Is Gen 5 Prius really better-looking than Gen 4 Prius Prime?

Nothing more unattractive than watching a bully trying to boost themselves up by putting others down and nothing more boring than someone trying to prove they are right.

People with beautiful lives don’t spend time on a Prius forum trying to prove their worth.

 

So with other words, voicing an opinion on a forum is only ok when it fits your narrative or perspective. Got it.

I don't care what people do, but once they make claims on how people should live their lives in a public forum, they open up to people that don't agree.

If you can't deal with my perspective on life, finances, etc, that is your problem only.

Talking about choices and location. I'll be heading out to my local beach. I'll use my new DoorDash Corolla Hybrid so my nicer vehicles don't get dings from those pesky tourist.

Offensive, or motivational? Your call.

 

OK, relative the original thread topic, I have a black 2023 GLE AWD sitting in my carport next to my daily driver, a 22 Prime Base (Canada). I've been trying to answer the big question for myself for the past couple weeks now. Today, I got out the tape measure and checked a few things, to wit: the hatch opening is nearly 5 inches wider on the 2022. Even with the lost floor for the big battery, the height is almost the same. (Does anyone know if the 2023 Prime also gains some floor height? I think maybe not.). Since I have an older home, the garage is a single door, and it's a close passageway with the Prime now. The mirrors stick out like a Vulcan's ears. So, DW held the other end of the tape measure, we rolled the windows down, and measured the ears. Turns out the 2023 is 1/2 inch wider - that's acceptable, I guess.
Now to fitting my frame in each car. I'm tall, and the 2022 fits me very comfortably. Adjusting the seat to my liking, I have over 2 inches clear above my head. When I play with all the adjustments on the 2023, I can eventually get to what feels like an equally comfortable position, but I now have about 3/4 inch of headroom, and I'm not sure where I'll rest my left arm on long drives. There is also a bit less room to position my right leg, as the console intrudes on the available space some. Not ideal, but all manageable, I guess.
Some of the other things I will miss if I trade in for a new Prime include: Visibility. Simply put, it's nowhere near as good. BUT, the 2023 comes with lane warnings standard now. SO, again, maybe that's manageable. Also, the seats (the pleather stuff they have on the XLE feels "slippery" to me.) I really prefer the cloth, and would like to be able to get them on the mid-level 2023 Prime XSE, but alas, they are not an option. Unfortunately, it seems the base SE Prime has excised the auto-headlights, and that's something I would miss. I would also prefer to have the 17 inch wheels on the XSE, but, again, not optionable.
But the big takeaway is it seems I'm getting a lot smaller car in the '23. Yeah, I know it's an inch bigger L/W, but.... It really feels to me like I'd be going from an almost mid-size car to a rather small compact sports sedan. Fair? IDK, but that's how it feels. Of course the extra EV range and pep, along with significantly better handling, add up to a big plus for the '23. It's honestly a toss-up with me. My decision will probably depend on what they'll do on my trade-in.
As to the OP question - well, of course the new Prius LOOKS better - but there's the rest of this.

 

I don't think either of us can understand the other's entire life just from a couple of forum posts.

My main reason for posting comments on how I can't afford new vehicles has nothing to do with not having a good car that works perfectly fine for me. Often the cars I poke fun at being cars I can't afford offer a lot less of what I want and need than the car I already own. Take the Gen 5 Prius and Prius Prime, for an example. They are both smaller than what I currently have and don't have any more power than what I currently have either.

So I complain I can't afford a smaller less powerful car. Why? Because, out of sarcasm, I hate that the world tries to convince people they need everything new in order to be happy. How would owning a new car make me happier? What would it offer that my current car doesn't? What would a 2023 Prius offer me that my 2013 Avalon hybrid doesn't? How would it make me happier? Why would that be worth the $30,000 or so and an extreme change in my life just to obtain a Prius for the sake of saying "I can afford a new car"???

Everyone's values are different, and everyone's means of obtaining their goals are different.

As a janitor, I do physical work that isn't too extreme. I don't see that as being bad for my health past 60.

I've known plenty of people trying to achieve financial goals like early retirement only to ruin their lives working 13 hours a day or so 7 days a week. Next thing you know they're divorced and their kids suffer as a result.

It's kind of like the fisher in Africa who was going home at mid day to play with the kids, eat with them and his lovely wife and play music with his friends in the evening. Another man stopped him and told him he should instead keep working until the end of the day so he could save up so buy a boat, then a fleet, hire workers, expand his career, so that when he's old he can go home early to play with the kids, eat with them and his lovely wife and spend the evenings playing music with his friends. The fisher replied, "But I can go spend time with the kids and wife and friends now. Why make things complicated just so I can postpone what I'm already able to achieve?"

Personally I have a happy marriage, lovely kids that are adults or just entering adulthood and overall a happy life. Why potentially dump all that for "financial freedom"?

 

Alright, last post before I head out.

I know exactly what you appreciate in your life, and it is indeed better than somebody who wants to be "rich" in order to compensate for issues. And there may be many people out there who define themselves through possessions.

For me, possessions like cars, are hobbies and passions. I don't care if people like them. As a matter of facts, I don't like it when people turn their heads for a car or anything else I own. That being said, I love to share those things, because in my world they are fun objects that just add choices to a life. In my book, a great looking car / house / beach / whatever is motivational. I like seeing new things and forming new goals.

That you have a functional marriage, is awesome. Cherish it to the fullest extent, because you don't make up the majority.

Also, financial freedom can be archived without working 12 hours a day or risking your family life. Working smarter and not harder (longer) is the key. Day trading - while being extremely challenging for beginners - is just one example.

Anyways, I understand that my opinions and words can come across abrasive. I don't have a filter, that part has been missing in my DNA ever since. No harm intended.

 

Someone posted this 2023 Prime XSE Premium with Solar Charging Roof a few weeks ago and being sold in Kansas.

So I asked the fleet manager where I got my car and since I wanted one with Solar.
This text was from 2 weeks ago.

"How this dealer get this silver color Prius with solar panel and other options that I wanted?

>I don’t know where are they located because that car wasn’t in Southern California the last several allocations.
Fred I can’t get a car for you in the Midwest, those guys use the New York sports and truck their vehicles in. I’m limited to vehicles coming into Denver region for Southern California because your car has to come in through port of Long Beach. That’s a very unusual car, and it could even be the only one in the Kansas City region. Who knows there could be another one coming into Florida or Arkansas or Louisiana. Those are all states I have no access to.

Oh, I have no idea it looks like just an unusual one off vehicle.
There are only 47 access a premium in the entire United States right now incoming. Even looking in the Kansas city region I see nothing with a sunroof.

It shows online as being presold and reserved and there are only four in the United States with solar roof and they are all mid west or east coast. Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio.

Just luck of the draw I guess. This last allocation there were only XSE allocated in California.

You just might have the first!! The XSE premium is a toughie, I’ve got a stack of deposits and no way to get any more cars yet

I just got a XSE base silver on the allocation, probably getting here mid June<




Someone posted this a few weeks ag

 

A lot of threads wander away from the topic. This one gets the award for going the farthest and fastest.

 

I guess I get into hobbies that don't turn other people's heads, like amateur radio and DIY electronics. But in the end if it makes you happy, that's all that matters. If that makes you popular or people see you as a geek, as in my case, there are pros and cons to both of those side effects.

Same here!

 

thank you for an objective and relevant comparison! 5" narrower hatch is shocking

 

No, more like Jesus said to live, not someone at a world forum. You’re right I rarely see rich, very rich, people saying they have too much money. Some do. I’m not poor, but think I have too much sometimes. In a contest, I shake the hand of the winner and am not resentful. I see them as someone too, and they wanted to win just like me. Just sayin, no blood pressure events. I think maybe the genetic urge to win is the reason people want to sit in a fancy car and have the biggest houses. It isn’t like something new.

 

If you can live within your means, you're rich.

 

Kind of like a couple teens that were talking about wanting to get the lastest iPhone Pro Max. I asked them why they wanted that phone. Their answer was "because it's the best." I asked "best in what way or for what?" Their answer, "because it just is, it has the best capacity, and maybe the best sensitivity." Me, "are you sure, and how would that benefit you personally?" The teens: "Um... Well... In something it probably will come in handy..."

Back to the topic, the same with the newest gen Prius. It's not a bad car, but there are a lot of good cars out there. If a person wants to buy a car to impress their friends, hopefully that was a secondary reason and they first made sure it fitted their real needs and wants and not just a showoff toy that doesn't do what they need it to do or takes money from things they needed more than the car.

If you make more than a few dollars a week, you're rich on a world scale.

I guess I'm rich on both accounts.

 

I have to say sorry for going so off topic.
The dimensions comparisons are back to nice normal relaxing car talk. I would have gotten the gen 5 or at least get a good feel for it normally as it is the new version. This isn’t a normal car market. Visibility as a senior is very important to me. The gen 4 is good, a little front pillar obstruction turning left mainly. Adaptable. The windows are large in front. It suits me fairly well. The prime gen 5 seems to have a flatter lower load floor than the 4.
It’s a Toyota I am sure the gen 5 will be great, and many owners will feel they got more than they expected.

 

I get it. I used to not like the Batman look of the Gen 4 Prime especially the swoop in the rear windshield.

For me the least attractive part of the Gen 5
is the squatty looking rear end. Doesn’t look like it belongs to the same car. I’ll learn to live with it when/if the time comes.

 

To "live within your means" means that what you spend each month is less than or at least equal to the amount of money you bring in each month. That's not even smart, because it often doesn't include any buffer, nor does it mean any increase in net assets.

And it doesn't mean that you are rich. Somebody making 3k a month with living expenses at 2.8k is not rich, at all.

rich
adjective

having a great deal of money or assets; wealthy.

Similar:
with deep pockets, opulent, substantial, rolling in money, abundant


In today's US world, you need net assets of at least 8 figures to be consider rich. Owning a 1 M house in places like CA isn't rich anymore.

 

" I used to not like the Batman look...."

"batman look". i like that. apt description.

 

After working hard on my gen3 for several days in prep for the trade, and now having had the gen5 for a couple days, I'm seeing a lot of the gen3 in the gen5(exterior). It almost feels like the designers used the gen3 as the starting point as opposed to the gen4. As someone who liked the gen3 styling way, way, way better than the gen4, I'm perfectly ok with that. lol

 

I still don’t really like the Batman look as it is so unusual, and I own one. But it is a quality rear hatch and light weight. Doesn’t need lifters, not yet, for me. Very easy to lift. Like all forms, it takes getting used to, some like it. I like it more and more. The new 23 back is much safer in looks, but maybe that’s boring.

 

And the answer to the thread's original question is, yes. And it's not even close...