I'm thinking of buying a new Prius but I thought I'd come here for some feedback first. We drive to Mexico each winter from Oregon. We currently drive. 2002 Rav4 which has a road clearance of 6.3 inches. This is just about right for the Mexican speedbumps (topes) which seem to be eberywhere. The Prius has only 5.3 inches. Is there a way to raise the Prius e.g larger tires or raising the suspension? Would this mess with the odometer/speedometer or anything else? Also are the rear seats removable to create a larger cargo area? And finally, does it come with or is there a factory roof rack available? Thanks in advance.
A Rav 4 would fit your needs more than a Prius. They are coming out with a Rav4 Hybrid (maybe already out)
I think you'd be just fine. Each time we've gone to Mexico, it seems like the most common vehicles were the classic-style VW Beetle and the Nissan Tsuru (earlier-gen Sentra) along with a number of Corollas. You can cross the topez at a tiny bit of an angle if it makes you feel more comfortable. I wouldn't go through the trouble of trying to increase the ride height. The Prius rear seat folds flat for excellent cargo versatility.
If you raise the suspension, expect the aerodynamics (and MPG) to suffer. Larger tires would indeed alter the speedometer/odometer. Stock the rear seat fold flat (60/40) and hold quite a lot. if you removed them it would hold more but you would lose the flat load floor. Four 8 gallon tubs and a 17 foot extension ladder in a stock gen 2 with seating for 3. And again, if you get an aftermarket roof rack, expect the aerodynamics (and MPG) to suffer. Toyota RAV4 - 2016 Models: RAV4 Base, RAV4 Sport & RAV4 Limited
The new RAV4 hybrid is the perfect answer to your situation. Add a hitch mount and cargo carrier for even more capacity while also avoiding the mpg killing air drag of rooftop solutions and the PITA of loading/unloading from that height. 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | Let's redefine what a hybrid can be.
