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Daddy of 3 Prius V 1k Road Trip Review (warning: Lots to Read)

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by 12get12, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. 12get12

    12get12 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    66
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    Location:
    SF-Bay
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Here's my first 1k miles Road Trip review:

    Road trip FROM/To: SF/Bay to LA
    Hwy Terrain: Flat to 4100 Feet climb to Flat
    Load: 2 Adults, 3 Kids on 3 Car seats and Luggage in the trunk
    Time of day: Mid-morning Sunny Sky
    Total Miles: 367
    AVG MPG (computer/actual): 38.6/37.44
    Driving Style: Normal with A/C on doing 75-80 MPH flow of traffic

    FROM/TO: LA DRIVING
    Hwy Terrain: Mostly Flat
    Load: 1 Adult no wife & Kids with empty trunk
    Time of day: All day clear sky
    Total Miles: 371
    AVG MPG (computer/actual): 43.3/41.2
    Driving Style: Normal with A/C on doing on 5 - 45 MPH during LA stop and go highway traffic to no traffic traffic doing 70 and above MPH highway flow of traffic.

    Road trip FROM/To: LA to SF/Bay
    Hwy Terrain: Flat to 4100 Feet climb to Flat
    Load: 2 Adults, 3 Kids on 3 Car seats and Luggage in the trunk
    Time of day: Night with Rain Storm over Tejon Pass
    Total Miles: 337 (reset the trip ODO before Tejon Pass)
    AVG MPG (computer/actual): 35.8/32.6
    Driving Style: Normal with A/C on doing Mostly 75 MPH and above except 20 minutes idle on stopped traffic due to freeway closure then 45-60 MPH at Tejon Pass.

    Road Trip Overall AVG MPG is 39.2/37.0 with a total of 1075 miles logged.


    My biggest question was, will 3 car seats (for 1 , 3.5 & 6 years old) fit in a V? The answer is yes and the seatbelts (for the 3.5 & 6 year old) can be secured fairly easily. Trunk space is what I expected with plenty of room for all of our luggage and a stroller (not an umbrella stroller).

    The drive was pretty comfortable. My Wife and I felt great arriving LA. The kids were comfortable on their car seats. I used my iPhone as my Music and Navigation source over Bluetooth and it worked perfect.

    I was pretty impressed with the ride comfort and with the pitch and bounce control. Going through some long stretches of rough roads on highway I-5, the V’s pitch and bounce control kept the V on it’s on lane with minimal corrective action on my part. I never really understand this technology but it seems to work as described. The V is pretty stable on the road even with the crosswinds we encountered going through 41 miles of Tejon Pass (4100 climb).

    I played around drafting a big rig going 60 MPH (when wifey was sleeping) and the MPG showed 75 MPG for 2 minutes… impressive.

    My Wife’s only complaint was the window needs tint so I took care of this while in LA.

    OFF TOPIC BELOW:

    I had three requirements prior to purchasing the V.

    1. It needs to get 40 MPG and above (as my commute car)

    2. Seats 2 adults and 3 car seats with a descent trunk space (for short/long road trips)

    3. It has to be under 30K.

    The short list of cars were VW Sportswagen TDi, Mazda5 and Prius V. Only Prius V met all of my requirements and I'm very happy new owner of a Prius V (especially with the average 47 MPG on my daily commute to work). :)
     
    #1 12get12, Mar 27, 2012
    2 people like this.
  2. css28

    css28 Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Suburban Detroit
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    What nav app do you use on your iPhone?
     
    #2 css28, Mar 27, 2012
  3. 12get12

    12get12 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
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    Location:
    SF-Bay
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    waze.
     
    #3 12get12, Mar 27, 2012
  4. chrisc983

    chrisc983 New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2011
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    Location:
    San Francisco
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    V
    I have two car seats in mine right now. Doesn't look like a third would fit. Which car seats do you have? The Prius is a great commute car as well I put a little over 15,000 miles on it in the last 4 months commuting from sac to sf.
     
    #4 chrisc983, Mar 27, 2012
  5. gtdkate

    gtdkate New Member

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    Agree. Would love to hear about your car seat configuration. Specifically -- what brands do you have and where are they situated across the back?
     
    #5 gtdkate, Mar 28, 2012
  6. 12get12

    12get12 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
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    Location:
    SF-Bay
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    Maxi Cosi Rodi
    Evenflo Big Kid DLX
    Peg Perego Viaggio SIP infant Car seat

    What made it work is the Peg Perego Viaggio SIP Infant Car seat's base has footprint that allowed it to be in the middle exposing both rear passenger side and driver side seatbelts. I'm considering buying some seat belt extender to make it even easier to put the seat belts on.
     
    #6 12get12, Mar 28, 2012
  7. fjpod

    fjpod Member

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    Location:
    New York
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    My question is...and I know I'm going to get flamed...you travel at 75 to 80 mph with your wife and three kids in the car, and sometimes in the rain and at night?
     
    #7 fjpod, Mar 29, 2012
  8. Wanderer

    Wanderer Hybrid neophyte

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2012
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    Location:
    Cold country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Harlow I use Gps Drive, Waze or Magellan Roadmate. The latter is huge at over a GB in size but I tend to find myself without a data signal at times. I like Waze for real time info.

    Fj- it is fast with the family but in some areas of the country that is right lane driving. Back when I lived in Atlanta on I-285 75mph would get you run over even in the right lane unless it was rush hour where you parked for an hour. It is better to move with traffic than be an impediment in my opinion. I think there is less of a risk of an accident. Most law enforcement officers will frown at speeding but tell you to move with traffic before not speeding. I was pulled out of right lane traffic as a teenager on 285 doing 72. My father was furious but the judge laughed it out of court. I was still punished by dad for speeding but told to move with traffic. One of the more confusing lessons of my youth but I understood later. W
     
    #8 Wanderer, Mar 29, 2012
  9. 12get12

    12get12 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
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    Location:
    SF-Bay
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    :eek: Yes, I traveled at 75 to 80 MPH with my wife and three kids on the right lane. If I drove 70 MPH, I may have been the recipient of high beams, annoying car horns, stinky eyes and even road rage.

    People who've driven Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and San Francisco knows that 75 MPH is the slow side of the flow of traffic and 80 MPH is closer to the normal flow of traffic. Speed limit is 70 MPH.

    Most of the time, I drive with the flow of traffic.
     
    #9 12get12, Mar 29, 2012
  10. Codyroo

    Codyroo Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    IV
    Highway 5 is a main road that travelers use between northern CA and southern CA. It is a (mostly) flat, straight road with a majority of it having a 70 mph speed limit. Traveling 75 mph on this road would be quite "normal" even at night. Rain might be a different issue.

    That's not to say you don't bring up a valid point, but in this case, given the road in question and the area driven, it wouldn't be reckless.

    If the OP took hwy 101 over the same route, it would be a bit more dangerous, as this route is closer to the coast and has many more curves and rolling hills.
     
    #10 Codyroo, Mar 29, 2012
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
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    How's the road/wind/tyre noise at 75/80mph?
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, Mar 29, 2012
  12. Trish

    Trish New Member

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    Location:
    South Bend, Indiana
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    What are your plans once #3 outgrows the Peg?
     
    #12 Trish, Jul 24, 2012
  13. rexg

    rexg Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    San Fernando Valley
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    great review. we are considering the prius v. i have not fully decided on it though but i used to travel on I-5 every week SF to LA before I moved down to LA and we still go up to the bay once a month. At least I can actually compare how much it costs to drive a prius V up north between our 2g prius.
     
    #13 rexg, Jul 24, 2012
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