2020 Prime XLE - must know/have's ?

Tip 1: Download the manuals in PDF for future reference and reading electronically.
Tip 2: Spend time perusing the forums here. LOTS of great information.
Tip 3: At least initially the display in the driver's compartment may seem overwhelming. Let the car handle things until you've completed Tip 1 and 2.

 

If you had 2016 Prius, then most of functionalities are similar. I think only new thing related to 2020 Prime XLE would be the larger 11.6" screen and plug-in. If you have not bought the car yet, make sure to test drive it on EV mode. Just ask the dealer to have it charged up when you come up for the test drive. If you already have the car, then just plug-in and enjoy.

 

it's still a Prius

 

actually in EV mode it's quite zippy (which often surprises other drivers); in regular hybrid mode it's a dog.

 

+1 to what @smyles said. It's not a Tesla by any means, but it does just fine in EV. In fact, I usually drive in ECO mode and if I'm driving in HV and have EV range available, when I hit the button to go to EV, it's like a little turbo just came on line. Not spectacular, but very noticeable. It's probably the same in Normal and Power modes, but I rarely use those.

 

Same here. For me, best balance is to stay in EV mode for city/traffic/lower speeds/short trips, and put in HV mode for highway speeds/longer trips. Put right back into EV mode as I exit the highway.

Usually keep in Normal Mode, but sometimes pop into Power or Eco depending on the mood. But Normal mode all the time might be the simplest thing to do.

 

You can switch back and forth between HV and EV as often as you wish without stopping. I do it all the time. Of course, you have to have enough battery charge left in order to come back to EV. Once you are out of EV range, the car will stay in HV mode until you charge the battery.

 

Yeah, make sure to go through the manual.

 

I realize you don't have a Prime, so you wouldn't be likely to have read the manual. But I would never have bought a Prime if what that person told you was true. I doubt if anyone would, so I wonder if he was pulling your leg.

 

Maybe he was talking about an old 4WD with a hub lock. LOL

 

Just found out today that the LE (with smaller infotainment screen) is the only model that has a cd player.

I could live without, but the misses would need that

 

Yap! That can be a plus for someone who is too lazy or digitally challenged to transfer his/her CD contents to USB. I am the former case (i.e. lazy). I have hundreds of CD's which I have not converted into MP3 files. Oh, I also have hundreds of cassette tapes, but I don't think I will ever use them again. Most streaming audio sources are of very low quality. Even with USB thumb drive files, most of the files I have are low quality YouTube conversion files. The real CD sound should be a treat for my ears.

 

I'll betchya dimes to dollars he had a cold engine. When the engine first starts, it has to warm up before it will switch off. That's true with any Prius.

PS. There are a few things I don't like as well, but that's just a misunderstanding of Toyota's design imperatives. I could make a list, though, of other little annoyances.