Mea Culpa: I've always been wrong about the base model Prius

Our 2010 Canadian Touring foregoes the Multi Function Display. Does have the back up camera, displays in the rear view mirror. The nixed MFD means no bs'ing around with touch-screens, more physical controls (they could still be more tactile, but hey: at least you can find them)

My take is the MFD's are being foisted on us, that the manufacturers just love 'em, they can dump more and more controls onto screen menus, get back to their real passion: creating sculptured dashes.

 

agree on the base. i had to buy a loaded '04 to get one, but i loved my '08 two and base pip. if life were a la carte? sure, i'd add a few things. you sure do get a lot for the money though.

 

I hate the Multi Function Display. Give me buttons, dials - not a piece of glass. I'm supposed to be watching the road, aren't I?

 

this has not been addressed by nhtsa or insurance companies, but probably should be. maybe we need voice commands that actually work.

 

Great write-up, Russell! I always believed the two models were a great value. One day I can hopefully treat myself to a loaded one, though.

 

Very nice write up!
Some of us never escape pre-conceptions, I'm glad you got, and then took, the chance to.

 

Good write-up.
One of my first impressions, as a Prius Two owner was "That interior photo is not Trim Two!" As you know, the Two does not have the white console.

My main regret with my trim two is the comfort of the seats on long trips. Perhaps the Softex ones are better, since seat comfort was supposed to be one area improved in Gen 4 Prius.

 

With TSS, the base model pretty much has all the "essential" features you would need in a modern car; everything else is just "creature comforts" like softex leather and heated seats. Since I've never driven a car with TSS, and don't know what I'm missing, my base 2015 Prius Two is fine enough for me, and don't feel like I'm missing out on much.

 

I think the major feature you are missing is the full speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

 

That's his point entirely, he's never had that feature, therefore he won't miss it.

 

Coming from an old Honda Civic, my idea of high tech features is a Bluetooth connection As long as a car has A/C and Power Windows and locks, I'm good! Average age of a car on the road is 11 and half years...vast majority of folks won't have features like Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, especially since you have to buy them on premium tiers... Just having TSS-P as a standard feature is pretty incredible for an automobile company to do, no longer is increased safety an "optional" package you have to buy for an extra 3-4 thousand dollars!

 

I agree with your conclusion. The time used to calculate that though would be a bit under 7 years, as that is the average time an individual owns a car.
http://www.autonews.com/article/20161122/RETAIL05/161129973/average-age-of-vehicles-on-road-hits-11.6-years

 

Lots of new features can be double-edged. Consider a traditional keyed ignition with no built-in electronic security. It's stripped down, yes: but costs under $10 to duplicate.

 

For the extra cost of an electronic security key, you get insurance discounts for theft deterrence each and every year. Yes, there are trade offs.

 

I have always gotten the base model, basically be cause I didn't need all the fancy toys or item to distract one from driving. As you say safety features it has are very useful. On the CC which I use sometimes in town, can be easily CX just by touching the he brake, and then reset again.The auto highlight took me awhile to catch onto, but it is very accurate. I think it even senses a car on the other side of a hill, before the driver sees it.

 

I think the up-speccing of cars is quicker than that. While that may be the average age of a car on the road, my suspicion is that "cheap" budget cars without fancy features tend to live shorter lives. A $8,000 shunt will kill a $12,000 car, but on a $40,000 car will be fixed. I remember the little Daewoo (Chev?) Matiz came with 2 airbags on the base model. I went looking for parts for my car at a Wrecker, and they had a line of Matiz' with fairly minor front-end damage - I quizzed the guy and he said - 2 airbags went off, not worth fixing by the time you get the parts for the front end.

When I drive on the road, I don't see that average age of cars - I'd suspect the majority of cars are much younger than the average. Thinking about the older cars I know, some are classics which don't get driven often, I know a few guys with an old Ute (truck) which only gets used for occasional trips, and a few belong to elderly drivers who do very few kilometers - but they're all in the statistics of car age.

Some of the mid-range cars (ie Subaru, Golf) have had AEB & RADAR for a few years. TOYOTA has it standard on the C-HR & PRIUS, and on some RAV4s etc.

I'm not sure about the USA, but prestige brands are selling like hot cakes here - LEXUS, PORSCHE, MERCEDES, BMW, AUDI (& LandRover) all in the top 20 brands now - and I think they have close to 100% with RADAR Cruise

 

It appears the 2017 was very mild refresh in option packaging and feature adjustments. We know they improved the headlights, for instance. They provided a vehicle to IIHS to get improved test results.

 

The added safety features can be worth trading up even a relatively new car if you know someone whose life was saved by the new features. We replaced a 2005 Honda Element with a new 2007 just to get side airbags after our neighbor's life was saved by side airbags when she was hit just behind the driver's seat by a truck going 60mph running a red light. She walked away just fine. That is one reason I don't mind upgrading newer cars. Also the prices do seem to be going down for what you get, which is wonderful. We still own the 2007 Element, which we use as our pickup truck for hauling things and pulling our kayak trailer, but not for much over 20 miles away from home.

And it is wonderful that most of the features now reach the base model in a year or two. It used to take 5-10 years from them to trickle down, like with backup cameras which were supposed to be required about ten years ago. The auto industry lobby succeeded in delaying that requirement for many years. I wonder how many children were killed by that delay? A luxury feature can become a safety requirement slowly or quickly...let's pray that quickly becomes the norm.

BTW as a senior citizen, I vote with the knob crowd because it is much easier to feel for a knob and keep your eyes on the road. And I am tired of watching family members spending too much time looking at screens on the dash or their phones as they try to find a place....while weaving side to side in the lane going 70mph! I look up where I want to go on a computer before I leave the house and get a good idea of how to get there sometimes even printing....OMG...a one page map! And often the dash screen is unreadable due to glare, shade, bad info, no info, etc. And it is the same with my backup camera....rain, dirt, glare, etc., can make it worthless at times, so the EYES are still critical when in reverse.