Is the Advanced Tech Package Worth It?

I got the ATP for the moon roof, the dynamic cruise control and the parking assist. The larger nav screen is nice, but I wouldn't say it was a major must per say, but display wise, if you are into the "I want nice looks." it falls under that category on displaying stuff.

 

No problem. Basically, the reason ATP is not so conveniently available is basically because you need to buy the Model 5 and paying another $5k. Most people don't want or need the features of the Model 5, and some people want only parts of what ATP offers, so the demand for the ATP is basically really low.

Like you, most people don't want to spend the money on something that isn't worth while to them. So the expectation of ATP is always going to be low. Hell, I had to settle for a Silver versus what I wanted, a Royal Blue because the only options were White and Silver Model 5 with ATP in my area. The reasoning I was told was they only make a certain number with particular color and interior based on expected demand, so they make a series based on region and expectation and often times, the sellers expect certain colors to sell better than others as well as features because of the region's tendencies.

 

If you don' t have a prius v w/o atp, then you don't have a prius. I am the long time cheap skate on spending money on cars. My first car purchase was a lowly stripped down 1968 chev impala. Things only went down from there. My wife decided that we should upgrade our 2004 purchase and buy a Toyota sienna xle with all the bells and whistles; and I have to say that having those (unneeded) options has been really nice. Now, how can you say that our new prius purchase is not worth it. It's like having a blackhawk parked in our garage. There is front radar on the hood which enables the pre-collison tech which might just save your life. The radar cruise is really neat.The navigation screen is cool. Split-screen 7" with advanced voice recognition. Safety connect system which gives automatic accident response. I can listen to cousin Bruice on Sirius 60's radio on the JBL sound system. Entune which will tell you who has the best gas prices and the local forecast. A huge sunroof that lights up the inside. 17" wheels and heated front seats. I have to stop because it's football time. Go ahead and get the Blackhawk.

 

It is worth it for the PCS alone ... will not be buying any more cars without it.

 

I very much enjoy the radar cruise control. The position keeping is great and I use the ability to reduce the setting in 5 mile increments for braking. The HiRes screen is also nice. The moon roof is great in the winter as it allows you to warm the interior when you are parked. Tried parking assist as an experiment, but didn't like the time you are sticking out in traffic while you go through procedure. Overall I would buy the package again.

 

I am still figuring out the system,not sure it was worth the 5K, it brought up a 38k smptag

 

For me it is. I want more, not less. I have a new 2012 Prisus Plug-In Advance. Missing several options off the ATP, but it's all you can get on a plug in. Previously I was waiting for a Prius 5, with ATP before I opted for the plug in. Don't exceed your budget, just to get the better options.

 

You will have a hard time on the ATP getting the budge because it is not a 'major' feature in a lot of dealerships. It's sort of a 'luxury' type package and since the moonroof is an actual part of the ATP and an actual hard change in the Five model, instead of an easy option, the rarity is going to be higher and also the less likely to budge because of it.

 

I found it extremely overpriced for what you get, primarily because radar cruise and parallel parking are new tech. You will pay the early adopter tax. Like any luxury or new tech you have to decide if its worth it to you personally.

For me, I bought the Prius V to save money on gas and needed the space over a regular Prius. But $35 for a car with vinyl seats, manual seat adjustment, and only single zone climate control just sounded crazy.