2020 Prime Tidbits (North America)

they need to move the seat heater buttons - way too easy to bump them accidentally when reaching for your drink or cell phone.

 

We've complained for years about the impossible to see location. Now they finally fix it and it's too easy to bump. I sat in one last week. Doesn't look like a problem at all to me. But what I DO keep bumping is those stupid capacitive "buttons" around the 11.6" display.

 

That argument makes no sense. They sell the Prime in cold places, and we're allowed to drive it in cold places, so the battery must work OK in the cold. I don't see how adding AWD would change anything. It's just an extra 6 hp motor or something like that, and when AWD is needed in the cold you probably don't need full power from the front motors, in case it's a total power limitation.

The only reason they wouldn't offer it is the Prime is already a lower volume car, so maybe they can't justify having many possible configurations.

 

Is this 2019 model PRIME?

 

I just noticed in that picture there is no more "EV Auto" button. There is now a "Drive Mode" and "EV Mode". I'm assuming EV mode is like HV/EV toggle we have now.

 

NiMH isn't required for cold weather, but it is much better in cold weather than a lithium. Since the AWD is aimed directly at snow county, it only makes sense to put in a battery that performs better in the cold. And if people complain now about the loss of space in the Prime, wait till they see what would happen with an 8.8 kWh NiMH battery!

It's a Limited. Didn't see if it was a '19 or '20. I've only ever seen one Prime in the local showroom. Primes are very nearly not for sale here.

 

Oh, it's regular PRIUS Limited. It must be 19 model. I don't think 20 model is out for either regular Prius nor Prime in US. So, I wonder if they fixed the switches on 2019 model PRIME.

 

Let me get this straight... the 2020 Prime is going to come with:

• the same MEASLY 25 mile traction battery...
• the same easily-scratched glitter gloss around the 11.6” screen, so easily scratched by even a mere speck that it looks hideous in sunlight... (Attn: Yo Toyota how about some CARBON FIBER) oh and same goes for the glossy paneling easily scratched all around the exterior, side door, above rear window
• the same sized cutout for the HUD (too small aperture)
• the same ball-sweat-hot seats (no perforated anything?)
• the same low ground clearance and ICS that is USELESS for when pulling into a parking spot ICS does not tell you that the front of your car is too close to curb BEFORE you hit it
• the same wrong-answer-on-a-game-show buzzer for when you brake

And yeah many of these issues are present in the Gen4 Prius... but still... it’s like they changed almost nothing. Big deal, add a 5th seat and USB ports. Overhyped.

 

Pic is of regular PRIUS Limited. Not PRIME.

 

The picture is not of a Prime.

You beat me to it, @Salamander_King!

 

Well, I guess we answer that question!!

 

I know. But it's about the heater switches. They should be in the same place.

 

Do I hear echoes?

 

This is just a mid-cycle refresh. Most of the time, there is some slight changes to styling cues, and features shuffled around between the trims. Adding a seat is a big deal at this point.

 

The Prime traction battery likely has the power density to support AWD (even in the cold) but there is no space for the extra inverter and two motors. On the normal hybrid Prius, they occupy the spare tire area. This space is taken by the traction battery in the Prime.

The Prime is also low-volume and likely can’t support packages in a cost effective way. The 2019 Prime has no packages for instance.

 

I'll agree with that. I turned the charger off and use this for general storage.

 

Not so much for me. I keep my back seats down, and on the occasion that I actually have four people in the car, up they will all go. The most I have ever had in this car is three people.