Chicago v and PHEV promo event 2011

Used a pip and a half of expensive Chicago gas driving into the city for the v and PHEV 2012 showcase event at the Whole Foods on Kingsbury on Thursday afternoon. I walked over from free parking a block north so I could avoid the WF's garage fees and there wasn't room in the tiny and otherwise free outside lot, as Toyota was using almost all of the space. A nice and unexpected bonus was receiving a WF $15 gift card, but I didn't feel like shopping that day. I'll give the card to my wife so she can use it closer to home. Thanks WF and Toyota!

Time for more people to ante up for more efficient cars.


Toyota commanded the lot with attention getting banners signaling prospective customers. The plug-in Prius, the v, some regular 2011 Prii to test drive and one of their hybrid SUV's (which I didn't look at). The Prius C compact was unfortunately a no-show. I had really wanted to see that one and I missed the auto show. Dang.


PHEV and Prius v in background. I asked if I could have a peek at the batteries in the back of the PHEV. I was told that I couldn't. The plug-in had a dead 12v battery (really!) so I wasn't able to boot up the car for a look at the dash displays. This PHEV had about 13k miles on it, so it has had its own share of reviews already. We've all read the PC PHEV user reports so nothing new could be learned about it here.


What I wanted to try was removing and inserting the plug unit into the car, which I did. Something says I'll be doing this for real in several years time for my own car, after the 2010 gets on in years.


So onto the v! The back hatch was open and I really didn't spot a huge difference in the interior space from that angle. However, when it was my turn to sit in the driver's seat and glance backwards, I noticed the ample extra volume behind me. The headroom was also greater, even with the panoramic moon roofs closed. There also seemed to be more legroom for back seat passengers. Families are going to buy this version. They have a winner here for those taking luggage and family on longer trips. I can see having a two-car v and a C combo, or a PHEV and a v. The regular Prius may be pushed back in sales when all these come to market in numbers.

I must say the nav unit's resolution was far superior to the 2010/11's unit. I now hate mine even more. I mean, they did a really good job on the screen, layout, and controls around it. I can't say I liked the iDrive-like controller for heat/AC/radio, but given time using it, I'm sure it would become second nature and maybe easier. It looks good. The lower dash shifter's knob placement, while better looking and more modern looking than the gen II's, still looks like a vestige from earlier times. If there's one thing I do like about the flying bridge in the gen III, it is the shifter placement - much easy to get to.

The seat heater controls are now oriented correctly in the v. The switch is the same unit but is mounted very low, I doubt a taller driver would notice whether the indicator lights were lit since the dash overhangs enough to obscure them.

The center storage open towards driver only. It won't interfere with the back seat passengers or folding the rear seats down, but front seat passengers might not want to store anything there for right side access unless they want to accidentally punch the driver in a kidney. The tray inside is removable like in the gen III regular Prius.


The Aux./USB is at the front of the open shelf under the dash. A moulded pocket for a music player/phone is below the inputs. And next to that, the power outlet and seat heater controls. Those that dislike the power and music inputs hidden inside the storage box on the regular Prius will enjoy the v's refreshing rearrangement.

There are two slide-out cup holders below the center storage bin in the v. The front one, shown here, and another for the rear passengers that is a small format drawer that transforms bigger as it opens into a two cup holder. Two front passengers are going to argue about who deserves the one one holder. The rear cup holder is almost impossible to reach from the front seats.


The coolest cup holder has to be the front passenger's unit. Push in and it deploys and folds out. I didn't tug on it to see if it was substantial build. If one knocked into it by accident when it was in the out position I don't know if it would break. I can just imagine opening the door while forgetting the cup holder was out and breaking it. All four doors have in-door modular cup holders as well as a map bin in the front doors.


A coin holder nook, or something else holder, is built in to the left side of the dashboard. No pic of that, but other Toyota's have that feature. The touch tracer display was absent on the v. I don't think that feature is all that useful anyway, so it being gone is good for this reviewer. The fit and finish of the dash components was still a little rough, but I was assured the production vehicles were improved. I asked about the intro date, and was told it would not be delayed in the states, but the Japan intro will be pushed back due to their disaster relief efforts taking precedence.

No pic, but the twin panoramic moonroof is the boss. Dang, I can see someone buying the v just for that feature alone! There are a couple Toyota promo videos of it in action somewhere in the forum.

Thanks, Toyota, for the free t-shirt swag after filling out the survey about the v's features.

 

drash, I can't answer your questions since I've never sat in a Venza. Sorry.

 

Wait... there were hats?

 

Hehehe. Yes, I was told a day later that it, and most garages like that are free with a validated parking receipt. D'oh! I parked a block and a half north and all was good because I had another appointment another block and a half north of that at yet another really cool food store located on Clybourne.