/o Navigation ...

 

You can add a sunroof aftermarket.. the companies here give three-year warranties..:cheer2: stefcat

 

If Toyota can offer a sunroof and actually build them with a sunroof it seems eventually someone will offer an aftermarket sunroof. I know many installers were very hesitant to install one with the second generation.

Some people have installed them on 2nd generation, so it does happen. I'm wondering if the apex of the slope of the roof being moved towards the rear of the vehicle would make installation of a sunroof easier.

I'm in a similar position, I would really like a sunroof, but I don't know if I really want the solar panel and ventilation fan and I think I would like the larger wheels and the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

If I was 100% sure that someday I could add a sunroof, I'd think I'd just get the Prius V. I could wait a few years and look forward to adding the sunroof in the future.

 

I think the weight issue is being overblown. People here are forgetting that the 17" wheels/tires are heavier than the 15". That extra weight is probably about the same as the extra weight of a glass sunroof versus the metal it replaces. I don't have the elusive "weight difference" specs, but I'll bet it's less than a 100 lbs sunroof/non-sunroof and less than 100 lbs 17" vs. 15", chump change in either case.

The additional frontal area and change in Cd due to the 17" wheels makes a far bigger impact on fuel economy than an extra hundred pounds. Now, if the sunroof is fully open, that's a different story, but I haven't seen any MPG-numbers for fully-open vs. fully-closed sunroof.

About the steering - aren't the larger 17" wheels the biggest reason behind the fewer steering wheel turns? I've read that the turning radius is significantly impacted.

 

You are probably right, but I will not purchase the car w/ Toyota's Navigation Package.

So, I'll down grade to a II or III.

 

I think answering the first question helps with the second. In other words, if you believe it is worth the money, why would it not be worth the wait? I know some folks have leases expiring or a car needing costly repair or maintenance, and they feel they must get another car very soon. Assuming you actually have the time to wait, first consider the real value to you.

I don't want to cop-out too much in answering the question, but I have been asked this once or twice recently. I'm going to include in this posting some of what I sent to another PriusChat member in a PM. If the day or date references seem odd, please ignore and/or forgive me.

I don't know how often I'll use the AT package over the course of the next several years. BUT, I can tell you I used the heck out of it the past few days.

It won't do to much for you if you just drive through town. The pre-collision part of it may be different, but if you are wondering about the value of the ACC, the LKA or the LDW, then consider a couple of examples I have from recent driving experience.

I spent Thursday evening and night driving 441 miles. I then drove another 420 on Friday, followed by 430 more on Sunday. I used the ACC and LKA all the time. I didn't use cruise control often in my '07, because I knew I could get better mileage than the "machine" -- after all, I could see the hills and anticipate the need for acceleration or glide. So this means I normally don't even like cruise control, but the ACC is different. You set the speed you want, put on the lane keep assist, and then relax. Coming up on a car or truck too fast -- no problem. The car or truck starts accelerating again? No problem. It slows down again? No problem. Traffic is slowing down all over the place? No problem. Talk about a stress-free travel time. I just kept going through songs and Podcasts on my iPhone or looking for new and different channels on the XM radio. I even had the pre-collision system activate on me -- twice! -- all while running the ACC and LKA.

I was following a tractor-trailer rig as we approached a construction zone. The truck slowed down, and so did I. No problem. We had a merge coming up, but there were no other vehicles merging, so we kept a decent pace. Out of nowhere, a car zooms in ahead of the truck. The truck almost nails this idiot, and in the process locks up his brakes. We're now in a one-lane construction zone with nowhere to go. By the time I saw the smoke billowing from his brakes and tires, the car already had pre-tensioned the seat belts. As things got a bit nastier, and I decided I needed to brake, the seat belt pulled me back into the seat. I reached for the brakes, but I couldn't even keep up with the brake pedal as it decended: the car already had started heavy braking. It was pretty intense! I was paying attention the whole time. The amazing thing was that the car sensed and reacted faster than I could. There was no accident, and I just kept on going. In fact, I hit "resume" and off I went.

That incident, and another, less dramatic one, really sold me on the AT package. I drive fairly often out to clients and back within a day, so I can put some miles on quickly. I also can be driving late at night. All of these things suggested to me that the AT might be a good safety feature. Perhaps it is something I won't need too often, but I've used it a lot in the few weeks I've had the car.

Again, if you don't do much over-the-road travel, and you don't have many late-night highway drives, it could be a bunch of expensive equipment you never use. Because you've asked, though, I thought I'd give you a bit of my recent experience.

Overall, I find the ACC to be a stress-saver. When combine with the LKA, it also becomes a basic safety AND comfort device. When the LDW and Pre-Collision systems are added, then it becomes a major safety gain. I am VERY glad I have it and wouldn't trade it for the solar roof. Still, I think it has value to me because of my regular use of the car for quick, sometimes long-distance business trips. The fact that I'm driving late at night after working long hours also adds value to the system. If you are only an occasional highway driver, and you don't do late-night multi-hour runs on interstate highways, you may be spending a lot of money on something that doesn't get frequent use.

I'll won't suggest the AT package is for everyone, but I also will not discount its value to anyone. If you can afford to buy it, and you don't mind the (minimal?) FE hit, I think it is a great package. BUT, it isn't for the feint of heart -- it comes with a big price tag.