2016 Prius in Review

Tony, thank you! Bravo.

This writeup is so accurate and insightful. Many of the things you've touched on are my feelings exactly. I'm a 2 Prius owner and I see that there is a vast chasm between the Gen 3 and Gen 4. Yes, there are familial similarities. But these are more 'Toyota-like' similarities than due to evolution of the same model. I would go so far to say that the Gen 4 Prius is a new model, that simply gives homage to the Gen 3 Prius.

 

I currently own a 2011 Camry and on a whim test drove the 2016 Prius 2. So impressed by the smooth, quiet ride that I am now planning on getting a Prius and selling my Camry. Have your wife test drive the 2016. It's amazing!!

 

my wife prefers her hycam. i can't wait to get her into a '16 for a test drive.

 

nice review!
Thank you.

I am also a proud owner of a GEN 2 Prius. I will probably drive it until it dies, or until I die (whichever comes first)
However, this review has intriged me

but... have you tried driving at or under the speed limit?

one must be more pragmatic.

 

actually, i do drive the speed limit most of the time. it's problematic here, but when i was in cali?

 

I just cannot drive the speed limit and have a very heavy foot. However, I do use my cruise control all of the time in order to avoid speeding tickets (I've gotten 2). My Prius will inspire me to slow down, as it provides immediate positive reinforcement for doing so (via the eco screen). Someday I hope to be able to drive at or below the speed limit without setting the cruise control.

 

sit low and drive slow. with age comes wisdom.

 

I went to test drive a Non-hybrid Rav 4 and ended up falling in LOVE with the Gen 4 Prius. I had never even thought twice about a hybrid, but now I want one and am doing all the research I can before I buy my first Hybrid. I want the Three with the ATP in Hypersonic RED!!

 

wooaa...great...Did you test drive the Camry 2016/2017...The big difference between Camry and Prius was the elbow resting position and the seats for me. I drive a lot everyday, and the middle glove compartment on the Prius was not long enough so as to rest my elbow. May be its changed on the new Gens.Seats are a little bigger, more room on the Camry.Good luck, the new Gen Prius look really nice.

 

But be careful; too much age is a dangerous thing. Stay young my friends.

 

Then again . . . .

I don't know about you, but I've never found the proper assistance myself.

 

In print: The August Consumer Reports offers a strong thumbs up (76 overall score) to the Gen4 Prius LB in their "High Marks for Hybrids" article (p. 67). CR recorded 52 MPG overall in their test cycle, vs. 38 MPG for the 69-rated Volt (once batteries are depleted, of course), and the Volt came nowhere near matching the Prius for passenger comfort and cargo space. Consistent with earlier reviews, the new Prius earned praise for ride and handling, though not so much for acceleration and freeway merging. Significant upgrades to interior materials and finish were noted (at least for the Three and Four), though we got a fresh insult for the center console - "looks like a Stormtrooper's bedpan." (I'm starting to wonder if there's a contest on this topic among automotive reviewers.)

In addition to those two short reviews, there's a thumbnail listing of other recommended green models, including the Camry, Sonata, and Fusion hybrids, along with the C-MAX Energi PHEV. (We note the absence of the C-MAX Hybrid).

 

I don't understand how they get 43 mpg in their city cycle. My experience is much higher. What are they stomping the accelerator through every intersection? Definitely not real world . J

 

This is our best guess: Consumer Reports review of 2016 Prius Three | Page 2 | PriusChat

Bob Wilson

 

That makes good sense Bob. Thanks for that. J

 

Sounds more like instructions for the stunt drivers on The Fast and The Furious.

 

Or my wife.

What impresses me so much about the Gen4's HSD is its steadfast refusal to return less than 50 MPG despite my beloved's best efforts - she consistently got barely over 40 MPG with the Gen2 (Q:"Why don't I get the mileage Joe gets with his?" A:"You're driving it like a go-kart." The conversation goes downhill from there.) She jack-rabbits from stops, seldom coasts, hits brakes hard-ish just short of intersections, etc., but somehow the Gen4's engineering overmatches all of that. Someone paying just a shred of attention to efficiency could edge this to a real-world 55 MPG without anything close to radical hypermiling, and we have plenty of reports from our members here doing far better than that (doubtless fueling the hybrid contempt of everyone they impede ). CR's test cycle might seem goofy to us, but it's scary close to the way many drivers operate their vehicles. While I think it's safe to say their city MPG figures are close to worst case for a hybrid, drivers indifferent to efficiency could get close, and I think we'd all have to admit one of the goals of the Gen4 is to rope those drivers in. It's best they're not disappointed, so I support CR's abusive routine.

 

↑ Sounds like my wife too.

 

Test drove a Prius 4 Touring, all I can say is WOW, they really did their homework from the previous gen. Felt solid and heavier than it is, more quite, handled great, etc. I loved the back seat room I had in my 2010 Prius 4 and my 2013 Prius v5, so can't quite get over the fact the back seat has less noticeable leg room, which is important to me. My Passat TDI is being bought back by VW and I thought what a perfect time to get back into the Pri family since it's a safer vehicle now. Unfortunately, it's not making my final list. So far the Sonata Hybrid is at the top, not as good mileage, but comparable to my TDI's consistent 42 mpg. 2017 Accord Hybrid was nice, but not compelling enough for me to buy, and interior design is something Honda needs to work on. Toyota Camry Hybrid not on the list too - trunk too small.