About the large blind spot with the A Pillars, how does it compare with Gen 3? Can someone who has driven both make a direct comparison? I have a Gen 3 and haven't found it to be too problematic, but I'm hearing so much about it on the Gen 4 that I'm wondering if it's noticeably worse?
it bothers me on the gen 3 in high pedestrian areas, where someone can be out of your site for a split second, as you accelerate.
Never noticed it - it's certainly better than many cars out there, including my previous FORD FIESTA which could lose a delivery van.
I haven't experienced any issue with the A pillar blind spots, which is something I can't say about my previous Renault Zoe which I often had to peer around.
I think I've said this before on here somewhere, but blind spots are only there if you keep your head still and in one fixed position. Providing you move your head around slightly both ways you'll mitigate the blind effect of the A-pillar. My information comes from analysis of jet pilot near misses and mid air collisions - not by me, I should add, but the reports crossed my desk.
You said it in reply to my post about not liking the A pillar. I nearly had an accident accelerating forward from a green light when a left turner made a last second left turn and was perfectly in line with my A pillar as I accelerated.
Car designers could project an image onto the A pillar or have a screen there. Probably a high end car feature.
I think the visibility inside the new Prius is excellent. IncludIng the A pillar. Toyota has made it more slender, the cowl is lower, the dashboard is lower, the windows are huge. Also that thick crossbar between that little triangular window and the front window has been slimmed down to a thin flat strip, giving us a clear open view of the road on the side. Gen 4 prius has trimmed the fat in so many areas, but that one feature helped me decide to trade up from my 2010.
The Gen4 and Prime seem to have a slight advantage in blind spot badness compared to the Gen3, which was terrible, IMO. tucatz, above, details the differences very well. This was a concern of mine before I sat in a Gen4 a year ago. I was pleased that the situation had improved with lines of sight. If it hadn't, I'd probably be driving some other brand's car by now.
I really really really want to believe what you said In This post, because it really would benefit me to be true. I do believe What you read in your reports. However, I recently purchased a car exactly like yours, a 2016 model, in black. It is lovely--absolutely a gorgeous phenomenon of architectural design... but I have almost had several BAD accidents in it---involving humongous objects fitting in that blind spot ... covered by what I assume must be the A pillar you guys are talking about. And this is with me checking my blind spot, peering left of the pillar both slightly and a lot, peering right of that pillar--both slightly and a lot---my neck is getting quite limber twisting to the right sooo far (true). Seriously, though, I have GOT to find a solution for this. It is a constant stressor. One day, I was having to cross to the right lane, and checked absolutely from every angle humanly possible as well as fastidiously checking all mirrors. Blinker on, and finally firmly concluding no one was in that lane, I changed lanes to hear an explosive screeching of tires that seemed to last for an absolute eternity. I stopped where I was. There the vehicle was, a great white SUV, having screeched to a stop behind me. The driver was so dumbfounded, so overcome, by the near calamity,--that their vehicle remained in place, not moving--probably recovering from the adrenaline rush at what almost happened. He could see fine what almost happened. I couldn't. All i can figure is, that lane seems to be going downhill--at a decline--so perhaps the other car, (being slightly higher than I), was even more hidden into that blind spot. All I know, I looked everywhere i could humanly look to check that blind spot. I need help. Although I'll always look over my shoulder to check into the blind spot, aren't there tiny mirrors or something???, that can be placed on my existing mirrors??? --- that are known to reflect the blind spots??
I think PRIUS is better than a lot out there - definitely better than my FIESTA, and better than the previous model. But I did notice that seat position makes a difference - it is better if the seat isn't too low, I have it almost at it's highest. But then - that depends on how tall you are as to how high you can set your seat. A black car probably isn't as visible, so that could compound the problem a little. 3 cars ago, I had one which was dark grey - basically invisible to other drivers. I drove day and night with headlights on.
I think when 4th Gen was revealed they said a-pillar blind spot was less than third. I think I've seen some pictures confirming that. Not a night and day improvement, but some. Seems to me though, the rear corner visibility got worse?
