How's the Gen 4 trunk space compared to the Gen 2?

check the 'visual tables' sticky for package options such as spare tyre, and other threads on the hatch floor height, what's under it, and how it meets the folded rear seats.

 

I don't own package 2, but my overall observation (and I too come from Gen 2 - 2007) the space is one of the few things that became worse. Instead of 2 large glove compartments, now we have one tiny. Trash box is gone. 2 cup holders instead of 4. Back seats are some 10sm or so closer. The hidden compartment in the trunk is gone (and that was huge!). Two storage areas in the trunk on each side (which are pretty big in Gen 2!) are gone. All I was able to hide in the spare tire compartment was jump start cable. It is fairly dramatic decrease of space. I assume because of all the sensors and technology. Sometimes I am beginning to think Toyota did this deliberately to discourage people from carrying a lot of crap in the trunk to improve mileage. For example, I was always carrying heavy tire chains, which I only needed a few times in 9 years. And a large heavy bag with all possible wrenches, which I actually used 0 times.

You get used to it with time. Trash I solved by buying a pair of special containers from Japan, thanks to this forum. And you begin to treat space as a much more expensive commodity than I did in my 2007. Threw away half of the things that I actually don't need. Do not keep everything in the glove compartment as I did before, and so on.

And btw, the trunk does feel smaller. Mine has a spare tire. I will not argue weather it is real or just perception, but it feels smaller.

 

Keep in mind too: if you get a model without spare tire (Eco, 4 and 4 Touring?), you don't have a spare tire.

 

And then you ask yourself: if I don't even have a spare tire, where did all that space go?!

Good observation

 

A lot of it is just foam.

I took out the left most foam piece and stashed it in the garage-- and filled th cavity with a whole lot of junk I will probably never need or use.

Thanks to threads like this I occasionally dig up a photo so may not forget what I have under there.

 

This is pretty cool! I may want to do the same. As a matter of fact will go and check my 3T right now. Did you notice any noise level change? I thought all that foam was important for the noise.

 

Coming from a Camry, the "trunk" of my Prius looks extremely small. (I don't fold the seat down.)

 

I honestly didn't notice any change in noise level at all, but it's entirely possible. How could there not be some? I think the stuff I stashed there and carpeted trunk liner helped

You really do need to fill the cavity up to support the cover that lies on top of it.

One of the white plastic fasteners/screws holding in the foam is difficult to remove without damaging it. Others described doing this successfully in earlier threads, but I stripped mine. I won't miss the fastener though --it is hardly needed even if you put everything back together as it came.

I wish I had photos of some of the things we stuffed into to back of our 2010 Prius.

Apart from the typical Home Depot runs, we managed a rear-tine tiller (with the hatch open a bit) a few times. The best would have been a shot of the treadmill we managed to get all the way in for a 500 miler road trip.

I am looking forward to putting them 2016 to those kinds of tests.

 

Can you point me to that website? Thanks.

 

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So, what to do with trash?! | PriusChat