Considering a used 2010 Prius V (uppercase v for 2010 Prius)... Have questions.

As you can imagine, being on PriusChat with a 2013 Prius v and a 2010 Prius V will get you lots of confused answers! I suggest a user name per car!

No Prius even has a break system, to the best of my knowledge. But yes, the dealer will do all the recall work they can, as they get paid for it by Toyota.

Vehicle Nav is nice, but not essential. I am sure your phone works better than mine, and I do good with just a phone when I am not in a Prius.

In theory, you want to avoid the first year of a new model, but in fact 2010 is very reliable.

 

What's the miles on it? Our Canadian Touring is somewhat similar to the US V, in that it has:

1. OEM 17" rims and 215/45R17 tires. It also has a slightly larger turning radius. And last but not least, the steering seems to have a different feel, much surer/planted, compared to other levels, just my seat-of-pants feeling. Also, esthetically: I couldn't stomach the 15" rims with plastic wheel covers, that was a big factor for me.

2. LED headlights, with headlight washers, levelling system. Love them.

3. JBL sound system, and satellite radio tuner built-in. (the latter I don't care for, tried it for a year, then dropped it.)

4. Fog lamps. Cosmetically, a plus. But never use them, and they appear to be pretty useless.

Ours does not even have a MFD, and none of the tech in the US V level, so can't really comment on those. I am a bit of a luddite, not that impressed by built-in tech.

Recalls we've had:

1. Software update to change acceleration performance, to protect the inverter. That went well, actually made the car slightly more willing to slip into electric-mode.

2. The brake master cylinder area update, that you mentioned.

3. Air bag fix.

 

I use the LKA sometimes on long drives. It seems to work in conjunction with DRCC, which is great when you're drowsy. Set your speed and it'll speed up and brake accordingly, you will not hit the car directly in front of you.

LKA will beep and give a slight adjustment to keep you in the lane. It will not steer and make a turn for you.

precollision system is not a good feature. It is suppose to slow your car and tighten your seatbelt before the car hits an object, but it'll still hit the object.

 

I bought a 2010 Prius V three months ago as my wife's daily driver. We feel lucky -- it's a terrific car.

1. Yes, any Toyota dealer is obligated to perform any pending recall work free of charge. They are not obligated to give you a loaner, so you do have to schedule the work.

2. I don't have the Tech Package, but I wish I did just for the adaptive radar cruise control. That's a terrific feature that's just now showing up on more and more new cars.

3. I'm a fan of a good in-dash nav system, but most owners say this one isn't very good. My wife already had a Garmin and uses it instead. Smartphone nav or Waze would make equal sense, although I'd recommend an aftermarket holder for your phone so it's properly seated and not a distraction falling all over the place.

4. The leather seats are much more comfortable than the standard seats. This isn't just because they're leather, but because in the Prius specifically, the leather is applied to basically better seats with power-adjustable lumbar support. They also have very effective seat heaters.

5. I think the V is actually a better buy than other same-age Prii, for one simple reason: Options depreciate more than the car model overall does. You pay much, much less for those desirable extras in a used car than the $7-10,000 extra cost they commanded over the II when new. Also, you can't get the superior headlights or the quicker steering and handling of the V on any other 2010 Prius at any price, and they make a real difference. If the condition, documentation and price of the car are in order, I say go for it.

One note about #5: I looked the other day at all 2010 Prius V's available in the nation. I'd estimate a solid 80% of all cars called "Prius V" were not – the 15" wheels were a dead giveaway. If it doesn't have 17" alloys and headlight washers, it's not a V