Does anyone know what the ground-to-seat height measurement is in the Prius v and Camry? I'm trying to get a sense of which car is easier to get into and out of (ingress/egress)?
The best way to determine that is just go to a Dealership and do a butt check to see what works best for you and yours.
My wife had a knee replacement and, after 2 days of her being in the hospital and her barely able to hobble, I had to choose a car to bring her 90 miles home in. I measured the front seat height between v and sedan (Avalon which IMHO is just a plush Camry) and swung my 6' body in and out and it was close. In the end it didn't matter that I choose the Avalon by a hair because she sat crossways in the rear seats with seatbelt on and bad leg across the seats. Her next trip 2 weeks later was in the v's front seat. It would matter which seat (front or rear) you were talking about and where the seat was positioned when the person started the process of climbing in. (The v has back seats that slide forward and back and recline!) Were they optimum for the person making the attempt? Or in the worst possible position? I'm 72 and I choose the v over the Avalon. My wife would choose the other way. We have taken both many times depending on the destination and who is driving. Try it and see. Go in, try them and make sure you try with the seats adjusted the way you think they would have been left after the last driver. It makes a difference.
I know the easier egress on the Prius v is part of why we chose ours. My wife has had both knees replaced and has a real hard time with most sedans. She has no problems with the 'v'.
Thanks. I think I've given up on trying to compare ground-to-seat height measurements because the seat bottom has so many different points to measure from, the back, the front, the bolsters, each of which have different heights from the ground, and all of that varies from car to car, not to mention the seat height adjustments. I would have to personally measure the seats to ensure consistency and accuracy. Instead I'm going to compare overall heights of cars because it's an easier spec to obtain. The Camry is 58" high, the Prius v is 62" high. So that tells me, all other things being equal, the Prius v is 4" easier to step down into.
Flawed logic. The Prius is a lot lower to the ground (less ground clearance), the seat is lower than the over all height might suggest. If you're looking for a seat that's higher off the ground, the Camry might be the choice. But you haven't stated what it is that you actually want.
Ground Clearance: 5.7" Prius v 6.1" Camry Prius v has less ground clearance, but only by 0.4". And that could just be some component sticking out that causes the minimum ground clearance spec to be lower. It doesn't suggest to me that the seat would be a lot closer to the ground in the Prius v. I want the seat to be higher, and/or the the door opening to be larger. The wider the door opening from door sill to top of door opening, the easier the access.
The height of the seat is not the only consideration for ingress/egress. How wide the door swings open and the angle of approach getting in and out of the seat is also important. The Prius v wins on that for the front seat. The back seat not so much, because even with the door fully open and having enough leg room, you still have to position yourself a bit forward to slide in to the seat. I can't figure why the rear seat leg room 1/10" shorter than in the Prius liftback, with a longer wheel base. I would have allowed more leg room, especially since you can slide the back seat forward - seems to me they should have allowed the back seat an inch or two more room.
Now that you have phrased the question into a "height of door opening" one, I can offer that my 6'6" 180 son and my 6'5" 300+ son get into the v without comment. Both in their 30s. Someone with a physical impairment I'd really suggest try it in person. Because an angle or placement that might seem trivial to you might be excruciating to me or the reverse. Even something like how the car fits in its normal parking space and how the door opens and who drove it last and left the seat "there" can affect ease of ingress/egress. It's always easier for my wife to get in after I drive, but not the reverse. I always drive the test drive car to my home and park it where mine would normally sit just to get the feel of the car on my most traveled roads, how it enters and exits its parking space/garage, etc.
I had a 2007 Camry since about the week they came out and in late October got a Prius v Five. The Prius v is WAY easier to get into. It's almost like sitting down on a sort of short bar stool. It's very similar to my dad's Traverse crossover vehicle.
It finally got warm enough to take some measurements.... Measuring the max height of the front door opening on my '12 v - 40", wife's '11 Avalon - 37.5" Ground to top of front door opening - v 57" Avalon 54" The figures confirm my butt measurement that the V is easier.
I ask because I like to get insight from others who might have already done such comparisons. Obviously, at some point it will require an in-person comparison, but it's helpful to have some idea of what people have experienced.
I have both a 2013 V and a Camry hybrid. No question, the V is easier to get into. Headroom is better, opening is higher, seat is higher to slide into. In my Prius V, I slide into it, the Camry, I go down a bit and sit. No measurements required, butt check is the best.
