Hi Folks,

Been browsing your forum as a guest for a while. Have found it very useful and informative. Just become a member. So hello everyone!

Bought a red Gen 3 T4 about 3 weeks ago. After 1000 miles, i think its a brilliant car. Very, very pleased, and no rattles. Currently averaging 62mpg from new, although it's getting better. Recent mpg's are averaging around 65-67. Best score 74 mpg on an 18 mile trip.

Very impressed with Normal and Power modes. EV has been a bit of a mystery as more often than not, i would get a message that the mode was not available! But i think i've got the hang of it now. Eco mode returns great economy so is obviously effective, but it makes the car feel very unresponsive.

My previous recent cars have been:
Saab 93 Turbo 2001, massively fast especially after chipping, comfortable over long dstances, huge boot, very reliable. Downside: expensive to run and fix
BMW 120d 2006, chipped to 209bhp, 51mpg. Nice car to drive, and fairly cheap to run, but not that comfortable. Condition based servicing made garage visits too frequent.

Looked at a Gen 2 Prius way back, but i couldnt get comfortable (i'm 6ft 3) , whereas i feel very comfortable in the Gen 3.


Best Regards
Hicardo

Hello Hicardo - I'm a newbie myself, having just changed from a Lexus IS 250 SEL, so am very interested in your comments.

I have not yet completed the running in distance, but am already seeing good economy and like you have no rattles . . . . .

Hi there! yes i found that during the first couple of hundred miles the car felt quite tight and the economy wasnt brilliant, but over the next 500 it seems to have loosened up nicely and improved steadily. I guess that's normal. Is that how you've found it too? In terms of build quality, out of interest, is it a long way behind Lexus?

I've managed to average over 60mpg in my first 400 miles, so it can only get better as it loosens up !

I would like to comment on the build quality.

we traded in out 2006 Mercedes B170 for our Spirit. I thought the Merc was good, but the Spirit wins in all departments, Toyota have really got it down to a fine art.

It felt so strange in relation to my previous vehicle, that I don't think I would have noticed the loosening up process that you have describled. The Lexus was a six cylinder 204 b.h.p. rear wheel drive, weighing a lot more than the Prius so a quite different driving experience.

In terms of build quality, I would need to press you for some sort of definition before I could answer properly. In terms of the way things are assembled and bolted together, I have experienced no reason to believe that there is a significant difference, but in terms of the equipment provided and the materials used the Lex was streets ahead. It was however some 50% more expensive than the Prius so you would expect some differences.

My primary reason for changing is that I am getting old and the Lex was a handful in slippery conditions. 200 plus bhp with an auto box, wide low profile tyres and no limited slip differential is a recipe for getting bogged down in snow, with one rear wheel spinning, even with no accelerator applied. Twice last winter I had to get the spade out to get it into my own street, once when I was returning home from my regular check up with the cardiologist . . . .
I wasn't willing to start another winter without a change of car.

I looked at four wheel drives, but my wife didn't like any of them. The Prius seemed quite roomy and practical and friends that already have the older version reported that its front wheel drive configuration worked well in last winter's slippery conditions. So here we are and we will probably have no snow for the forseeable future . . . . .

Thanks for the comments guys. In relation to build quality, I'm certainly impressed with what i;ve seen myself from Toyota. I had a Yaris in 1999 just after they came out, and that was really well made, one of the MIJ early ones. My sister in law bought it from me and she ran it for years without a single problem. So i guess i was talking not only about technical build standard, panel gaps, quality of fit, but also the design and R&D integrity which brings ongoing reliability.

So its good to hear that Lexus and Toyota quality isnt far apart. To be honest i really like the functional utilitarian side of the Prius. What matters, ie the underlying engineering, is still very solid and well researched, as good as Lexus almost. You wouldnt expect a Toyota to be quite so luxurious as Lexus, as thats Toyota's luxury brand. Having said that, the Prius Gen3 is the most luxurious car I'VE ever owned!

Interesting point about winter conditions. We are really bad in this country about equipping our vehicles for bad weather. How many people fit winter tyres? I admit i havent done this myself... until last year. I did it last year because my brother moved to Austria, and we drove down to see him at Christmas in the snow. Its law in Austria to have winter tyres fitted from November to April. They were a revelation. I will always use winter tyres in winter from now on. There is no comparision between the grip you can get in a front wheel drive car shod with winter tyres on wet, slushy and snowy roads, and even a four wheel drive shod with all season (so called) tyres. So i can quite see that you had probs with the rwd Lexus in the snow with ordinary tyres. Nobody in Austria drives a BMW for that reason. Its wall to wall fwd Audis and VW's, with summer tyres in summer and winter tyres in winter.

We have a Saab 9-3 as a second car shod with Kumho winter tyres that i have even kept on all summer, as we dont do a lot of miles in it! Theyre absolutely superb for grip.

Good to hear you are all enjoying your new purchases. The latest Prius in my eyes is a great car. We've had no reported probs and of all the ones i've driven i've been well impressed. Keep us posted on how it goes.

Hi,

I am a newbie to this site, so hi to all....

I am serously considering trading in my Rav4 for a Prius Spirit and (if you don't mind) would like some advice on discounts on a new Prius that you have been able to achieve.

Thank you,
Joli

Hi there...i was able to get nothing off list on my T4 from my local dealer, whereas my next nearest dealer offered 1500 off, with a little cajoling.

I did not manage any perks during the purchase and the trade in for my 57 Prius T4 Spirit was abysmal but the Gen3 experience has been worth it.
My local dealer was unable to take an order, because he had sold his quota. A dealer 50 miles away had one available. Initially when I ordered a T4 Spirit in Silver in early September, delivery was given as late December. The dealer rang me to say that a cancellation to the same spec. was available, so I was able to collect on the 8th October.
I have just completed 800 miles in my 10 day old Silver T4 Spirit. I had to sit in it for 10 hours, apart from two short breaks when the M5 was closed on Friday. The seats remained comfortable throughout the journey. The GPS and HUD was very helpful while following the detour around Bath and Gloucester, and the music loaded HDD provided some welcome entertainment while waiting in long lines of traffic.
Average MPG is currently 62 by using eco mode. Click to view attachment

Hi I got my t spirit Gen 3 in Black for £19769 sold my 2 year old gen 2 for £11200 and did not pay for the 2 year service which was due (aprox £200) so deals are out there