Ground Clearance issues--Will it scrape all the time?

It depends on where you drive - I haven't scraped yet. All I can measure it by is that it's MUCH better than my previous car, a 2011 FORD FIESTA sedan, and a little better than my 2008 FOCUS Hatch.

 

I've had zero issues or close calls.

 

Could you ask the salesperson to take it and let HIM/HER try it in places where you've got concerns.

 

If I may.....
I would believe NOTHING that a salesperson says, especially if you're unfortunate enough to be buying from a SE Toyota dealer.

Tell them to shut up, fasten the seatbelt and take the car for a thorough test drive to include places like nearby driveways, some drive-thru's, and maybe your driveway if you live close enough.
You may also want to check with some of the larger car rental places.
Hertz used to rent specialized vehicles and they used to have a "tree-hugger" group, although I understand they didn't call it that when the customer was around.


Find out if any of the big rentals have Priuses in their fleet and get one for a weekend.
This will give you real-world data on a car that's been driven for a while and it will allow you to explore the many facets of Priusdom without having to subject yourself to the tender mercies of the thieves down at the dealer.

Lastly?
Cast a wide net.

There's a regular poster here that lives in Huntsville, and if memory serves me correctly, he's bought a G2, G3 and is now on a G4 and (again, if memory serves) he tends to buy in markets other than SE Toyota group. (bwilson4web)

Look in other states and make a weekend adventure out of the buy!

Good Luck!

Edit: Found this: (Didn't see if they had them in AL)
Car Rentals from Budget

 

I have had zero issues with the car scraping. However, sidewalks that have larger than standard curb heights can "interface" with the chin spoiler.

 

welcome!
the prius is pretty low, and scraping may be an issue. a camry scraping means a pretty steep angle.
definitly test it on your driveway before making the investment.

 

If you mean Huntsville Alabama user bwilson4web is close by. He might be able to suggest some test locations I've you PM him. Otherwise let us know and I can tag him in a posting so he will respond to this thread.

 

I've had my 4 touring for less than 2 months, driving very carefully on city streets ONLY, and the bottom already looks like this .. Had a gen 3 for 7 years years, drove out dirt roads, along river banks with 3 passengers, etc... And never pulled the plastic plates and bolts out of the front end.

 

You hit something. Or someone else who drove it did (throws shade on significant other).

 

If I didn’t always back in when parking, my 2016 Prius Three Touring would definitely scrape the concrete wheel stops in the garage at my office. Fortunately, the ground clearance is much higher in the rear, and the backup camera seems to work well.

I did have another unit (a Four Touring, I think) scrape the pavement leaving a dealer’s driveway on a test drive; I was going slowly, and the salesman said it happened a lot.

 

Well I live in Florida and took it through a very hilly area of Georgia and Tennessee (2000 mile road trip) and I was surprised I never scraped once but if your scraping in a Camry I would be very concerned myself. Ok, an update I checked underneath of my Prius and have no scrape marks but also have been very careful when pulling in and out of steep drives when on the road trip or any other place I thought I might have issues and have just over 10k on the odo.

 

It would depend on the year of the Camry. The rear of our 1996 Camry was horrible for dragging when entering or leaving some driveways.

 

It's possible I hit something on the highway. The streets of Oakland are littered with . . . Litter (4 by 8 sheets of plywood, dumping, potholes, dead animals, etc). But more likely the damage under my front spoiler was due to a parking bumper (what do you call these things). I wonder why these things are even installed in parking lots- just low enough to not see them, drive up over them. Just tall enough to catch the bottom of your nice little sedan and pull it apart when you back up. Ouch!

 

What's the case with our 3rd gen front end, especially with curbs with a space beyond: the front end bevels progressively down, front-to-rear, then abruptly climbs again, about 6" in. You can push on and over such a curb, then it snags and tears on the abrupt climb at the back, doesn't want to pull back off.