Summary of proposed improvements for future versions of Prius

Some of you girls are within reason, but some of you are asking for gold with your car. Heated seats, lumbar, adj seats with memory, tachometer??? HAH! Does Holly Housewife even know how to read a tachometer? You will never see these things in a Prius. Not in your wildest fantasies ladies!!! Just buy a Lexus.

 

Hey Eoinstein you swipe your finger across the groove on the handle to lock it.

 

The "Auto" climate control needs to be Automatic EVERYTHING (as on Volvo, and other luxury cars). Set the temperature and Automatic features - and will automatically adjust heat and/or AC to maintain that temperature. (This will use more power, but is designed for ONLY when the engine is on.)

Similarly, safety needs to include an indicator when the exterior temperature allows Black Ice to exist (about 36-26 F).

Mentioned prior, the exterior temperature is of greater interest than the interior temperature and should be the larger of the 2 temps displayed (and should be on the steering wheel or HUD).

Again, a nod to Volvo- the pass through on the folding seat that allows grabbing something in the "trunk" region or placement of a longer item (doesnt have to be cross country skis, e.g. lumber) without the entire seat down. And, like the Volvo, the passenger seat should be adjustable to be entirely down. (In the Volvo, the seat back can go forward sufficiently to be fully down.)

And, I learned to hypermile from the Digital Read Out from my Volvo's engine (every 5 seconds). The display can change to instead demonstrate the immediate mpg, average mpg, average speed, exterior temperature, mileage range of the remaining fuel at current average mpg and ...

 

I'm being lazy and haven't read the whole thread.

Couple of bug-bears for me (aside from creaking plastics)

1. Passenger-side mirror: it doesn't have the extended angle provided by the driver-side mirror (here in the UK), so I've been caught out a couple of times not realising a car is sitting in a blind spot. I usually set them out wide to stop that happening, but don't seem able to on this car. I know there are mirror attachments, but it shouldn't be necesary

2. Style. I'm not too taken with the Prius' style. I think there's a new Merc out with a LOWER CD! And it DOESN'T look anything like a Prius! OK I guess it's probably got a 2m hood/bonnet, and costs a bit more. But it still says: I can look sleek AND sexy.

3. OK, I know I said a couple. The metal feels like it's a product of amazing technical advance: the new 'spray-on' metal, just below the spray-on paint. I've never had an arm resting on the window-sill before where I can feel every note of the door speakers. Toyota/Lexus used to be famous for their solid feel.

 

I'd like a light or medium gray dashboard that doesn't heat up in the sun as much as the black dash.

 

I drive a 2009 Prius and barely fit as it is. I'm not exceptionally tall (6'2") and already can't see the traffic light while sitting upright, because the roof blocks my view. I need to lean forward and/or hunch way down to be able to see a traffic light if I'm at the light ..................................... Anything that even SLIGHTLY lowers the front headroom will cause us to cross the next Prius off our list.

 

Yes, it does feel tinny. I think this is due more to the need to save weight than being cheap. The materials used in cars now are so advanced that they can be made very thin and still last 15 years. I am not concerned about it.

In my opinion, the gen3 Prius is perfect except for 2 things

1. The FM radio is sub standard.
2. The Satellite radio is unreliable, always cutting in and out.

The brake feel is also not quite as smooth and quiet as the gen2. A lot of clicks and pumps sounds going every time you step on the brake. But they work fine.

I will be happy to drive my Prius for the next 15 years.

 

I assume you already lowered your driver seat? I'm 6'1" and also thought this was an issue, until I lowered the seat. My only complaint would be that the rear view mirror mask my view to the right, but I'm not sure there would be an easy solution to this.

 

That was on the 2001-2003 as well. But it was a thermometer icon.
But are you sure that's what it indicates? On my 2001 it would show up when the "engine" was cold (not cool) not the outside air temp. Here in CA I saw it many dozens of times per year even though it only drops below 36 rarely. And after a few minutes of driving it would turn off. My wife drives the 2004 most of the time, but the snowflake would also show up then go off after the engine warms up. Seems to have a lower setpoint on the 2004.

3PriusMike

 

Add a drive mode with a preset MPG or L/km limit(adjustable)

 

A feature that I didn't see listed in the area of improvement that I was somewhat shocked my Prius wasn't capable of.

Automatic headlights.

My 8 year old camry could do it, but this highly technically advanced Prius still has a switch I have to flick.

 

Just leave them on. Once you power the car off and open the door, the lights will go out. Then when you start the car again, they will turn on automatically.

They are not automatic in that no light when the car is on headlights are on and it is daylight, but good enough. A simple photoresistor and accompanying circuitry could accomplish that for a few dollars though.

 

Buy the Prius in Canada

 

A force field around the windshield
Got another stone chip yesterday
Had the windshield replaced May 27, so that was 14 day with a perfect windshield
I think we got the first stonechip a week after we got the car

 

2-door Coupe Version. A little bit of a styling tweek wouldn't hurt - but try not to make it look any worse.

Short range plug-in with lighter weight Lithium batteries. How about a 2.5Kw-Hr plug in option since the 5Kw-Hr battery-pack is both too large, heavy and costly. Ideally, you can also keep the spare tire with a 2.5Kw-hr plug-in battery option.

Can you get rid of the dorky 15" wheel covers and replace them with either better looking wheel covers or just get rid of wheel covers and go to an alloy wheel. The stock 17" alloy wheel looks great, how about a very similar 16" version and call it a day.

Four wheel independent suspension to improve handling.

I guess what I'm looking for is a more 'sports car' like Prius that also gets a little better mileage.

Granted, I'm making the assumption that the addition of a small 2.5 kw-hr lithium plug in battery doesn't add too much weight and hence slow down the car by very much because the NiMH traction battery would also be converted to lithium technology which would save a good percentage of the weight added by the plug-in battery and with the smaller plug-in battery, less cooling and support electronics are required.