2010 Center console design: no-lie-made me decide not to buy a new one

My 08 seems to be perfect for shorter drivers. And I do like the leg-room without the center console. I think the 08 has the perfect dash. I understand the 10 sits lower and may be better for taller drivers, but the leg-room can't be better.

 

Yep when people quiz me about whether I get my money back in gas savings for the cost of the prius, I reply... "no".. but I'd rather pay toyota than Exxon!... your gonna pay someone.... choose which one!

 

the 2010 does sit lower...or higher. depends on where you set the height adjustment on the seat... but with a 2008 you wouldnt know that would you.

as far as leg room, i'm too short, both are fine to me. but the adjustable steering wheel makes it better for mis-proportioned people. ya know, long legs, short arms, or short legs, long torso.

 

One big difference is the 2010 seat bottom is much, much better than the Gen2's. The 10's is wider, longer, and the height adjuster causes the seat bottom to tilt back to cradle your butt in the seat.

The Gen2 seat is just no match for the Gen3. With Gen3 seat all way back and down, I can almost have a straight leg reaching the brake pedal (the most awkward pedal to reach) and still have decent reach to steering .... and the legroom behind the driver seat is still decent at that point.

The Gen3 is really good in terms of interior space. Take a Mazda 3 hatchback, supposedly the top of its class, punt the driver's seat all the way back and down .... if you sit behind the driver's seat, your feet may get trapped back there. Really. Not hating on Mazda, that's what I found.

 

I'm very comfortable sitting in my 2009 and I'm 5'9". When I was taking my 75 mile trips 2 times a day with it at first my back hurt. But one trip I decided to tilt it back one notch and haven't had any problems since. It's amazing what a one notch change did to change the comfort.

 

my point exactly. sometimes a simple adjustment is all you need. in your 2009. you have 4 options

on the 2010 we have 8. PLUS another 4 options on the steering wheel. 12 options. as far as the seat difference. there is a difference. i had minimal comfort issues with the SPM (sure i had issues on longer drives, i would have issues with any seat after more than a few hours straight driving. having done more than a dozen cross country drives, i have had this issue all my life) but drives to Seattle which is generally 75-90 minutes one way are something done frequently and no issues on that which is all i can really hope for.

 

Up to 8 on the seat -

'10 Prius IV and V - 8 way adjustable seats, tilt/telescopic
'10 Prius II and III - 6 way, tilt/tele (they don't show leather option here in CA for III)

2001 - 2009 Prius any package touring or non-touring in US and Candada - 4 way adjustable seats, tilt steering only

 

Yeah adjustments would help me too...it just doesn't adjust in the way I need it to. The 2010 does.

 

And isn't that what we all want?

 

Hey!! Take that kind of talk to Fred's.

Oh . . .

You weren't talking about the national budget and your particular partisan view of the correct process?

Sorry!

 

Exactly.. how could you think anything else?

 

To each his own I guess...

I (like MILLIONS of others) would never buy a minivan, I guess that's why we have choices. I also like the center console layout, but then again I don't find myself climbing around the cabin much...

 

Ah!.. now you've discovered the issue.... we are a bunch of married guys trying to figure out why some single guy doesn't want a console in the way!.

I guess thats what the backseats for..... front seats go full forward too!

 

To the OP, about the center console.

I've moved over my center console from one seat to another, and IMO, seems like I might break the darn thing. Not sure why some would be so bent on moving from driver to passenger seat in the car.

I've heard many of the complaints about center console, nav screen, lack of door pockets, have to slide armrest back for 2nd cupholder, what else... speedometer not in front of driver enough, etc...

My experience in driving the 2010 is, it is 'more car' for the money

More power, more space, more MPG's (I've calc'd 58 and 63 mpg's so far) .....

.... even the 2010's armrests are more solid. Look at your 04 - 09 door armrest, press down on that flimsy plastic (I've got a crack in mine (bad habit of lifting with elbow in futile attempt to feel better in driver seat)).

This year's 3 with Nav is barely over $26k. The 2009 with Nav ballooned to $27.5k when it first shipped in late August '08.

So you lose 2 doors worth of smart key, no big. No more auto-dimming mirror in III (doesn't dim lights back there enough anyway). No more HID's, but that's a good thing with the many issues. No more tank bladder, now can put more fuel into the car (I've not pumped more than 8.5 gallons with 1 pip left, seems off).

Like Edmunds said - 2010 Prius is the total package they always knew a Prius could be. In 200 miles of driving one, I agree.

 

Several times I have found a parking spot on the left side of a one way roadway, that was right against a wall that prevented me from opening the drivers door to exit. That is probably the one rare reason to have to climb over to the passenger seat to exit. It was difficult, but possible in my '04. I suppose it's possible in the '10, by reclining the seatbacks?

 

Swing,
I'm glad you are still happy you found a reason not to buy a Generation III Prius, my reason was I couldn't afford one.