Is anyone else dissapointed in the MFD?

The mirror is fine, UNLESS you have people in the back seat. Doesn't matter if it is a Prius or anything else. Having a view out the BACK is a LOT better than a view through the heads.

I'm sure my numbers are wrong, but close: I believe the 'distance to the top of an 18" cone' is about 45 feet in an H2, 14 feet in a Prius (presuming no heads in the back), unless you have the camera, then it is ZERO FEET. The distance from the rear bumper to where you can see the ground in my wife's '06 with rear view camera is about 18". That doesn't mean you don't still have to use the side mirrors of course.

I would like the camera, thanks.

 

i have the b/u camera on mine and i like it. however, in winter (5-6 mos out of the year here) it gets cruded up with snow and road slush. I don't often just clean the camera, so i do without it.

 

If you only care about Bluetooth phone, here is a great Bluetooth speakerphone (speakerphone, not headset) that I use in my car:

Newegg.com - BlueAnt SuperTooth 3 Bluetooth Car Handsfree speakerphone w/ DSP Noise Cancel - Bluetooth Cell Phone Accessories

It costs less than $100, requires no installation, and you can move it from one car to another. The battery lasts for a month after charging. It's full-duplex, which means it's better voice quality (unlike with the common, half-duplex systems, the two parties can speak simultaneously at the same time) than most built-in Bluetooth systems, probably including TOYOTA/JBL Bluetooth systems as well.

 

I have to disagree with you. Can you look at BOTH the nav screen on the arch AND the energy screen in the HUD at the same time? NO? Then your BRAIN is only using 1 screen at a time even though there are 2 available. The current model with Nav has a Map button and an Info button on the steering wheel. If you are on the energy screen and want to switch to the map, press the Map button, it is near your right thumb. On the map and want to see the energy screen? Press the Info button, it is near your right thumb. With your 'improved' two display design, you need to move your head and eyes between the 2 (now SMALLER) screens. With the old 'bad' way, you move your thumb an inch.

I DON'T disagree that having important info more inline with your driving line of sight is good. The fact that Toyota and most, if not all other manufacturers, still hide the gauges behind the steering wheel on every other model they make, including brand new designs like the Venza, baffles me. But if it is smaller and thus harder to read (especially for old guys with multi-focal lenses), it is perhaps at best an even swap in usability/safety.

I also disagree with your contention that anyone with Nav would have the map screen up most of the time. Sure, IF you are driving in an unfamiliar area. For most people, that would NOT be 'most of the time'. MOST of the time *I* have the energy screen up. If I'm closing in on a turn in an unfamiliar area, I can eat a little efficiency by flipping to the map.

 

Same thing for me, except I habitually wipe the camera lens with my finger when I walk to the car. I do it every time in the winter or when it is wet, which is most of the time in this part of the world.

Tom

 

Sounds like a great unit. Does it turn your radio down when a call come in and display caller ID info, cellphone battery life and signal strength? Does it present a keypad for dialing or dial by voice? That to me seems like integration. The current Toyota unit is full duplex.

 

Nice to hear. The reason my father-in-law is not considering a current generation Prius is the fact that he finds the seats uncomfortable. Maybe these would suit him better and maybe he won't have issues with the ergonomic degradation (as I see it) from the current gen Prius.

I doubt it since you now HAVE to look at the HUD to see where you are 'pressing'. The current buttons on the wheel are tactile. Certainly not helpful if you rent a Prius for the day (or more of an issue - night) but then that is true of ANY rental. If you own it, you learn where the buttons are. But, maybe these new ones are easier to use while wearing gloves (where the tactile value is lost) even though you have to take your eyes off the road?

Are you sure? The ones posted on another thread rate quite poorly in TireRack's surveys.

Good point, but I'm afraid I can see a LOT of things I don't like simply by visually placing myself in the 'cockpit'. I frankly don't care about the outside looks one way or the other, I spend my driving time INSIDE. You are right however, until I actually sit in one, I won't be sure that the cup holders are really poorly placed and will be difficult, if not impossible, to use for my wife with joint mobility issues due to Rheumatoid Arthritis

True, my 'breaks the deal' complaints are entirely related to the 'cockpit'. I'm glad to see that they are still working hard on improving (not that there were any inherent problems) with the HSD design. They still have the 'same motion to get to your desired gear' shift concept, just in the wrong place and too BIG. And they still have the 'guages' at the windshield. Both of those are things I think are BIG Prius pluses and I'm very sad Toyota hasn't implemented ALL of them in ALL cars they make. And they still have SKS. I LOVE my SKS.

I know there were problems with the some 2006s but generally, have there been trouble with the HIDs? I think the bigger problem is that the dealers had no way to test the bulbs AND had no idea how to fix the problem without (unnecessarily) replacing the entire headlight assembly. Even when they started just replacing the bulbs, a lot of them (incorrectly) thought they had to remove the bumper and headlight assembly to do it. No wonder they were reluctant to deal with it! I 'lost' one in my 2004 but it was my own fault for using my HIDs as DRLs. Of course, that could also be Toyota's fault for not letting me use the (worthless as) fog lights as DRLs.

I can see pros and cons to that. With the thermos, you have an immediate injection of still hot coolant. With heat recovery, the engine starts COLD and will be cold longer. Not a problem in So. Cal but I suspect it helps a bunch up where I am. The Prii start quite happily and run smoothly almost immediately even at -20F. Sure isn't true of any other car I have driven. I wonder if that will still be true without the thermos.

 

Where is the neural interface? Visual displays are so retro.

 

Looks to be the case. The button was there in pictures of both the Nav and non Nav models. From the text of the 'unveil':

 

This is a really nice feature that Toyota calls "Touch Tracer". From press release:

From looking at the pictures, it appears that the Touch Tracer shares the same area on the display as the speedometer, and that the speedometer momentarily disappears when pressing a steering wheel button. Does anyone know for sure?

 

I agree 100%! Having to toggle between HSD, HVAC, Radio, and NAV on the old MFD was not ideal. Separating these out into dedicated modules is a huge improvement.

My only concern has to do with the arrangment of the new LED (vacuum-fluorescent display).

In the 2004-2009 Prius, it was set down in the dash, pointing up and the driver would see a reflected image in a mirror set at a 90 degree angle. This arrangement was very annoying to me because it distorts the image - kind of like those old coin-op arcade games with the TV screen pointing up at a mirror.

Does anyone know if they might have done away with the stupid mirror and arranged it in a direct-view fashion in the 2010? It looks like it might be, but I just can't tell for sure by looking at the photos.

 

It has built-in voice-dial abilities or you can use your cell phone's built-in (or custom-installed on a smartphone) voice command if it has it. If your cell phone has built-in or custom-installed voice command, you can ask the sperakerphone the time, date, battery level, signal strength, etc. It speaks the caller ID info. There is no display or keypad, only voice-controlled. Since it doesn't hook up to your radio, you need to turn down the radio manually. If you have built-in Bluetooth in your car, it's probably OK or even great but this device spares you from basing your car-buying decision on Bluetooth rather than the car itself. Another obvious advantage is that you can effortlessly move it between cars as it uses magnets to attach to a clip on the sun visor (two clips included) -- good if you have more than one car.

 

Hey, looking through these posts, I think many people are making the same mistake I did originally (because the instrumentation is labeled as the "MFD").

The same touchscreen we know and love appears to still be there, it's just some things like the power meter moved to the dash. Check it:

Prius versus Insight: The great hybrid shoot-out in photos - CNET Reviews


Interestingly, however, I do notice some pics of the dash without the screen. Does that mean it's only included in the top packages?

I for one, am a big fan of the touch screen. Why have 50 physical buttons when you can organize them electronically in a friendly menu system and have a more minimalistic design?

 

Hello petteri,
In the '07 Base Prius (as in: no cd-changer or anything like that) fitting an empeg is sort of difficult but possible. Unfortunately, unlike 10 years ago, all car manifacturers are going for an "embedded" approach rather than just leaving us with an ISO slot to peruse so I suppose it'll be harder and harder to find a way to fit the Empeg (or any aftermarket stereo) to just about any car. I still have my Empeg (almost 10yr old) and I can't even think of anything remotely similar to replace it (ipod? no, thanks). My VFD is still working (it's made in Japan after all) and has followed me for years all around Europe. I've heard of a lot of problems with it tho, especially for old displays like mine

 

I am disappointed in the mpg its not enough to trade, 47 to 50. Are you saying that they have eliminated the backup camera in the prius? Its obvious that the new 2010 will be more expensive. They needed to come out with at least 60 mph.

 

It's a nice kitty you've got but most people will disagree with you on that having the system monitor share display with nav and other controls being not inconvenient. To me it's a huuuge inconvenience and most people will think so. The smartest thing they've done for the 2010 model is to separate the basic displays and controls.

I've the same problem in my 2009 Corolla. The clock shares the same display with the trip computer. During the first few months I kept the AVE MPG on and sacrificied the clock. But eventually I gave up and I have now clock on for 99% of the time. The same goes true with the navigation/system monitor: after a while most people will give up on the system monitor and have the navigation system on, especially if they are living in a big city.

 

Hi boulder...,

That is the GPS / Radio controls. If you do not order a GPS system you get a flat button radio console instead. Look at the other pictures. Of course the HSD display is not on the MFD anymore as shwon in the pictures on this link. Its up on the what has been dubbed the "Cassio" display up top now.

God that front seat looks even more cramped in this picture!!!! Where are people supposed to put their knees? Look at the seat, its right edge overlaps the console!! All for a little bit of Euro-flash. I say EURO-TRASH! Horrendous, simply Horendous design.

Toyota would have easily had me as a new customer in a few years. NOT ANYMORE. I have to spend an hour at time in my car, and also be able to be comfortable for up to three hours on bad traffic days. That is NOT going to happen in this new Prius.

 

I was hoping the 2010 Prius would go up to 60 mph!