Buying a Prius soon

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ALIENCOP @ Apr 24 2007, 12:12 AM) [snapback]428891[/snapback]</div>

I don't know the answer to your question. But why not buy the Touring version so you don't need to add those?

 

Howdy ALIEN "Officer"...

Olson is on the right track. Last November, I traded my 2004 Prius for a 2007 Touring Edition Prius. The improved suspension, larger rims (16") and Bridgestone Turanza tires made the new 2007 handle somewhat better than the 2004 I traded. My approach would be, give the Touring Edition a little while before adding modifications to the suspension. By comparison, the '07 suspension has a firmer road feel and leans less on turns, the tires provide a larger 'footprint' (rubber on the road) for different, argueably better, handling and probably better traction. I am likely experiencing a bit lower MPG for two reasons, the bigger tire footprint and I have chosen to run the Bridgestone tires at the Toyota recommended pressures rather than the higher pressures I used on my 2004 with the Goodyear Integreties (NOT fabulous tires).

I was able to test drive the 2007 Touring Edition and a 2007 Standard before making the decision. In the package 6 I bought, there was only $270 difference in MSRP for the Touring which I considered money well spent if only just for the rims and tires.

 

No warranty conflicts with the TRD suspension; your Toyota dealer will even install it since the parts are considered 'factory' even if they're not sold in the U.S. (at least that's what they told me). It's also covered under the same terms as any other Toyota part. I even bought it through a Toyota dealer (Carson Toyota) and had it shipped directly to the dealer who was going to do the install.

Handling-wise, your pickup was rear wheel drive and the Prius is front wheel drive, which as I'm sure you know will provide exactly the opposite handling sensations.

Also, the front/rear weight bias is probably different on your pickup than the Prius.

If you drove your pickup too fast into a corner, for example, the rear wheel drive and forward weight bias would probably create oversteer, where the back of the car whips around, and leads the front, and you spin.

In the Prius, understeer dominates (even with the TRD suspension), which means that if you go into a corner too fast, you'll slide off the outside of the corner, front first, with the front tires grinding as they try to turn the car but can't.

I don't know, but it might be this to which you're referring.

So, I suppose, the *limits* of the Prius would be increased by suspension modifications (you can go around corners faster and generate more lateral forces), but the handling characteristics of a front wheel drive, moderately powered car like the Prius will remain (i.e., understeer).

Mine's to the point where it's power limited in many corners: I'll be holding the throttle to the floor, attempting to power through the understeer, but there's simply no more horsepower available to balance the car.

Think of it this way: you can probably do GREAT donuts (which is an example of an oversteer maneuver) in your pickup. But try it in a Prius, and if anything the diameter of the circles will increase (understeer) and there will be no 'tail swinging around' sensation whatsoever (unless you lock the rear wheels with the parking brake, which is cheating in any case).

My take on the 16" wheels: generally, it's the 'longer' (front to rear) part of the contact patch which gives added stability, while the 'wider' part of the contact patch tends to yield higher cornering forces/create more rolling resistance.