What's the deal? I notice that the Australian options feature a seat hight adjustment. Is this a misprint, or did Toyota strip this feature from the US model too? It would have made it a little more comfortable for some if the seat front could be raised a bit. Also, who gets Auto On/Off headlights? These don't seem available in the US either. It appears that mine has a light sensor, but no auto lights option. What is the purpose of the light sensor then? Should we just add them to the list with the self-parking feature, the rear disc brakes.... :angry:
Auto lights is for Canadians. That sensor isn't a light sensor, it's the sensor for the automatic climate control. Canadian models have two domes, the other being the light sensor. Yeah, the height adjustment is a major oversight.
Well Would you trade the Coolant Thermos, Bladder Tank, AT-PZEV Rating and HID Headlights straight up for the Seat Adjustment, Auto Headlights and Rear Disc brakes? (I would probably add a Telescoping Sterring Wheel too for good measure eh?) The US has things other markets don't, and vice versa. The US version is tuned much more toward green. Some other markets aren't, and the emissions rating of the Prius there is far below the US. If you'd be willing to pay more for those other features you want, that's a valid position, but as far as Tech Value per dollar, as far as I can see, the US version is by far the best bargain as it is.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Black2006 @ Apr 8 2006, 11:42 AM) [snapback]236841[/snapback]</div> On the positive side, perhaps the height adjustment can be bought from Australia and installed on our cars. It could happen....right??
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus @ Apr 8 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]236880[/snapback]</div> Hm, I thought cooler thermos is available everywhere and the bladder tank is there only for qualification under US emission regulations (I suppose that makes the US car a bit more green, the rest of the omissions just makes it cheaper.) Still don't see why the US version lacks basic comfort features like seat height adjustment or auto lights, or why it has drum brakes.
Because you cannot have Auto Lights with HID Headlights. In the markets where Auto Lights are available, HID headlights are not an option. And on a car the weight of the Prius, doing the speeds it's capable of in normal operation, drum brakes on the rear are just fine. There's nothing wrong with drum brakes unless you get in a situation where fade is an issue, and in fact they have some advantages over discs in some situations.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus @ Apr 8 2006, 11:35 PM) [snapback]237033[/snapback]</div> When you say "Auto Lights" are you referring to Daytime Running Lights that are on all the time or the ones that detect the light conditions and come on as needed? While it is true that Toyota Canada does not offer HIDs on the Prius (I with they did!), HIDs are available on other cars, such as the Sienna XLE and most Acura models, to name a few. And all cars in Canada must be equipped with DRLs. Kevin
no he's not. Auto headlights are totally different from DRLs. The reason why you don't have auto headlights is because with HIDs, you can't... well, it's not recommended that you turn them on and off more than 3 times within some short period (within an hour? with ½hr?)
Drum brakes are a non-issue on a Prius. You do most of your stopping with MG2 anyway. The brakes are for emergencies and for stopping at slow speeds. The biggest reason for discs is to combat brake fade on things like long downhill stretches. No need for that on a Prius.
And, of course, the Autralian model *starts* at 37000AUD = 26800USD. So that's another thing the US buyers don't get, an extra $5k added to the price tag. Thanks, Shawn
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus @ Apr 8 2006, 12:51 PM) [snapback]236880[/snapback]</div> What is the "Coolant Thermos"?
it's the little metal cylinder on the front left of the car behind the front bumper. It stores 3 litres of hot coolant when turn off the car (that whine you hear is the electric pump storing the coolant). When you start off, it circulates the coolant back into the engine if the engine's coolant is colder than the one in the thermos. This helps heat the engine faster, reducing emissions, fuel consumption and engine performance. There's also less wear and tear (don't know by how much though) by having the engine start a bit warmer.
I also miss the Auto Lights feature in the Prius and the lack of DRT. Instead I just leave the lights on all the time and use the brightness adjustment to "force" daytime mode when I can't read the speedo. At least the lights turn off when you exit the car. I figure the extra power draw from the lights probably affects my MPG to some degree, but it's worth it to improve the visiblity of my already-quite-visible red Prius. -Euge
