Which Prius generation and year is best for camping?

welcome!
gen 2 and 3 are flat, and have spare tires. gen 4 is not flat, so you have to build up part of it with foam or whatever. some gen4 have spare and some don't.

each gen gets better mpg and of course, newer years/lower miles should be a little better depending on maintenance and condition.

all gen's have climate control, but probably a bit more efficient with each gen, and newer batteries should run it longer with less engine cycling.

i don't recall a concensus from campers, but i may be mistaken.

both gen plug in's don't have a spare. the larger battery will give you a little more climate control the first segment before the engine starts cycling.

if you looking at new, you can often buy a plug in for less than a non plug in due to rebates and credits.
the roomiest prius is the v, but lower mpg's.

 

Gen 4 is the more economical.

This chap had done some camping conversions on a Gen 4:

Wonderful Wandering Topics - YouTube

 

no, the gen2 and 3 have spares and are flat. the gen 4 comes with and without spare, depending on model, but neither is flat. the first plug in is flat with no spare, the second is not flat with no spare.

 

Gen2 and Prius V allow you remove the center console between the front seats, which allow you to replace console with a pillow, then when it's time to sleep you slide both seats all the way forward, remove the headrests and recline the front seats all the way back flush with the back seat, then add lots of pillows and blankets to make everything flat. Alternatively, you could remove back seat entirely and replace with full size futon mattress which will lay out flat and turn the whole inside of the car into a bed.

 

don't wait for a 2020, toyota has cancelled 'camping mode'. car shuts down after 20 minutes with no input

 

Also Gen2 Prius shuts down after an hour if you're listening to the radio in ACC mode....

 

gen3 20 minutes, iirc

 

Gen 4 with spare have a flat floor with the seats down. No spare means a 2" lip (trunk lower than seat), and Prime has a 4" lip (trunk higher than seat). I haven't seen the back of an e-AWD yet so don't know about those.

 

is it flat with the folded front seats?

 

Best to go and have a look - this is mine, 2016 with a temporary spare:


I figure if I were to camp, I'd possibly have a thicker mattress portion to the rear, and thinner over the back seat, and only a small pillow.

Best to go and have a look at a few in car yards.

 

Are Australian market cars different from North American then? Here's what American market cars look like with a spare (this is a Hong Kong car, but same as NA as far as the seats folding):


Without spare:


Prime:


For comparison, Gen 3:


Prius c:


And Gen 2:

That I do not know; I assume not.

 

great pics, very helpful, thank you.

 

Never once slept in that part of the car.... I camp comfortably in a Prius, which is why I'd never subject myself to that back part of the car, which is for cargo, not sleeping.

 

If car is in ready mode in Gen2 it stays on all night... If it's in ACC mode, it does not...

 

don't let that post confuse you, it is not pertinent to the discussion