I have owned a Gen 2 and Gen 3 Prius and loved them both. But as my body sinks further into decrepitude, I find myself wanting to ditch my current vehicle and get something where entry and exit is easier. I've decided that a five-seat SUV, with its seats right at the same height as my tush, might be my best choice. I'm about 5'8", with a body stiffened by age and cerebral palsy. Before I subject myself to the dealership hassle, I thought I would check here to see how the Prius v is for entry height. Is it high enough off the ground -- similar to a RAV4, Ford Escape, Subaru Outback or Forester, etc. -- where entry and exit will be easier for a gimp like me?
I found the seat height on the v is just about in between the gen 2 prius and an '13 outback. I traded the outback for a '16 v, for various reasons, but the 2 main ones were stiff steering, and an awkward entry. The v is easier for me than the Outback, it may be the door size, or the seat side bolsters. Bottom line is it's more than about the seat height, it's also door size seat design, steering wheel position, headroom, etc. Good luck with your hunt, and if possible, test drive the finalists for a few hrs. to days. Rent for a long trip if you can before you buy.
You'll want the Rav4 Hybrid for ease of entry. Take it from an old fart who made the swap from a Prius-v for much the same reason. The v is nowhere near the height of the Rav4. Other benefits are a much quieter and smoother ride and more power, AWD, etc.
Thanks to you both, but there's a deal breaker with both vehicles. I want a car that has both a CD player (which I can't get on a RAV4 without sacrificing other equipment I want) and a sunroof that I can use for open-air driving (which I can't get on a Prius v at all). I also want a satellite-based in - dash navigation system, so I don't burn up my data plan. I can't get all those things on either Toyota, but can get them on the four vehicles referenced in my first post and perhaps on others.
What is a "satellite based navigation system"? The S in satellite stands for satellite. I use no phone data bytes using my V's GPS navigation. I don't have any real time data coming in so I don't get traffic/accident alerts and the map data needs to be updated by the dealer. I'm 74 and have a bad back and find the V better than a lot of cars I ride in. Is it a RAV4? No. The RAV4h I drove just seemed to be huge to me even though I've put 100k+ miles on a Grand Caravan and owned a CRV. I may go back and try one again but I'm somewhat put off by the 20% drop in MPG I'd be hit with. Subjectively, the RAV4h seemed quieter but a sound meter didn't show significant difference.
On Toyotas with a CD player, the navigation system involves syncing your smartphone to the vehicle, then using a Toyota - provided app that uses the phones maps and data plan to display the information on a screen in the vehicle. That chews up the data plan. Toyotas without the CD player have a navigation system integrated into the vehicle, and also use a bigger screen. It doesn't require using the maps or data plan of a smartphone.
that doesn't sound right vic. some here would kill for a prius that would put the phone map on the screen. i have had 3 that had gps with no phone. all with cd player and a hycam with cd changer.
We have a 2016 Prius v Three with a CD player and built-in Nav. No phone data plan needed although we sync our iPhones to the car for phone calls and receiving texts. FWIW my wife was concerned about sitting lower in our Prius v but finds it easier to get and out of than our old Dodge van. She also raves about the visibility out front. We both either just over 70ish or bumping 70ish...
Might be time to face the future and accept that CD players are going away quickly. Its pretty easy to rip your CDs to high quality MP3s and play those in the RAV or V. I don't think I would let a CD player drive my car choice decision, there are too many other more important considerations. Anyway, the notion of buying a Ford to get a CD player seems pretty dumb. Subaru maybe, Ford never. Unless you need the CD player to amuse you while you're waiting for repair service at the Ford dealer.
I was also concerned about a CD player, and insisted it have one. I found I could put about 40 CD's worth of tunes on a usb stick. On a 7,000 mile 3 week road trip, I used the CD player twice (2hrs) and the usb drive the rest of the time.
I have almost 10,000 tunes on a tiny USB drive, Somewhere around 700 CDs. At HQ bit rates its all a bit less than 60GB.
If you really need a CD player, many cars (including my Gen 4 Prius) have an audio input jack so you could use a portable CD player, possibly powered from a 12 volt outlet. Just another thought...
I want everything to be in - dash. I don't want cords strung around the cabin. And with about 2,000 CDs in my collection, I have neither the time nor the inclination to burn them to thumb drives. In any case, I can't get a RAV4 equipped as I wish. The higher - line models that have other equipment I want can't be equipped with a CD player. Neither can the Prius V. End of story. I am leaning toward the Subaru Outback, but need to wait until my wife recovers from knee-replacement surgery sufficiently to accompany me on a test drive. She's a big woman and we need to know how comfortable the vehicle is for her with us both in it. The only reason the Ford is on the list is because I can get a substantial discount on Ford's D-plan, since I have a relative who works at a Ford dealer. It's my least favorite among the four, but I can get it equipped as I wish.
hey, my wife is 3 weeks into her replacement tomorrow. she is doing well, i hope yours is too. all the best to her!
I have my 4runner for height..my V5 has more room inside and a little less cargo space otherwise I use both for each purpose...
Wanted a Prius for many years. Rented for a day or two. Drove cars at dealerships now and again for an hour or two. Finally, had son's car for a week. By the end of the week, I couldn't bear the thought of going anywhere in his Prius. I'm 70, and getting in and out for the third, fourth, or 20th time on any given day was unthinkable. Bought a 2013 Prius v because it sits much higher than the standard Prius. I'm 6'3" but I still have the seat raised up pretty high to get further off the ground. Happy for now. Later, who knows. I thought I had to have the in-car navigation system, and I got it. Don't like it. Got a Garmin. Garmin works great, but you have to download updates periodically, and plug it into the power outlet. Don't like that either. Finally started using Google Maps on my Android phone. Don't waste money on the Toyota navigation system. Also, I take and make phone calls using the car's sound system (there is a microphone built into the car). Also, I play tunes from the phone through the car's sound system (I have about 4,000 tunes on my phone). Just some thoughts for you.
We each have to make our own choice.. Every car design is a compromise. Every car purchase decision is a compromise. No matter how much is in your investment accounts, it still comes down to what you want the car to do for you and even how your body type fits to the design of the car.
