I've recently test-drove Prius III and V. I should say that I like the new Prius a lot. It's a substantial improvement over the second-generation Prius in looks, comfort, ergonomics, handling, and drivetrain. With the second-generation Prius, I was mainly impressed with the high-tech features, Japanese engineering, and fuel ecomomy, but the third-generation Prius is a great car overall, which feels and looks neater, handles sharper, and the engine doesn't moan unhappily during acceleration. So, I give the new Prius excellent marks. But I was highly surprised when I drove the Prius V. The steering in Prius III was very light but it was quite quick, responsive, and balanced. The steering in Prius V is notably heavier, which is a good thing, but it's not as balanced as Prius III. In particular, during a quick lane-change manevour, the steering in Prius III sharply and confidently controls the wheels, but with Prius V, the steering return is vague at the end, and you don't feel the same sharpness at the end of the lane-change manevour. I also didn't like the leather seats on Prius V, which had got hot under the sun, and the lack of a sunroof. To me it looked like Prius III had a better-balanced steering than Prius V, the sunroof option with III, which apparently isn't available on Prius V, is a plus, and the cloth seats on Prius are more comfortable than leather seats. It seems no brainer that Prius III is a better choice than the high-end trims, especially the super-expensive Prius V, which comes with some gadgets that you will rarely use if at all, and a less balanced steering. Of course, for budget-oriented people, Prius II should also be a good choice. And for those who prefere leather seats for some reason, Prius IV would be the optimal choice. I guess Prius V would be for those who would like the extra gadgets, at the expense of the lack of a sunroof and a less balanced steering, and of course a lot of dollars.
I drove a III and a V. The III was fine, but I thought the V felt more stable on cornering. I could definitely 'feel' the road more on the V, a direct result of the larger wheels and low-profile tires. What I really liked was the quicker ratio steering of the V, which gave the car a decidedly more sporty feel. On top of that, I think the looks of the 17's are way better. Love the leather. It was going to be a IV or a V for me simply beacuse of the leather and the heated seats. To each his own. But we bought a V and are very pleased with it and the handling. Without the AT option, it is really quite gadget-free, IMO.
That's funny, before buying I also test drove non-V and V and also 2nd gen. I found that the non-V steering/handling was unacceptable and similar to 2nd-gen, while V was much better and more fun to drive.
Let's see, lack of sunroof option, personal preference for cloth seat, "useless" gadgets, high price tag. Sounds like you're knocking the V for reasons other than worse steering, which could be due to any number of factors. Be honest, are you in the market and can't afford the V?
I rented a 2010 V, put about 38 psi all around, drove 75 miles on Skyline Blvd on the SF peninsula ... the leather was very good and comfortable, road feel was great, steering felt good to me. One singular thing I did not like is the low-hanging rearview mirror (the auto dimming mirror with buttons is a taller mirror). I positively cannot stand anything blocking my forward view, and oftentimes, when making a right turn, or right loop turn, the rearview mirror is right where one wants to look. If the rearview mirror is up and out of the line of sight, no problem. If it hangs low, or one is sitting too high in the car, their forward vision will be blocked and they will need to duck down to see ahead ( very annoying). So, Toyota - you must insure that rearview mirrors of all types can be adjusted up and out of a tall person's line of sight, even with height adjust all the way down. The Prius is still a smaller car with low windshield height, so you must be very smart with rearview mirror placement.
I drove a 2010 III on Calaveras Rd which is a bumpy, windy, twisty backroad. I thought the III handling was secure and the chassis was more composed than my 2009 non-touring. I wouldn't call the steering sporty and highly responsive, but it was decent, not numb. The III is not necessarily a 'fun', sporty, and certainly not a powerful car, but it is a pretty nice car to drive and certainly felt like a good, solid car. I was careful to fill and refill the car and came out with 63 MPG's (sixty three) over about 120 miles driving.
I'm considering buying a Prius over the next few years. (I don't know when -- and certainly it keeps improving all the time and other electric competition is also now coming.) I like high-tech gadgets myself, and if I had no concerns about money, I was thinking that I would just drive a V off the lot. But my opinion of the V changed after I drove both the III and the V. I just felt that the steering was more vague on the V, despite being heavier. For me this was enough not to consider the V anymore. And I don't like leather seats and V doesn't come with cloth seats. (I understand if you like leather or have kids who spill food and drink inside he car.) So, basically, after I test-drove the cars, V no longer made sense to me. I agree that none of the Prius'es have impressive steering, but I'm just picky about it and felt that III has better control. If you are not picky about steering, V might have better braking due to wider tires, and for the same reason, it might have better cornering. But then you also sacrifice a few MPG because of wider tires. And some of the gadgets on V might come handy in the least expected times. But if I had unlimited amount of money, I would very likely go with the III with a sunroof, which has better steering and gas mileage and cloth seats, and sacrifice the advanced-technology package of the V for these more important things for me. These are my honest opinions.
That is one minor niggle I have too. The rear view mirror blocks a lot of the forward vision. It could be mounted a lot higher.
I agree with the mirror comment. I've got it up as high as I can get it, and I still wish it went an inch higher... Seat is bottomed out as well.
Wrong. the steering (and handling) in the V is markedly better. one of the major reasons i bought it over the IV.
I just drive to commute to work and get groceries. I wish the steering was lighter. Road feel is overrated, I prefer as much assist as possible since I never drive all that hard around the corners. The only feel I want when driving is the hamburger and the cup of coffee. When I want to go fast, I get into my sportier mid-life crisis mobile - my Sienna minivan - which can do 0-60 in 7.8 seconds and generally outperform the Prius in speed.
I'm with you guys on this one, yes the mirror is an issue with me also, (6'4"). I would also love to retro fit the V's steering ratio into my III.
Nope, didn't. You could be right about the tire pressure. I'll keep that in mind before I test-drive when I'm ready to buy a new car.
This is why it makes sense to wait a couple of years before buying when a new model is introduced. While Toyota has done well in improving the Prius overall in the Gen3 model, these inevitable small engineering quirks get resolved as time and experience accumulate.
In this month's Motor Trend, the 2010 Prius is in the Car Of The Year competition. In the write-up they mention that the programming for the electric power steering is different based on the wheels/tires. This is the first time I saw that mentioned. It explains why you found a difference in the way the two felt at the wheel.