Is the Gen 4 Prius better than the Gen 3 Prius?

The custom made sun screen for the Gen 3 is HUGE compared to the one for the Gen 4. (It's also huge compared to Gen 2, btw.) Gen 4 windshield is smaller because of a little steeper slope, but I agree that visibility is vastly improved. Still a pretty big blind spot thanks to the air bag in the A pillar, but I like it a lot better than my PiP.

 

It is interesting all the Prime comments in a thread trying to learn about the Gen 4 body. The Prime body style is quite different. I do not need the camel humped rear hatch window.

 

no one does, but if you want the rest of the car...

 

Can you explain this alittle more in detail please ?

 

Nope. I am not in to the cow catcher grille style.

 

Well, that's not true! I like it. But I hope I never have to pay for replacing it. LOL!!

Back to the windshield, though, I'm almost positive that they are the same on Prime and Prius.

 

If someone would put a car with the mechanicals of Prius, in a practical, durable, easy/cheap to repair body style, I'd be all over it. A few bullet points:

1. Compact, round headlight housings, cheap to replace. Glass preferably, but plastic ok, if replacement (when they fog up from UV) is cheap, say $50 apiece max.
2. Engine bay accessible without the need to dismantle half the car.
3. Durable bumpers, with black rubber contact strips, easily/cheaply replaceable.
4. Ergonomic, tactile dash controls.

 

So you want a Jeep Wrangler with Toyota supplying the mechanical components .

Our Prii really aren’t that bad in many aspects, just not like a 1970’s dodge pickup for access.

You could actually climb into the engine bay on that.

 

Someone reviewing the Mercedes G-Class had a comment that was Wrangler applicable: "the aerodynamics of a garden shed", lol.

Yeah, lots of nice non-metallic paint choices too. Do you find you stop-and-stare, when you espy something (like a Fiat or whatever), in a nice crayon-box non-metallic paint finish? They just seem to glisten...

 

I was at the local toyota dealer for the 10k mile servicing and some of the color choices on the Tacos and Tundras seem odd.

Cement and Desert sand that are flat?

I’d take the crayon box array rather than have to look at that all the time.

They had a Supra there for show and tell, but it was boring white.

 

When the Gen 4 was first released, a differentiating feature of the 2 Eco and higher was a different windshield. That indeed may be the same as the Prime but, I strongly suspect my Prius 2 & lower have a different windshield. We have already had one occason where we were surprised the windshield did not break. Some Gen 4 windshields appear to be made of transparent eggshells, breaking at the slightest thing.

 

Interesting that you mention the breakage. That crossed my mind, too. I have a friend in MS with a Gen 4 trim IV and he's had several cracked windshields from stones on a gravel road he sometimes has to travel. I don't know the model year. My windshield deflected a shredded tire on the interstate with no damage. So, while there may or may not be a difference in size or slope, there does seem to be a difference in strength.

 

I've had several loud "Bangs".....kicked/up stones from passing trucks......on my Gen. 4 (2017-1/2)......no visible damage.....(fingers crossed)

 

In our case is was a windy storm with some hail. The wind was strong enough to blow the slow moving car sideways across a 2 lane road. Fortunately there was little traffic.

 

Old thread but I gotta say gen 4 is superior in almost every way but looks. Of course it’s opinion but I remember seeing one when they first came out and thinking “wow that’s ugly. They way overdid the futuristic look. But maybe it will grow on me.” Nope. I still think they look awkward and overdone. Same thing with the interior. Just too much. I love high tech, but it should be tasteful and sleek IMO. They missed the boat IMO. If you like it that’s great because otherwise it’s pretty much all around improved. I think the sales numbers reflect that many people agree with me.

From gen 2 to 3 they stayed very true to the design and just improved it greatly. Making it more modern but classic Prius. 4 went off the rails. To me the whole car looks like the camel hump on the spoiler of the prime.

 

I remember thinking "Thank goodness they forgot the black cowcatcher grille!" I will buy a different car before stooping to that level of ugliness.

 

I always thought Gen 2 and 3 looked "frumpy" for lack of a better word. When I first saw Gen 4, it seemed rather shocking. But it's grown on me, especially compared to some of those big black grills @Prodigyplace mentioned. Sheesh!! What are they thinking?!?!

 

More of a Mae West corset thing?

Or Predator?

What irks for me is that it's both useless and expensive as heck.

Honda's doing some similar nutty stuff too: there's VERY little relation between apparent grill extents and actual. Entire corner grills (front AND rear) are completely faux.

Sorry, need my meds....