We traded our 2018 Premium for a 2020 Limited, mainly for the many features (and with a generous trade-in and incentives it was an easy jump), not regretting it for a moment. Tally up how much you'd be willing to pay for even a handful of the upgrades you would want/enjoy (or not), and the math becomes easier. Our only (small) regret is that we liked the Red better than the Blue. Oh well, such is life!
I just bought a 2020 Limited with Blizzard Pearl so I got double-hit for the package and the paint. That said, the sensors alone were worth the $4K. I detail as a hobby so I like to keep my paint pristine and those sensors prevent a lot of parking lot knicks and bumps, plus the safety factor is huge. The BSM is a requirement as I get older and lazier and it really is tough sometimes to see someone directly 45-degrees behind you. I think it is all a matter of your personal budget. I don't care about the heated seats and steering wheel but that's OK that they are there.
You can adjust the mirrors in any car so you don't have a blind spot. It takes a little getting used to, but once you're used to it you can't go back.
no matter how safe and responsible you drive, there are others who aren't as considerate or impatient and the extra safety features on the limited does add that reassurance. the rear cross traffic alert does wonders in the parking lot when others don't hear or see you reversing.
You can absolutely optimize mirror adjustment, but BSM is an additional aid in preventing an "uh-oh" and, like the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and other incorporated features, work quite well and are non-intrusive. I miss not having some of the Prius Limited features on our two otherwise well-equiped cars... heck, I even enjoy driving the Prius more!
Of course. I just wanted to let people know that cars don't have blind spots unless you can't see out the rear window.
I still shake my head in disbelief that BSM is an upgrade in 2020. But Toyota seems to always have a particular way in mind, even if it doesn't follow industry norms.
I have an Avalon with the blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert, they both are very helpful, won't buy another new car without those two features.
I spend a lot of time in my car for commuting and when I was making a decision between the Advance and Premium on my '17 Prime, my friend helped me by saying "You spend a significant amount of time in your car, so you should pick one that you'll be happy with." I spent the extra for the Premium and don't regret it for the safety features mainly, but the bells and whistles have proven to make my drives quite enjoyable. That automatic braking saved my butt one time on a tricky maneuver to get into a parking space at close to 5mph - that alone covered the cost of the upgrade.
I have unlimited lifetime Sirius XM in my 2017 Prime Advanced. My wife's 2017 Prime Advanced has Sirius XM, but not lifetime. The trick is to call on the day your subscription expires and negotiate a better deal. Her Prime XM is about $129 for a year, because they would not let me have the previous deal of $99 for a year. It auto renewed at the regular rate and they had to refund about half the charge back to my credit card. I have no buyer's remorse. When you get to my age, I will only own a few more cars before I kick the bucket, so why not get the fully loaded model? Looking forward to adding to the stable a RAV4 Prime XSE with all the extras.
We bought a Limited because, for once in my life, I wanted all the bells and whistles, including the big screen, safety features, and HUD. I still like all of those things, but the heated steering wheel is a much nicer feature than ever expected. Often times on cold days I can just drive around town with no fans blowing and using the heated wheel and car seats to keep me warm. Altogether, I feel it was worth the extra amount. My wife has a Honda CRV equipped similar to the XLE as her car, but she also much prefers and uses the Prime when I’m not driving it.
