What you don't like about your Prius?

Cheap interior which includes seats and sound system, but that is a complaint in many vehicles not just toyota or a prius.

 

Part of the issue is Toyota chose to use Eco-plastics in the GenIII. While this is a good thing, the plastics tend to come with issues that the manufacturing process has not corrected yet.

 

Disagree!
Better a few dents in a spoiler than dents in my head!

 

Really the rattles are annoying, LKA is not available in Canada,other than that. It's a perfect car !

 

Sure, but is your Nav locked out when driving?

 

I can name a few, and I don't even own one:

1. The rattles. I'd kill a(nother) dinosaur to have a rattle-free Prius. The eco-plastics just aren't quite there yet.
2. The clanking engine on startup, especially the '10 models, and Toyota's response to the problem.
3. The misfiring some owners report when they go around a corner.
4. The locked out nav features. My Fit has nav, and the functions work while the car is in motion.

After selling my '06 I'd like to consider purchasing a new Prius, but the little Honda Fit I drive now gets OK (if not Prius-like) mileage, is tightly built with nary a rattle, handles well, and has loads of cargo space. Not to mention that lovely little engine. It's a beautiful thing. Honda makes excellent four cylinder engines.

Also, my experience so far indicates that Honda dealers provide much better service than Toyota dealers do.

What do I want? A Prius PLUS with 25-35 more horsepower, and a button on the dash that somehow de-tunes the propulsion system so I could get close to 'normal' Prius efficiency most of the time. Yeh, like that'll happen!

 

I definitely don't have any of those (2011 IV) but I'll consider the rattles TBD.

One complaint I did just think of though was the absolutely STUPID place they placed the heated seat switches on the 2011 (and presumably 2010)...under the center stack! Wth, Toyota?

 

txl,

Bet you will like your new Prius a lot.

The thing I like least is the poor rear visibility. So play with your mirrors to get the best possible.

 

Likes - Fuel economy far exceeds my expectations
Different modes that allow for better driving experience (I use eco, as you might imagine) though I have tested the others (including the "4th" mode... by accident of course...)
My prius seems to have a very nice ride and noise level very low (maybe my hearing is going...) I have not experienced the problem with road noise, I have heard the strange noices that occasionaly have eminated mysteriously, but I don't let it bother me..
Love not needing to use my keys (except I get "annoyed" sometimes when I have to fish them out to avoid walking around to driver side to open up car for something).

Dislikes -
I do seem to have trouble dropping stuff (KLUTZY) AND inevitably needing to get out and fish it out from under the back seat since my fat hands are ... to fat...

I wish they could do a better job with rear vision... But I spend most of my time looking ahead so not as much a problem...

 

The Fit is nice, and were it not for the Prius, I might have bought one of them.

However, on my '10 (I do own one):
I don't have any rattles at all (over 6K miles so far), have not heard any abnormal clanking on startup or had any misfire. You're right on the Nav being locked out, that's bad if you have a passenger (though the voice recognition works well and is adequate for some things). I've not found any defects in over 6K miles, so my build quality was very good. I only noted previously that the interior is a bit cheap, and I didn't (but should) also mention the XM reception drops out near trees, but otherwise, the car drives and rides well and feels solid enough. Even the handling and steering feel are acceptable once I get used to them (I know some have complained about them, but I don't drive that aggressively, and the handling is fine if I'm driving for good mileage).

 

#1 the dashboard rattle over rough surfaces.

 

Visibility is worst of any vehicle I've driven when changing lanes. I just don't have the trust I would like. This is partly because of the bar that runs across the back and the mirrors. I put sticky wide angle mirrors on the side mirrors and it's zero sum. I have better range, but I hesitate because I have another mirror to look at.

Other then that, the most awesome engineered vehicle ever. In this heat sometimes getting to 108F, I love being able to set the AC on 78 and ECO mode and still filling comfortable. Really love the car.

 

I agree big blind spots I have to put convex mirrors on the originals to help with line changes.

 

When we first got ours I was little put off by the foot pedal parking brake, but grew used to it: it does free up space in the centre console. Which is then occupied by the ski jump.

My number 1 complaint: the instruments. They can be near impossible to read if the sun's in front of you, or bouncing off wet roads. They're awkwardly off in the centre of the dash, and looking at photos of the new Camry dash, or Prius' Lexus alternative: Toyota can make conventional guage clusters, directly in front of the driver. And, I miss tach and coolant temp.

 

The only thing I do not like about my 2010 Prius is that it now has 45,000 miles.

 

My Prius makes a whining sound from the area of the passenger seat, but I only hear it when my wife is sitting there.

Tom

 

ound:

 

Glare in the windshield off the top of the dashboard when driving towards the sun. The gen II didn't suffer that at all.

 

The seats and road noise are horrible. Drives my DH nuts.

 

Interior is easily scratched..