Prius v - full test

The only time I really notice the lack of power is at 75-85 mph when trying to pass or climb a hill. The reviewer seems a bit uninformed about engine braking, but otherwise its a pretty decent review. Some of his criticisms are just typical reactions for someone who's not used to the car. He's clearly not a Prius driver.

 

Folks, I put another cargo mat on top of the (folded) rear seats, facing backwards. It eliminates the gap, protects the seat backs and quiets the car.

It seems every test driver finds B mode and decides he HAS to use it. The only reason it exists is Toyota is legally required to have a transmission position with more engine braking.

And yes, if there were other 40 MPG station wagons with more than 65 cubic feet of cargo room, I would be looking at them.

My only 'if only' is no 3 door SKS on the v 3.

 

Yeah, car does labor the steep hills, so did my 1998 Corolla. Even my v6 98 Sienna downshifts and revs to 4000 to deal with mountain passes while maintaining speed limit. Nothing strange here.

On level terrain car is blast to drive and maneuver between traffic at any speed. On my trip to SoCal on congested I-5 hauling 4+luggage ,I may upset a few drivers by stealing space in front of them. Car has enough available power to propel in front of traffic.

 

Pretty spot on for a short article.

I felt stupid when It said

What the heck is Normal Mode, and where do I find it? I looked everywhere

 

How would I get into Normal Mode?
Aha, but I think I've done this at some point.

Press the ECO button if already on, and it should go off. LOL, what a hoot.

 

I don't like the added pressure in ECO mode. I've also found that in ECO, plus using pulse and glide, I've begun to hate driving Frankly, I miss my 2004 Corolla S. 75 on the interstate in complete harmony, averaged high 30's all the time.

 

Odd that he uses the upper case v.

And every time I see a diesel comparison, I want to scream "but put in the extra cost of diesel fuel and the cost per mile looks a lot different than raw MPG figures".

All in all, a review that mostly matches my perceptions except that, as a ex-Porsche driver I have found no case where I really wanted/needed any extra power. I think I unconsciously drive it a bit differently allowing more room. I'm first out at the stoplight but don't need to play boy racer. I can't recall a single incident where I'm holding up someone else who is driving in a semi-reasonable manner.

 

If you look at the rear emblem, it's a pretty Large V they use.
They really need to change to entire Prius nomenclature, it gets pretty confusing. I've always hated the trim level designations Three Five, etc..

 

Since retiring, I've had no desire or need to do any "high performance driving" or risk my life pursuing crooks, although I still have the skills.

Even then, I knew and felt when the car was losing it. Luckily, I was wise enough to back off. In the current situation, I clearly hear at least one or two reports of idiots running off the road, overcorrection and overturning. They don't report, if the drivers were texting or looking at their I-Phones.

I just take my time in going anywhere, ECO mode is good enough for me. If others are in a hurry, I just let them pass.

Driver's have gotten so much worse over the years, especially with the distraction of cell phones and texting.

The majority of my driving time is to stay alert and to stay away from these idiots as much as possible.

 

I totally dispute the veracity of this sentence in the article:

Ford C-Max Hybrid: As the Prius v's closest rival, the C-Max Hybrid is similarly priced and betters the Toyota's fuel economy by 1 mpg

 

They also do NOT mention all of the C-Max's reliability issues.

I'm glad I got the "v."

 

The C-MAX Hybrid does beat the Prius v by 1 mpg combined using the (corrected) EPA numbers. I think it's beyond a reviewer's scope to independently verify mpgs with respect to the EPA except under extreme circumstances (aka previous C-MAX mpg ratings). All sorts of 'official' numbers (legroom, EPA passenger/cargo volume) can be gamed and don't correlate 1:1 to real world experience.


I'm in the market for a Prius v, and the I generally agree with the review. "The 2014 Toyota Prius V lacks any semblance of excitement or personality." That sums up my impression from my test drive. The poor acceleration, lackluster handing, etc can easily be chalked up to the fact that you're getting 42 mpg out of it. The boring, ho-hum interior a bit harder to swallow, especially when compared to similar (non-hybrid) offerings.

 

In terms of size, the best comparison for the CMax is the Prius hatchback. They don;t use that comparison because the Prius kills it in fuel economy. It's also sportier inside and a but easier to throw around.

The v has far more space than the Cmax, it's like comparing a Rav4 to a Suburban. But then again, Ford has managed to persuade people to think this way. In the real world, it's not hard to get a v to get better mileage than the C Max. Ironically, the Fusion hybrid fell off the radar when they lied about the 47/47/47 mileage.

But I do admit, the little Ford is fun to drive, and is very nice inside. Toyota could learn a lot if they'd just open their eyes a bit.