Will be visiting Mount Wilson the highest point in Los Angeles.How do you guys think the Prius will do? 5,713 ft Above sea level not sure if the Prius will be ok going non stop up like this. Of course if its snowing or raining that day I will Not attempt it. Input please
Attempt it? The only problem that Priuses have with mountain roads is that some of them aren't paved if they're in a remote area, and even then the only problem is usually ground clearance. The Prius was designed in Japan, (Aichi specifically.) I've been there, and it's fairly topographically diverse. 5,000 foot hills are rare there only because they use meters. The whole point with Priuses is that you can drive them just like they're a normal car because they're now pretty much considered to be normal cars. The only thing different about climbing a 5,700 foot hill in a Prius is that you won't need quite as much gas going up, and you'll probably have a little higher SOC on your battery when you get to the bottom.
Maybe you should ask the folks in Colorado who live much higher than that, and drive up Pikes Peak (14,100 feet) when it is open. The road to the top was closed beyond Devils Garden the day I was there, so mine hasn't been higher than 13,000 feet. It has also been to numerous other places in the 10,000 to 12,100 foot elevation range.
I think he was wondering about the continuous climb possibly harming something. You won't have a problem. I love climbing mountain pass' in the Prius. It revs. up a lot, but that's normal. Best part is passing the big pickups and -still- getting 7-8 l/100 km fuel economy. And on the way down... well, lets just admit "we don't -need- no sinkin gas!"
Going up the best thing to do is use the cruise control.Yes the engine will sing but that is normal. Now coming out of the mountains, I have found using the"B" position will keep the car under control. You will see the MFD on energy display the green bars will fill the battery full. You may even see or hear the engine running trying to "burn off" excess energy. Don't panic, it's just a Prius thing. Its all about managing all the energy you just created going down hill. The first time mine did it, I turn on every electrical. It was quite an experience, the engine surging and my wife saying What is going on with thing? I will be at the eleven year mark and right now the car is at 152000 miles. I still love to see how far I can go on a tank of fuel.
It better do fine, that is not high and I just bought a Prius Persona last week. I expect to be going there often as I have done it in every car I have ever had including a Lamborghini I had in the 80s. I have driven a VW to 10,000' and it did OK.
I just checked the map. An elevation plot is showing 19 miles at a reasonably steady 4.4% grade. Yes, that is not a problem. The Prius has reasonably handled numerous other mountain roads with similar elevation changes in significantly shorter distances, i.e. steeper. No, do NOT use cruise control on that type of winding twisty mountain road. That is just asking for a crash. Yes, 'B' is called for on the descent.
