What you don't like about your Prius?

I wasn't advocating a trunked Prius, I thought I just stated my dislike of the hatchback idea. It is just a matter of personal taste and for me, well I made a mistake and my bank balance will pay for it, and for the price of a trunked hybrid and for the increased amount of gas it will use. I gave it a try for a year and I'll soon make a change.

 

I found a hate nobody has mentioned yet.... Cleaning the inside of the windscreen.

I simply can't reach the middle lower part of the screen. What with my big fat belly, the ski slope in the middle, steering wheel.... One day I'm gonna get stuck trying and will need rescue. I find myself having to twist into such un-natural positions to try cleaning it.

 

I don't get some of these complaints ....

Cheap interior parts? What cheap interior parts? As compared to what? Yeah, I've got only 1200 miles so far, but no rattling at this point. Geez, I still don't get it about cheap interior parts.

No telescopic steering wheel? They put it in. It does the 1 1/2" scope like every other Japanese car. Yeah, it pushes in pretty darn far, but maybe there's some pretty darn short people in Japan that need it that way. I'm 6'2" and get along well enough with the steering wheel.

I just came out of a 2011 Honda Accord Coupe. Seriously can't say the Prius is any louder on the highway than that car. I don't find Prius to be all that loud. Yeah, maybe on gritty pavement, but they're all loud on that. Want a luxury car, buy a Lexus.

Prius lose market share? To who? There is no direct competitor.

All the '40 MPG highway' car ads are just blowing smoke up all our you know whats. Should I get an Elantra and be all happy? Doubt that.

There is no other non-plug in that reliably clocks 50 MPGs and I don't see anything on the horizon either.

Prius is going to be just fine.

 

I think you complainers need to let everyone enjoy this site. Stop being a bully.

I think it needs a horn button that makes engine noise, so when I'm in ev mode people will know I'm there and not walk right into me, without beeping my horn. In reverse it beeps inside, but should beep outside to.

 

I HATE THE KEY FOB. If the battery stops working in your fob your stuck. Your key can not start your car. I'm looking for a case or a way to store my second fob in my truck so that it will not work until I need it. Like a case to block the signal. Any ideas?

 

If you will take the time to read the Owner's Manual you will find that in the case of the fob battery going dead, hold it beside the power button and it will start. It uses a short range RF signal to allow you to start.

 

Yes, and mine just did this the other day. I have had the car 2.5 years and am on the original key fob battery. It was strange as it seemed to know the fob was in the car but it couldn't read it. Instead of just saying no key found, it told me via the dash display to hold the fob up to the Start button and when I did that, it told me to push the Start button. It doesn't get much simpler than that. It worked perfectly! It has not done it again in a week but I suspect I am reaching the end of life for the fob battery.

 

Great news, I'll double check my manual.
Thank you so much for the information

 

Bought 2011 lll Dec. 19, Lights, especially low beams are weak, right low beam already went out, over heated and warped projector housing. Suspension causes pitching. Interior materiels are cheap, not durable and show soil. Out of 21 the dealer had in stock, only one was a dark color. Interior colors are terrible. Driver side arm rest is way too low (how hard is this to get right). These are the easy things to fix. For those of you that think God drives a Prius, please dont take this personal. Its working for my wife with her many errands but I like my Tundra, even though my preference, which we can't get in this country, would be a diesel medium size truck like is available in the UK and most of the world from Toyota.

 

Toyota has to be concerned about weight in the P -- so ...I'm not too upset with the interior quality.

This is my first economy car and a bit of an experiment - so it is what it is. But get into a new VW and you will see how to do a 21k car's interior.

The tires also have a lot to do with the noise - I guess because the car has minimal sound control. I drove 4 or 5 and was surprised with the difference.

The P is a bit of a science project ...... I will say ....the starting and shift control was designed by someone who had never driven a car previously ... almost dangerous.

 

Yes, cheap interior parts. I don't know how many cars you've owned, but I've owned plenty. This car has the cheapest interior of any car I have ever owned. This is especially true for the price you pay. Even the 40000 Prius has the same cheap interior. A 20,000 dollar elantra has nicer interior.

I am 6'2". If you have long legs the steering wheel will be too far away. If I get into my normal driving position my arms are fully extended. This is NOT comfortable. Most cars have more extension so this is not a problem. I am forced to sit closer to the wheel than I would prefer.

Don't take it so personally. You act like you manufactured the car. Car companies improve their cars based on customer feedback. If they took your attitude they would go broke just as Detroit companies did in the past.

Now all of that being said, I still said I love the car. Just because I love the car in general does not mean I have to LOVE EVERYTHING about it.

 

The Prius is a high-efficiency engineering marvel and the ultimate commuter car. My family of four have ended up taking the Prius almost everywhere for the routine chores of everyday life. The car is comfortable, roomy, expected to be reliable, peppy enough so that I don't get run over, returns great MPG, and is practical with the hatchback body style.

My dislikes so far:

1) Engine (ICE) noise during moderate acceleration, especially when trying to pick up a little speed on the highway. For example, when trying to accelerate from 65 to 70mph at a moderate pace, the engine sounds really boomy and loud and reminds me of some cheap inexpensive econoboxes I used to own in my past (my new, at the time, $7000 70-horsepower 1990 Honda Civic hatchback base model).

2) Loud road noise, once again like some really cheap econoboxes. No isolation whatsoever, in the name of saving a couple pounds.

3) This point is minor, but I do notice the cheap, junky sounding doors when closed hard. Of course, the need to save weight is understood, but it would have been nice for an upscale econobox (like the Prius) to try to exude just a little bit of quality that typical for it price point (even at the Prius Two price).

The interior plastics don't bother me much, except for the creaking during cold. Hopefully, the material is typical Toyota durable.

Overall, the Prius does many things right and is the best commuter car you can buy. It's just that in noise control, the car reckons back to the cheapest tin can econoboxes of the past (probably with the same justification as those econoboxes).

 

Rattle after 1000 miles, cheap plastic, wind and road noise louder than my 96 camry or 2002 sienna, seat is very uncomfortable. Interior feels overly cheap, need voltage indicator for 12 volt battery to know how it's doing.

 

Why? I notice this on older American cars and being strictly Japanese car owner all my life, I never understood why we need one. Having an indicator implies that that battery will fail so you want to know when that occurs. I have never had a 12V fail on me.

Why is there no low window washer indicator. Am I missing something?

 

Ok, fair enough, I'll play along. Just came out of a 2011 Accord Coupe which isn't too shabby in the interior department ...

Yeah, the '11 prius could use its driver's door armrest raised and padded. Repeat. Pad center console armrest.

Telescopic steering wheel only yields about 1/2" closer to driver than nonscope 2nd gen wheel, measuring from brake pedal to wheel on both which is a decent reference IMO.

I've no problem with the dash per se.

They could sweeten the texture of the basic steering wheel and it needs to be centered exactly in front of the seat. First one to figure out the wheel is not centered wins a prize. Ok, I'll tell you how, slide your seat far forward. Sit straight, place hands together center of chest, where do your fingers point? To center of wheel? Wheel should be about 1/2" or so to the left. 'nuff said.

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Guys, Prius has an exotic drive train. The big bucks are in there. You think 3rd gen interior not cool? Depending on your size, try 2nd gen, eeek.

It's just going to take lot of gen's to really iron out this interior. But Toyota is so far ahead with rest of car. Wait 'til 4th gen, should be a stunner.

 

I agree with you. Maybe the Two/Three with cloth interior and sandpaper steering wheel feel cheap, but it's not that bad if you have the leather interior and leather-covered steering wheel (and I'm a Lexus owner). The most common complaint I hear is the dash/plastic scratches easily, but what the heck are people doing even touching the dash for in order to scratch it? Don't treat the the car as a kick panel when you enter and exit the car. My only complaint is the leather-covered steering wheel is prone to deterioration at the top, but mine may be an isolated issue if others don't have this problem. I'm going to upgrade to JDM piano black wood steering wheel anyway.

 

Two main complaints I have had since new

1) find the driver's seat is not as comfortable as possible. The base angles up and is too short to support my thigh fully, so it cuts off right about 2/3rds' of the way down my thigh. Without cruise control, this results in me getting pressure on my Sciatica (?) nerve, and leads to discomfort in my leg.

2) it isn't as quiet inside at highway speed as I would like.

for minor complaints
1) no iPod integration availible in 04 (but Toyota had it for some of the Scions at the time?? so a cheaper car had it, but not the more expensive car that appealed to techies?)
2) no laser guided cruise control availible in 04 (was availible in the Sienna and the Avalon and some lexus models at the time, but again, not the car that was so appealing to techies)
3) no remote start availible in 04
4) leather not availible in 04 (with kids and a dog and just being a slob, I like leather over fabric)

 

Gas?

 

The LO degree temperature setting is sometimes too cool, while the 65 degree setting is too warm.