I know that the specs say the Prius will hold 5 passengers but how much weight? My husband and I want to take a long trip that will include camping. We (when we get our Prius) want to fill the back with camping gear -- well and maybe a rubber pond liner . So how much weight can we put in the car without creating extra wear? Thx. Gal
On page 176 of my owner's manual, it says totalload capacity of 810 lbs. This is combined weight of passengers, cargo and luggage. Toothydaclown
I have had 4 people and filled the trunk area with camping and rock climbing gear. Also, Have had 4 people and a husky with a trunk full of camping gear. The car was fine, and did not seem to squat too much. I wouldn't worry too much, just enjoy the trip.
The payload spec is Toyota's way of saying "if anything goes wrong with the car heavier, don't blame us" I reckon. Many people have driven Prius far heavier and not reported immediate problems. It's probably a matter of driving more conservatively under the circumstances. I urge any who explore that edge of the envelope to inflate the tires to their maximum cold sidewall pressures, or close.
Check the Tires. Generally, the weakest link in the auto carrying weight is the weight capacity of your tires. Look on the sidewall. You'll find something like: Maximum pressure 44lbs at 1500lbs gross weight. This means 1500lb per tire, or 6000lb for the vehicle. Whatever that number is, that is the weight you shouldn't exceed. Generally, the axle and suspension will carry more than the tires without failing. It may not look or feel right but it should do better than the tires. So, I generally go by the numbers on the tires. A blowout at 75mph is not pretty.
Estimating from the sidewall statement and the car's gross weight gives a figure much larger than that on the door pillar or in the owner's manual. That doesn't account for handling or overloading the brakes and drive system. Stick with the smaller number :_>
