Toyota bZ4X 2023 AWD: Why I Sold it and Moved on

Toyota built market share through quality and reliability. Most of their competition was lacking in those areas in the past. That is no longer the case, and several of their EVs were rated higher in reliability and quality than their ICE models.

They are also running marathons. Starting with compliance EVs,then moving on more widely available, but lower production numbered BEVs and/or PHEVs. They are now securing the resources for large scale production.

Tesla is the one that sprinted. Maybe Toyota can best them in quality and reliability. Though Tesla has large advantages elsewhere. First quarter of this year, they entered the top ten of US sales.

 

Yes , it's seem like Toyota Canada is really trying hard to push the hybrid line....and disregarding PHEV and BEV,....RAV4 Prime is an illusion or mirage in the canadian market.
BTW I just took a look for the canadian price of a 2023 PriusPrime......ouch... My 2022 Prius prime Upgrade equates to the 2023 XLE and the price increase is very close to $8 500 CAD..including provincial and federal incentives........and if you are insisting of having the yellow color ,you will have to pay $4500 CAD more........ridiculous
I will stick to my 2022 Prime , for me , the looks,power,and 19 inch wheel of the 2023 just does not cut it , and the price of winter tires and wheels for this sexy model has shurely an increase price tag compare to my 2022.

 

With pc integration so prevalent in cars/trucks - many new models can start/stop climate by voice commands .... same with radio / music genres / nav commands etc ... which is even safer than reaching for a knob / dial / setting etc.
.

 

I don’t know where the average is, I change fan speed, temperature, fan direction (defrost, etc) all with voice.
I expect if it isn’t common now, it will be soon.

 

By necessity.

 

does conversation in the car ever affect anything?

 

That is a good question.

Typically, no. There is generally a little voice activation button on the steering wheel you push to activate voice commands or a special direct voice request to turn voice activation on. It will automatically turn off after use.

So the simple answer is - no- conversation will not affect the vehicle voice activation features.

 

I am not quite sure what you mean.
Are any improvements done to any car not “by necessity”?

All cars that I am familiar with use a ‘push to talk’ system. In my case, a hit a button on the steering wheel, tell the car what to do, and it does it.
I have never had background noise cause an issue.

 

I’m bemoaning the demise of ergonomic/tactile heat/vent controls. Go back a few decades, and any car would allow you to set temperature, fan speed and vent mode, all by feel, without any need to take eyes off the road.

we’ve “progressed” since, I suspect mostly to cut production costs, to systems with rows of uniform buttons, lcd displays, a single vent mode button requiring multiple pushes while watching diminutive LCD, temp/fan settings requiring multiple taps while watching diminutive LCD, and touch screens,

so voice commands become virtually necessity, to avoid unplanned lane departures.

 

The first voice command systems in cars showed up in the '90s. About as long as touch screens, but the two didn't have to be in the same car.

I read this another way.
Conversation does divert the driver's attention from the road. Not as badly as talking on a hands free phone, since most passengers see what is going on around the car, and know when to shut up.

 

½ the time we try the many voice commands in our Pacifica - invariably the voice reply will respond something like, "did you say find address?"
.... & we reply "No! - defroster!!"
Meanwhile the windshield is fogging over
None of our other voice programs were ridiculous like this but chrysler? They've got some work to do