prius IV features worth the price?

I wouldn't pay for the windows and plasmacluster, but thet are not optional.
Autodimming mirrors are hard to live without once you've had them
I don't want to own a car without homelink
Leather seats is a personal choice. I like them.
My wife won't let me buy a car without heated seats

Personally though, the next step to a V is where that bargan is if you indeed are wanting the wheels, fog lights and LED's

 

It all comes down down to which trim level that you will be happy with. I have a IV Solar and it is perfect for my needs. The only items that I haven't used is my Plasmacluster and heated seats. The other features listed are used every day

I'm sure that there are other owners that have no interest in the additional money spent for the package 4 and there are also owners that had to have a 5. Hope this helps.

 

None of these things are worth a dime...unless its something you want.

Every car I have owned has had water repellant windows. No, actually they have all been waterproof. OK, so I can't really say that I've noticed anything different.

Plasmacluster...can't really say if it does much.

All the other features I would buy again. But the leather seats aren't as big a deal as I would have thought...but maybe I'll like them better in a few years. My 2004 seat covers got dirty easily.

I use the smart key and homelink all the time...heated seats not yet.

3PriusMike

 

-water repellent windows
Waste of money - see no impact.
-plasmacluster
Hardly ever use it, when I do - not sure of the effect.
-smartkey for passenger and hatch backdoor
Nice...especially the hatch
-autodimming
Never have seen it actually work.
-homelink
Super - use it for a gate and garage door.
-leather seating
Nice, was a prereq for me.
-heated seats
In FL, but will use perhaps 20 times/ year. Worth it.

 

For me, leather and heated seats were MUST HAVEs - the rest of it was part of that package.

Figure out what's important to you - don't pay more for goodies you aren't sure you need.

Good luck!

 

Leather, heated seats, Homelink, the auto-dimming mirror, and the 3-door SKS were my must-haves. The others were gravy (or icing, depending on your perspective).

I have noticed water beading on the side windows, and find that a useful addition when it's raining to beat the band like it did today.

 

I can understand how someone would see no benefit/impact in real world situation, but if you wash the car yourself and blow it dry with an electric leaf blower, water comes right off on the water-repellant windows but not so on the other windows. It's like having Rain-X without having to apply Rain-X and the corresponding haze. Now I wish all the windows are water-repellent. That'd make drying the car so much easier given the large amount of surface the glass takes up.

 

I agree with you. Leather seats are great. Here in New England when it gets cold, the electric heaters are wonderful. Home link,,,, yah... I have three stall garage and each can be opened. I really dislike the visor clip on remote control units. Electro-chromatic mirrors are a blessing. Those high rigs on your tail can not blind you as easy.

 

Chip,

- water repellent windows
Work Like A Charm and makes night visibility GREAT
-Plasmacluster
Seems to make the air better esp after passing something like an oil burner or smell
-smartkey for passenger and hatch backdoor
Love not having the KEY and does take a bit of an adjustment period (learning curve from the key world)
-Autodimming Mirror - Jury is still out on that..
-Homelink - Love that, no more junk clipped to the visor
-leather seating - must have for me. Wear better and clean easier
-heated seats - Must have, live in Buffalo you know. We have 5 months of WINTER!

 

Remember that if you use the AC, you are using the Plasmacluster. There is no separate on/off switch.

 

I'm surprised no one mentioned the lumbar support that comes with the IV. That was a big one for my husband (bad back + long trips = needs the support).

Our previous vehicles had leather seats, seat heaters and auto-dimming mirrors. I don't think I could go back to an old style mirror and the seat heater is wonderful on those cold NE mornings.

Surprise - we love the 3 door SKS. We didn't think that was a big deal coming from a car that had the usual click the remote 2 times to open all doors, but it's nice when we go shopping and both of us have the SKS in our pocket and we just walk up to the car and get in. I wouldn't call it an essential feature but I admit I'm getting spoiled by it.

It's up to you to decide if the features are worth the cost. We getting older and plan to keep the car for a long time so we expect to appreciate the extra comforts even more as time goes by.

 

The plasmacluster is the one feature (and of course now the safety connect) that has steered me to III. If there is no way to turn off the ionizer and/or change the filter, it's not good.

 

Is that true?
This does not ring OK to me...

 

solar panel i like, sunroof i wanted. the better seats, the control layout, BT setup, the heated seats (i dont care, but others in the house LOVES it) and finally SKS is something i lived without for 40+ years... now i simply cannot

 

It's true; see page 278 of the owner's manual, which states:

Plasmaclusterâ„¢* (if equipped)
Plasmacluster will operate in conjunction with the air conditioning fan motor
when it is turned on.
This air conditioning system adopts plasmacluster technology, which helps
to keep good air quality in the cabin by emitting positive and negative ions
through the driver’s side vent.
A slight noise may be heard during operation. This is not a malfunction. Also,
static electricity may be discharged near the driver’s side vent due to the
high voltage used to operate the system.
To clean the driver’s side vent, turn the system off and wipe the vent using a
soft cloth.
*lasmacluster technology is manufactured under license from the SHARP
Corporation.
“Plasmacluster™†is a trademark of the SHARP Corporation.

 

-water repellent windows
I live in SoCal. It doesn't rain here much, so maybe I'm not getting the most use out of it.
-plasmacluster
I tested this feature after being caught behind an exhaust polluter... works perfectly! Cleared the "bad" air quite quickly.
-smartkey for passenger and hatch backdoor
Indispensible feature. So convenient when you are carrying a bunch of stuff and don't have to fish for your keys.
-autodimming
Works great at night... no more being blinded by those drivers insisting on driving with their high beams
-homelink
Works as advertised
-leather seating
Must have since I have a dog. Makes clean-up so much easier.
-heated seats
Haven't used it once... it's SoCal.

 

I like the compliments that I get on the Prius GIII V rims.

 

I would echo this, and these were the items that made me decide that model IV was the right model for me.

 

Gotta have bun warmers in Minnesota

SmartKey and Homelink are also essentials for us