Are you happy with your pkg V??

I still for the life of me cannot understand why a car with a radar in its nose isn't set up to completely avoid rear ending the car in front of it. I don't care if it stops 1 foot, 1 yard or 1 inch short of hitting another car from behind. Having it set up to allow a 9 MPH collision when it could just stop is just plain dumb.

 

I am thrilled every time I drive -- or even look at -- my black/dark gray 2011 package V (with nav only). And I sneak out to look at it a lot. I believe it is the most sophisticated vehicle on the road today. It's understated in appearance and so elegantly engineered. The eCVT (electronic continuously variable transmission) alone is a marvel I've spent hours studying.

My 1996 Honda Accord coupe, bought new, had only 190k miles and a lot of life left, but I decided to take the plunge anyway. The progress Toyota has brought to the market is simply amazing. Too bad Honda fell behind -- I thought I would be a lifelong Honda driver.

The LED headlights do a great job of lighting up the dark rural roads here. The 17" wheels and Bridgestone Turanza (OEM) tires do produce a bit of road noise, but only on rough pavement is it bothersome. No squeaks or rattles to report yet (with 900 miles on the car).

Best MPG so far, in the middle of a very wet and cold Pacific Northwest winter: 55, during an 80-mile mostly-highway trip, using pulse-and-glide where possible and paying close attention to advice received in the numerous helpful posts on this site. Since then I've gone up to 45/44 inflation (from 40/39) and have blocked the lower grille but not taken a comparable trip.

I have a ScanGauge on order and plan to geek out fully when it arrives.

Driving is fun again. I am very, very happy with this vehicle and would be happy to talk to any prospective buyers in the Seattle area.

 

Love mine so far. I only regret that Toyota did no offer the sunroof with my V. It would be the perfect Prius for me, that and getting rid of the annoying rattles.

 

Yup, found it...and most of them cost at least $45k and up!! So, again, the Prius Five with ATP remains a "bargain" for what you get! :rockon:

 

I love mine. I just got back from a 1900 mile road trip, and it was a pleasure to drive. The Radar Cruise is great, and the LKA is pretty good after you get used to it. Great handling too!

 

I'm also very happy with my Pkg V/AT. In response to the comparison shopping, I have to say - I purchased the Prius V specifically for the AT (PCS/LKA). At that time (Feb 2010), the Prius was the ONLY car to offer PCS/LKA at a price I could afford (<$40k). I did quite a bit of research (most of it outdated now) and found there were very few options. In fact, BMW did not offer PCS at that time (at least in the US), nor did Volkswagen (again, not in the US). I believe at the end of the day I ended up looking at Prius, Lexus, Mercedes, and I think an Audi slipped in there somewhere.

At the end of the day, I felt I got a bargain. I knew that over time PCS/LKA would become as "standard" as airbags, and I look forward to that day. But until then, at that time, I still stand by my decision. Luckily I have yet to need PCS, and there are still great areas for improvement (Toyota - you should look into aircraft cockpits and warning systems to learn how to effectively use aural/visual cues), but the times I've used DRCC/LKA, it's worked like a champ.

 

I read that Toyota's response is they don't want to take too much control away from the drivers, although they're obviously treating Toyota drivers differently from Lexus (LS) drivers.

 

and how do we like the LKA ?

 

Personally I used it for a while when I first got the car but found it too tempermantal or touchy so now it's just another button on the dash. Rick

 

Really like mine the more I drive it and I too "try" to resist the urge to go stare at it in the garage at work or in front of the house when I am home.

 

Interesting that this thread popped back up...

My Lexus was recently in the shop for some warranty work. I got an HS250h with the tech package as a loaner. I got to play around with the ATP and the radar cruise.

First of all I was overall disappointed in the HS. From a ride and drive standpoint, it lacked much of the Lexus plushness and refinement on the road...I would never purchase this car over a Prius Five.

The LKA was pretty goofy IMHO, liked the radar cruise...

I wouldn't consider either of these options super important when selecting a car

 

We have a Prius V and a Gen 3 package II. My wife likes the lumbar support driver seat and heated seats in the V, but has no need for the Radar CC, LKA, or other gimmics. She detests the ScangaugeII. I like all of the cool gadgets on the V and use the Radar CC and LKA whenever I have the opportunity. I believe they improve driving safety and also serve as a safe driver entertainment system.

 

I'm just hitting 5K miles on my Pkg V with ATP. Like everyone else has mentioned, the parking assistance is the least used (and useful) feature of the ATP. But DRCC, PCS, and LKA are pretty awesome.

Cheers,
Bob.

 

oops just realized it's for package v... deleted

 

I love my baby girl. She has yet to disappoint me while I cruise the turnpike. The only disappointment is my rims and curbs!!!!! In one day I managed to scratch three rims... :-(

 

Aagh! I feel your pain just took my first bite two weeks ago...was trying so hard to keep them nice...been thinking if curb feelers would be just dorky or extremely dorky...

 

A world of yes. I have little use for the parking assist, but the radar assisted cruise control is sheer bliss on long trips, and the alarms the car gives me when someone cuts me off, for example, are like something out of Star Trek. Well worth the money.

I only wish that I could trail a ribbon of blue energy as I speed down the freeway, like in Tron. I really think they should have had an option for that feature. I'd have paid for it!