2016 Prius - let's hear from buyers

4 door hatchback. C 4... hmm... i'll think some more.

 

So i just test drove a 2016 Prius 2. It was nice, but (from an admittedly very short drive in which there were no real objective tests) I just wasn't all that impressed relative to my 2010 Prius III.

It is nicer no doubt, but I didn't walk away thinking "I've got to get this". I was most interested in evaluating road noise, and although quieter, it was not significantly quieter.

Now, I don't mean to dis-respect the 2016 - I still really, really want one - but it's more the technological geek part of my brain that wants one, rather than the emotional "I think this is so much better" part of my brain.

Sorry for the lack of detail, but it was a brief drive. (And, thus, not all that meaningful...)

 

I have to agree. The seats are WAY better!!!

 

But

Would refinancing with another place, my car insurance at State Farm, this fast hurt me in anyway? Like a fee or something? If so about how much would it cost?

 

I don't know what it is but the the car looks way better in person than it does in videos and pics. I used to really HATE, not dislike but HATE the new design. After getting my Prius though I'm in love with it and the redesign which I now think looks way better than the previous design. Maybe it's the color (Gray Metallic)

 

Told you about the design, the more you look at it the better it looks. My family was the same about the Gen3, and now they consider it modern and nice looking. Interesting.

 

There are many Prius owners who say that gen.3 was a downgrade considering road noise and cabin quietness,if gen.4 really is only improved slightly in that category,it would be a disappointment .
After all Toyota claimed in their teaser video that the cabin quietness even surpasses quietness of luxury cars,so I am really expecting more than just a slight improvement over gen. 3 !
If people are right and gen. 3 really is louder than gen. 2 in the cabin,and people who have purchased the gen. 4 say that it's a big improvement over gen. 2,it surely must be more than a slight step forward .

 

How does one buy a car through Costco below invoice? I do have a Costco membership. I am looking into leasing this vehicle. Is that possible through costco purchase?

thanks in advance.

 

Costco Auto │ Car buying made easy │ new vehicles & more!

Yes.

 

My transition was 2003 (Gen-1) to 2010 (Gen-3) and cabin noise and comforts were not a significant change. But our previous rides were 2001 Echo and 1991 Camry and both Prius were significant improvements over both gassers. But the reason for the 2010 (Gen-3) were:

• Exhaust heat recovery - eliminated the thermos of the Gen-2.
• Cooled Exhaust Recirculate - eliminated the fuel enrichment of the Gen-2 and Gen-1 at high power.
• Electric engine water pump - eliminated the belt drag reducing excessive coolant overhead

I am sympathetic with the desire for a comfortable cabin . . . I am married. But the mechanical improvements of the Gen-3 laid the ground work for the 2016. Rather, the family of Prius has shown Kaizen in action, a series of incremental improvements. But because I am married, the hybrid miniVan is also attractive.

Bob Wilson

 

i didn't notice any improvement from gen2 to gen3 in creature comfort, but i agree with bob on the technical side. sounds like gen4 is a big improvement in both areas over gen3.

 

@bwilson4web I like that Kaizen, good word.

 

So where have all the owners gone to? We want more info

*a.k.a stop playing with your car and give us poor people some thought

 

I spend each lunch hour out at the new car reading through the owner's manual and "playing" with the enourmous amount of data available on the screens. Again, I am moving from a Gen 2 to this Gen 4, so some of this may have been in the Gen 3?
The four trip counters (active trip, 1, 2, and lifetime) each have distinct and researchable data available. Almost all of it availble while driving
I no longer have to "bundle" my trips. The lack of startup (engine run) penalty gives short trip MPG in the 75 - 80 range
Even though I don't plan on using the charging pad, (Apple iPhone user) I really like the "well" that the area provides for phone, wallet, key storage
The seats are more comfortable than the seats in my 2014 Avalon Limited Hybrid
I am going to get my windows tinted on Saturday. Will post photos of the finished car.

 

And how's the design in real life, compared to your expectstions?

 

I liked the photos and the videos of the car going in, but seeing it in "real life" it is so much nicer. I think it looks less "Prius-like" and more like a mainstream automobile. I think it is more handsome than the Gen 3 for sure.
I really like the "leather" seats. At the same time they are soft and suportive.
The interior is ergonomic - nothing is beyond reachable distance, except for maybe the glove compartment on the passenger's side.

 

How does the Gen 4 compare to your avalon hybrid [ ride, quietest, comfort? Thanks

 

The owners are busy driving their Prius (including the 2004 Gen2 they still couldn't part with) and comparing the contrasting. Like krmcg said, there's a huge amount of available information. Couple of observations:

• The distance maintained by the dynamic cruise seems to depend on the currently set maximum limit. For example, setting the max speed to say 55mph will allow within a certain distance of the car in front, but it bumping any higher can increase the gap (ostensibly because braking distances increase with speed; the car will accelerate to the maximum set limit given sufficient distance)
• This can be a little odd for Gen2 owners like me who are accustomed to pushing the lever down to get an instant cruise speed increase, but it looks like a great feature. BTW, note that pressing the lever down can increase the max pretty quickly, so be wary of accidentally setting it several miles above the speed limit
• When in EV (or is it ECO) mode, the acceleration at low speeds is very smooth and the car feels as if it's just gliding across the parking lot
• The HUD can take some time to get used to and it makes you feel more guilty of straying into the red fuel zones

 

All the things you mentioned are also included in the gen3