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2010 Prius V

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by concertinajohnnyboy, Aug 2, 2009.

  1. concertinajohnnyboy

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    What would be preferable - Navigation package or Advanced Technology Package?
     
  2. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    It depends on what you want in a car. ATP includes nav, but I don't think it's worth the incremental money.

    I have a V w/ nav.
     
  3. Vincent

    Vincent Don't Wait Until Tomorrow

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    V w/Nav here too; it's about all the technology I'll use.
     
  4. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Depends and only you can answer that question. I got the AT package. When I take trips they tend to be several hours each way with most of the driving on major roadways. After using it a few times, it was worth it for me. When I arrive at my destinations, I don't feel as 'fatigued' as before.
     
  5. NovaStu

    NovaStu New Member

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    I opted for the AT package. I had driven briefly with it as my dealer's demo car had that package on it so I knew essentially what it would do. That having been said, the actual experience of driving with the active cruise control on a busy highway was absolutely exhilarating. It totally redefines "cruise control."

    I had expected that the cruise control would simply disengage if it detected that you were closing in on a car. I was amazed that, if necessary, it actually braked, smoothly but HARD, to bring the car to a safe trailing speed quickly. As long as your speed does not drop below about 25, the cruise control remains engaged and will automatically bring your speed back up as the traffic in front of you starts to speed up again.

    Now, when I get on an expressway, I engage the cruise control and set it to the maximum speed I'd want. The car will keep in trail behind the leader car, automatically tracking your speed to maintain a steady distance behind the car in front of you. There is a push-button switch on the steering wheel which lets you control how close you want to be following the vehicle ahead of you. It give you a choice of one, two, or three blocks which roughly equate to one, two, or three seconds of separation between your car and the car in front of you.

    If the car in front of you moves out of your lane, your car will automatically speed up and, if possible, close in as desired on the new leading car. Be careful, however. If you are in the slow lane and pull off into the exit lane of an expressway resulting in no one being directly in front of you in the exit lane, the cruise control will want to speed you up to attain your previously set maximum speed. Be prepared to disengage the cruise control to avoid speeding up when you really want to be slowing down.

    The Lane Keeper Assist will beep at you if you drift out of your lane. If you use it and the dynamic cruise control at the same time, when your speed exceeds 45 mph, the lane keeper will actually gently assist you in steering your car to follow the curves in the road. It's only an assist, it is not actually steering the car. It's somewhat like setting the rudder trim in an airplane. As you follow a gentle curve in the road, the "zero pressure point" in the steering will maintain you in the curve. You don't have to actually hold the wheel in the turn, it will stay there by itself, tracking the lane markings. If you drift out of your lane at speed, it will apply a gentle pressure to keep you in your lane. If you use your turn signal to change lanes, it will not beep or squawk as the lane change occurs.

    The third piece of the AT package is the parking assist. This will actually park you in either a parallel or perpendicular spot. I've found that it's a real attention getter when you're showing the car off to your friends however there is one basic caveat: it can only park your car if it can get from the street to the spot in one sweeping back-up maneuver. It can't get into a space that you'd have to rock yourself into. If you have no trouble squeezing into tight parking spaces, you'll find the parking assist to be of little value.

    Is it worth the additional cost? As someone else pointed out, it does make a long drive much more relaxing. It's possible to drive for hours without once touching the accellerator or the brake, even as the flow of traffic around you is changing.

    Stu
     
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  6. wwbarr

    wwbarr Junior Member

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    Just tried out the radar enhanced cruise control of our Gen III V today and my wife and I are both very impressed at how intelligently it works. Since Stu has described it so masterfully, I'll reinforce another point in that it is one of the most effortless ways to maintain good MPG on a middle / long drive. Of course it won't match the skilled hyper milers who can do +60 MPG in their sleep.

    At the end of the day, the radar controlled cruise control reduces the stresses of a long drive to the point that it brings back my sense of confidence with driving in (constantly varying) traffic. As such, it restores some of the pleasure of driving and I feel more in control (of the car and my ability to drive safely) like I used to when the fearlessness of my youth was bliss.

    If these technologies are simply luxuries or tech toy accessories then it is NOT worth buying. If these technologies enable and further your enjoyment of the Prius driving experience then it is worth it and you WILL KNOW IT since it will pay dividends each day you drive it. Please note, if you can't afford it then that is another decision process altogether that I am not trying to address here.
     
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  7. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    I got the AT package whether I liked it or not as I live in So Calif where it's next to impossible to get a V without AT. My previous car was totaled and I needed a new car fast so no time to go to Dianne and wait for one in my color choice without AT. I wanted the factory 17" wheels and didn't see the point of getting a lower tier and pay $500 a pop (plus more for tires) just to upgrade to the stock 17" rims.

    The most useful features are the adaptive cruise control and LKA, which I use frequently and work extremely well. So far, I've only used parking assist to show off and impress people who sit in the car. There have been times in the past when I tried to squeeze into a parking spot only to find there's not enough room for parallel parking and parking assist will be useful in this circumstance, especially given that it's extremely difficult to see and judge the distance of the front of the car. I can't see myself ever using it for perpendicular parking though.
     
  8. jsharpe

    jsharpe Member

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    Likewise. Even though I normally buy the most loaded model I would never use the either the lane keep assist or automatic parking. The adaptive cruise control might be nice but certainly not worth the additional cost.

    The sunroof on a V would have been nice though. :confused:
     
  9. a priori

    a priori Canonus Curiosus

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    One important ATP feature not yet discussed is the Pre Crash System. This sytems uses the radar from the adaptive cruise control to determine whether you are nearing a situation that could result in a crash. The system then takes certain measures either to attempt to avoid the possible crash or to minimize the damage which is about to result from an unavoidable crash.

    I have had two occasions where the system worked for me. It will pre-tension the seat belts and pull you back into the seat, thus better preparing you to have maximium protection in the event of a crash. The system also will provide significant braking to help avoid a crash. The system worked so quickly that my foot could not keep up with the descending brake pedal. I was watching everything unfold, and I knew I need to brake, but my reflexes were not as quick as the car's computer.

    Of course, for those who are a bit freaked out at the concept of a car being able to do this, there is a switch (under the steering column) that lets you disengage this system.

    As far as the other ATP items go: I've never used the IPA, though I might try it someday just to see how it works. I use the LKA occasionally in regular driving, though not too often when I have people in the car with me (the car beeps when it can't see lane markings anymore, and passengers get a bit weird about that), but I use it all the time on longer highway trips and late at night. I use the ACC ALL THE TIME. It is a fantastic product. Not only does it lower fatigue and make highway driving easier, it also saves on gas. How? Let me explain.

    I was told years ago that I could immediately improve fueld economy were I simply to drive like a trucker: gain speed on downhills and bleed it off on uphills, and don't accelerate into a stop light or congested traffic. The best way to drive like this? Follow a trucker. I find a truck going about the speed I like, and I get behind the truck. I set the ACC and chose the following distance. Voila! I drive like a trucker.

    The added benefit: If I set the trailing distance to a minimum, I can really tell that I am getting the extra benefit of having the truck break the headwind for me. I'm not really drafting, because the trailing distance is safe enough that the trucker can always see my can in his/her side view mirrors. Still, it is enough to be noticeable. It has allowed me to get better than 60MPGs while driving 65mph.

    I bought the ATP for two reason: whiz-bang tech stuff and safety. Who knew I'd also have an advantage with fuel economy, too?
     
  10. maomao

    maomao New Member

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    Thank you for your detailed explanations about the ATP. I have one question: You said if the speed drops below 25, the croise control will disengage. But how do you re-activate it. Do you have to press a button, or just accelerate?

     
  11. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    You bump the stalk up to resume.
     
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  12. NovaStu

    NovaStu New Member

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    Just tweak the Cruise Control lever UP to resume the previously set speed or DOWN to reset the speed to your current speed. If I'm caught in traffic that has slowed down below 25, I have to control the speed with my accellerator. Once the speed has comfortably drifted back above 25 and it looks like it'll stay there (or continue to go faster), I'll tweak it back on.

    If your speed is bouncing around above and below 25, the cruise control will keep dis-engaging every time you drop below 25 so I just wait until it feels as if I'll be holding at least 25 or 30 before I turn it back on.

    Rather like driving a stick-shift car (which eventually becomes a series of subconscious moves), it takes longer to explain than to actually drive it. Once you're used to it, it'll become automatic.

    Stu
     
  13. eglmainz

    eglmainz New Member

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    Normally, however, please keep in mind that if the Cruise Control is activated, your speed should not drop below 25 (or whatever speed you may have CC set to. In order to drop below that speed, you will either need to brake, disengage CC (push in the button on the end of the stalk).

    Now, once it is disengaged (and you drop below the 25 MPH threshold, you will need to activate CC again by simply pushing the stalk it is located on upwards. This is the 'resume' function.