Compared to the original Prime 2017, that seated 4, does the Prime seating 5 have a bigger trunk and more cargo capacity? Or otherwise said, is the Prime 2020/1 battery smaller in volume and allows not only for an extra seat, but also for a bit more trunk space?
Trunk space is exactly the same - there's a 3rd seat in the second row where the fixed arm rest used to be. But the seat back is unchanged, meaning the trunk is unchanged.
Thanks for the info. But then I am puzzled by Toyota engineers... Why put a fixed arm rest that doesn't serve any purpose other than occupy an empty volume to offer a feature that can easily be achieved, like on the Gen4, by simply lowering down an armrest from the seat back??
Load capacity and liability? I believe the rated load capacity does not realistically support 5 passengers, barely even 4. But that doesn't stop drunk partying teenagers from doing it anyway, even when no seatbelt is present, then surviving kin suing over lack of a seatbelt when the center rear passenger is launched through the windshield during a crash. That is how one of my previous econocars was re-rated from a (realistic but cramped) 4 passenger car for the model year I bought it, to a (very unrealistic) 5 passenger car a couple model years later, even without getting any bigger. Either they block that center position so that no one wants to sit their (e.g. original Chevy Volt and Prius Prime), or put a seat belt there for legal CYA. And what car maker or seller is going to label it a 4 passenger when it has 5 sets of seatbelts? It looks to me that the engineers initially too the realistic route, blocking the center seat. But after customer feedback, the marketing department ordered that the block be removed. The regular Liftback has a heavier load capacity rating than the Prime.
The reason given by Toyota was that they would have needed to re-engineer it to add a seat, but leaving it blank would have been considered a 'seat' by the safety experts who regulate things like seat belts and air bags.
On release, it was said a fifth seat would require additional support for the weight when asked. The battery does add some weight to a gen4 chassis.
So this means that the Prime that seats 5 has a lighter/smaller battery than the original 4-seat Prime launched in 2017?
When this first came up, I thought they had not increased the load capacity. But rechecking, by golly they did: 2020 Prius Prime Owner's Manual specs in section 9: vs the 2017 Prime rating:
