'06 Tires / Handling better?

This forum is amazing. I drove our 06 yesterday for 160 miles. It had 9 miles on the odometer when I started. I drive an 04 Prius, at times, for work. I commented to my wife that I felt our car drove much better. It did not get blown around and did not have a "floaty feeling". The road feel was excellent.

In addition, I am getting over 44 mpg so far. That's close enough for me to an EPA of 51 highway.

 

I have a 2005 from July, and never did have the floaty feeling, or felt blown around. The stiffening plate may help, I'd probably feel the difference, but I haven't been motivated yet because I pretty much like the way the Prius drives now.

-Roger

 

I drove an '05 back in October, when I put in my order, and wasn't crazy about the way it handled, especially the light steering. You have to understand that the car the Prius is replacing for me is an Audi A4 quattro 5-speed, and my summer fun car is an '04 Mazdaspeed (turbo) Miata. So, handling is important to me.

Anyway, when I got my '06 last week, I was very pleasantly surprised at how much better it felt than the '05 -- more resistance and feedback in the steering and less of a floaty feeling. My first thought was that the tires had been upgraded, but a glance at the Integrities (which I had also seen on the '05) dispelled that notion.

I've since changed off to Michelin X-Ice snow tires (for winter in central Maine), and all these attributes are at least as good as with the OEMs. I have a stiffening plate on order; hopefully, that will make the car's handling even better. So far (100 miles) I'm very pleased.

 

It's my recollection from another, older thread that Toyota upgraded the BT plate mid '05.

I hope someone can confirm or deny this.

C

 

Toyota made some minor body structural changes in mid 2005, but that has nothing to do with the BT Tech plate. The 2006 Prius has the same wimpy formed steel center body brace as the 2004 and 2005 models. The BT Tech Chassis Stiffening Plate (see PriusChat Offers on the left) is nothing like what Toyota provides.

Some good tires and the BT Tech plate and my Silver Cloud feels like it's on rails.

 

Toyota did improve the body rigidity of Prius of 2006.
Here is the link:

http://response.jp/issue/2005/1221/article77636_1.html


Read: ボディ剛性の強化 (body rigidity strengthening)

 

Google Translate is your friend.

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=ht...Flanguage_tools

 

Thanks Bill,

I respect your opinion.. from what I've read!

 

My subjective opinion from having owned '04's, '05's and now an '06 is that the '06 is slightly quieter and rides more softly, with about the same amount of jounce/rebound shock control. A definite improvement toward comfort with no apparent sacrifice in roll control, and a minor gain in straight line stability. I'd call it above average ride and acceleration, average handling and below average braking abilities with OEM tires.

 

Newbie here. I just to delivery on an '06 a couple of weeks ago, and was very suprised at the bumpiness of the ride. :mellow: . I previously owned a 1996 corrolla wagon, I test drove a friends '04 prius and didn't remember the ride being so bumpy.

So I was curious of you Prius owners out there would tell me if this is your experience with an '06 and what can help. Does this stiffening plate help with this bumpiness or just handling on curves. So far I have the tires at the standard pressure. 42 mpg so far....

Silver HF package.

 

Bumping up the pressure to that range will definitely make the stock tires ride harsher. I just switched over to ComfortTreads. The Goodyear dealer would only put in the air pressure recommended on the doorpost so I drove 1/2 day at the lower pressure. The next day I brought them up to 40/38.

At stock pressure, with the Integrities, the ride was quite nice. At high pressure it gets rougher, more bouncy, and a bit noisier. It also make the car a little squirrelier in some circumstances like grooved pavement and quick lane changes on wet pavement. None of this is dangerous, just not dead on.

At stock pressure in the ComfortTread, the tires felt heavy, even slightly mushy. The brakes seemed a bit grabbier too. Once the pressure was raised, this went away. The tires ride better at pressure than the Integrities and are quieter. I still feel an occasional wobble when pushing her hard in a corner. Perhaps this will require the BT plate to remedy.

 

I have about 1600 miles on my 06 and am disappointed that there is a deafening sound of something vibrating when I drive above 30 MPH with the windows down.

Can someone clarify if it is related to the tires, the wind coming through the vehicle, the car vibrating or, more importantly, if there is anytihing I can do about the sound -- other than drive with my windows up at all times? For example, would the BT brace help?

Thanks

 

Whoah.. deafening? That can't be good at all.. I would go directly to the dealer and not pass go - that's the last thing you should hear from a Prius!

Dave

 

This topic comes up regularly on CarTalk. It's common in aerodynamic cars because the laminar airflow over the car is broken and buffeting the interior. It can sound very loud because of the rapid change of pressure. I don't know if there's much a dealer can do in this case.

from CarTalk: "...at highway speed, driving with the windows open uses even MORE gasoline than driving with the AC on and the windows closed. How is that possible? Because on modern cars, opening the windows basically ruins the aerodynamics of the car. It makes it so much less "slippery," that none other than the Society of Automotive Engineers says you'd be better off with the air conditioner on and the windows closed."

 

It works a little like blowing across the top of a bottle.

 

I had a 2005 Prius for 5 months. I put about 3000 miles on it. I traded it for a 2006 package 8 and have noticed a major difference in the steering. The 06 is firmer and more responsive. I haven't noticed any difference in the suspension.

 

04 with 25,000miles to 06 i wouldn't say i can feel a change....

I am feeling a small viration in the steering wheel.... i need to insist they do a wheel balancing on all 4 tires. (last time i took it they told me there's no vibration... but i can still feel it... they didn't bother to do a sheel balancing and i couldn't stay there any longer.)