Sanity Check Prius vs. Accord 4dr EX '13

Yes there is. I made the HUGE mistake in Aug. 2008 of buying a 2009 Prius. Suffered for two years experimenting with used driver's seats, building seats to try to make it work. It never did.

Making a Height Adjustable Driver's Seat for 2009 Prius | PriusChat

I lost $14,000 dollars getting out of that car ($12k depreciation during the 'great recession', $2k for seat mods) and countless hours while driving it less than 15,000 miles, a dollar per mile in depreciation. Never had a fitting problem with any other of 12 cars i've owned.

I get really edgy with Toyota in what I perceive to be possible deal breakers. Awkwardness is a possible threat to sell this car and take the depreciation hit. I knew the steering wheel had Very little adjustment range going into this 2011. For some reason I just don't have a high tolerance for cars that feel awkward of unusual, but things could work out with this car.

Whoever mentioned steering with left arm at side (not using armrest), thanks for that, because it could be the key to living with this car.

 

Thanks.

For the 2 posts above. Lemme turn the pages back. January 2009 I had just started messing with seat foam and stuff to remedy my 2nd gen 2009 Prius. Middle of January 2009, Toyota unveiled dozens of photos of the all new 3rd generation Prius to hit the shores in May. We knew it was all new, getting lots of things, 1.8L engine, and for the seat sensitive, finally height adjustment and telescoping steering wheel.

Middle of May 2009, I was building the first used Prius seat for my 2009 with extenders to slide back farther. The 3rd gen landed. Others saw it at special reveals earlier. I saw it at Piercey Toyota, Milpitas. I hopped in and slid that seat back much farther than any 2nd gen Prius. Height adjusted up / down .... whooppeee! 9 years after Prius first coming to US, it was looking like a car for a tall guy 6'2 or 3" like me.

I grabbed that steering wheel and scoped it to me ..... uh oh, UH OH, oh no. Something is wrong here. I'm scooted far back, but the steering wheel is not following. Big uh oh, I know that is not fixable or mod-able. I test drove and rented and knew scant wheel adjustment / telescopic was an issue, at least for me.

Erin Riches, Sr. Editor of Edmunds.com mentioned the limited wheel adjustment range in a 2009 video review. They still mention it to this day in print review. Consumer Reports mentions it. Salespeople were hearing about it from customers. My homegrown measuring tape and seat of pants revealed wow, it doesn't scope much for us tall folks. This was 2009. It's still the same in 2013. They don't just drop in new steering columns mid generation.

The 4th generation Prius is in development now. I don't roll by taking whatever comes. If I don't like something, I speak.

Again, thanks for advice not to use door armrest. It's a habit I'll break. Straightest shot to steering wheel is arm at side, holding low. It should work out.

 

Not going to let you off with this one. If it's too high for your wife, how could she possible drive a Camry whose door armrest is 2" higher than Prius?

And to the other guy ... tried driving with left arm hanging / not using door armrest, hated it. Put 1 1/2" block foam on it. No surprise as it is probably 2" lower than most other car without quirks.

Ugly Door Armrest Pad, at Least It's Cheap | PriusChat

Anyone else with photos and measurements or just claims?