I'm Thinking Of Buying...

[alanmo]

Having been to the showroom I hope you can help me with a few answers before I book a test drive.

Disappointed that xenons aren't available but how effective are the LED headlights?

Are front parking sensors fitted as I could only see two units on the corners? How does the IPA work?

Do the leather seats have electric adjustment, as in many other cars, and does the leather extend to the door panels?

What is the extent of road noise on the 17s? Also, with low max speed the engine must have high revs at M'way speeds - does this result in noisy cabin?

How does the transmission compare with operation of normal auto box?

The dash confronts somewhat with lots of hard plastic and innumerable plastic buttons, have others been put off by that?

Thanks in advance - seems a great forum and if all goes well will follow with interest.

Alan

[phil4]

1. Disappointed that xenons aren't available but how effective are the LED headlights?

2. Are front parking sensors fitted as I could only see two units on the corners?

3. How does the IPA work?

4. Do the leather seats have electric adjustment, as in many other cars?

5. and does the leather extend to the door panels?

6. What is the extent of road noise on the 17s?

7. Also, with low max speed the engine must have high revs at M'way speeds - does this result in noisy cabin?

8. How does the transmission compare with operation of normal auto box?

9. The dash confronts somewhat with lots of hard plastic and innumerable plastic buttons, have others been put off by that?

Hi Alan, have numbered your questions above to make answering individual points easier. Hope this helps.

1. The LED headlights seems pretty good, didn't really notice much difference compared to a previous car with Xenon's. However that's not a scientific measure, nor proof, just my opinion.

2. No front parking sensors available at present. The two corner things are for the IPA.

3. It uses the camera and the sensors at the front to measure distances, spot gaps and white lines and maneuver you into a slot. It's quite cool, a bit gimmicky, and not terribly fast.

4. Not as far as I know.

5. Sorry, can't help here.

6. Reasonable, but then my other car is an MR2 Roadster, so in comparison it seems quiet.

7. The gearbox is one clever bunch of cogs, so no, the engine doesn't rev very highly at motorway speeds, or at least particularly noisily.

8. Very similar to the end user, but closer in experience to CVT, as there's no "kick down", or step changes. It is however neither, and a much smarter solution.

9. I wasn't put off, but the hard plastics certainly don't appeal too much. But then nor does the silver plastic.

Hope the above help. Have a Prius T spirit already, so slightly biased I'd guess. However the above are my honest opinions, and not all glowing :)

[wooski]

1. Disappointed that xenons aren't available but how effective are the LED headlights?

2. Are front parking sensors fitted as I could only see two units on the corners?

3. How does the IPA work?

4. Do the leather seats have electric adjustment, as in many other cars?

5. and does the leather extend to the door panels?

6. What is the extent of road noise on the 17s?

7. Also, with low max speed the engine must have high revs at M'way speeds - does this result in noisy cabin?

8. How does the transmission compare with operation of normal auto box?

9. The dash confronts somewhat with lots of hard plastic and innumerable plastic buttons, have others been put off by that?

Hi Alan, have numbered your questions above to make answering individual points easier. Hope this helps.

1. The LED headlights seems pretty good, didn't really notice much difference compared to a previous car with Xenon's. However that's not a scientific measure, nor proof, just my opinion.

2. No front parking sensors available at present. The two corner things are for the IPA.

3. It uses the camera and the sensors at the front to measure distances, spot gaps and white lines and maneuver you into a slot. It's quite cool, a bit gimmicky, and not terribly fast.

4. Not as far as I know.

No they don't. To be honest how often do you move electric seats? If there are 2 drivers then I would understand but I never move my own seat. Electric seats are very nice but add a lot of dead weight.

5. Sorry, can't help here.

Yes, the door panels are leather as well. For some reason Toyota GB only supply grey leather seats.

6. Reasonable, but then my other car is an MR2 Roadster, so in comparison it seems quiet.

When driving down hill or you lift off the engine cuts out so all you get is wind and tire noise. If you accelerate hard then yes you will hear the engine.

7. The gearbox is one clever bunch of cogs, so no, the engine doesn't rev very highly at motorway speeds, or at least particularly noisily.

8. Very similar to the end user, but closer in experience to CVT, as there's no "kick down", or step changes. It is however neither, and a much smarter solution.

9. I wasn't put off, but the hard plastics certainly don't appeal too much. But then nor does the silver plastic.

The plastic is the least appealing part of the interior there is no doubt. If you can I suggest you wait and look at the new Lexus CT200H due in Q4 which will have the 1.8 litre Prius drive train but in a more upmarket Lexus car. It will be smaller than the Prius though, especially in the back. It also wont have a Head Up Display (which I really like). This car is tipped to have a CO2 of below 100 - around 95g; although nothing official has been announced.

Hope the above help. Have a Prius T spirit already, so slightly biased I'd guess. However the above are my honest opinions, and not all glowing :)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

But the dash does look like a futuristic space ship cockpit - sort of.

[johalareewi]

Having been to the showroom I hope you can help me with a few answers before I book a test drive.

Also, with low max speed the engine must have high revs at M'way speeds - does this result in noisy cabin?

The Engine doesn't rev at all at motorway speeds. It only revs when you put your foot down for hard acceleration. When motorway cruising, there is virtually no engine noise at all. Even at 80+ speeds.

How does the transmission compare with operation of normal auto box?

It is very, very smooth and the selector is just a little joystick.

Requires no effort to move it.

You can't really compare the Prius with a normal car with engine and gearbox. The revving engines and lurching gear changes are replaced with a constant surge. As you will find on your test drive.

I much prefer the Prius CVT to my GFs conventional automatic.

The dash confronts somewhat with lots of hard plastic and innumerable plastic buttons, have others been put off by that?

No. But I like lots of buttons and lights :)

It can put others off driving it though (looks complicated!!).

My kids love it!

[Dave R.]

For my 10p - I've had a Gen III T-Spirit since last September; it's a company car, replacing a Volvo V50, & has now done nearly 20,000 miles

1. Headlights - dunno - option wasn't available when I got mine,

2. Sensors - nope - they are part of IPA.

3. How does the IPA work? As described above. Decidedly a gimic. If you have a wide, well-marked space it works, but otherwise you are just as well to reverse the car yourself. Decidedly a gimic, but fun to play with. Rear camera on the T-Spirit is good.

4. Do the leather seats have electric adjustment, as in many other cars? - nope. There is electric adjustment of the lumbar support, but everything else on the seat is manual. Sadly, even the T-Spirit is not brilliantly specced compared with other "small executive" cars; but then the hybrid drive and other flash electronics make up for some of these shortfalls.

5. and does the leather extend to the door panels? - not really noticed.

6. What is the extent of road noise on the 17s? - To be honest, I find the road noise quite loud - but then there is little engine noise, and the stereo is rather quiet. On the other hand, if you are driving about town, the car is silent when it gets into EV (Electric Vehicle) mode. (and crepeing round supermarket car-parks in "Stealth" (EV)Mode is great fun!)

7. Also, with low max speed the engine must have high revs at M'way speeds - does this result in noisy cabin? - not really - though see my comment on road noise at 6. The engine only really revs when you put your foot down hard.... but as a Prius driver you will be forever easing off the gas ever so slightly in order to maximise mpg.

8. How does the transmission compare with operation of normal auto box? - Absolutely brilliant. Incredibly smooth. What gets me is that when you have slowed down or stopped, all engines are stopped, so you are not wearing anything out by sitting with your foot on the brake - compare this with burning out the clutch on a manual, or having the feeling that the engine is forever pushing against the brakes on a conventiona auto! Also, because the car is so easy to drive, it is infinitely more relaxing. I look forward to getting in the car for a drive.

9. The dash confronts somewhat with lots of hard plastic and innumerable plastic buttons, have others been put off by that? - no. In some respects, the range of buttons gives you something to play with (after all, the only driving controls you have to worry about are accelerator and brake!) Some of the displays are confussing at first, but you soon get to grips with the ones you are interested. THe Head Up Display works a treat.

Other comments:

As noted, stereo is not brilliant, though AUX input is great, volume is low, iPod integration is as waste of time.

Sat-Nav works and will get you there / home but is not the best or the most up to date (but as I've never had one before, it is far better than none at all!)

Storage box in the boot is neat

Fuel consumption will range from high 40's to high 60's depending on type of driving and condidtions (and is very dependent on outside temperature)

PWR mode gives a great "turbo boost" for overtaking

General comfort in the car is good.

Hope that helps!

Dave R

[RNS]

only thing i found a disappointment is when i came to order mine a few weeks ago the found the UK spec limited the leather seat to be NON heated rest of the world is but not here...

thats the only thing i was disappointed with other than that i cannot wait 91 days to go.... until its here :)

i have gone for the LED lights i found a few videos on U tube that shown them. i am a xenon fan my self looking at the video they do look very close.

[Doesn'tExist]

I've also got one on order with LED pack...What did it for me, since every other car we've owned in the last 10 years has had HID's, is the two prone useage, the second LED in each headlight seems to infill and create a nearer wider beam which looks better to me than most projector based systems...But I'll reserve judgement until september.

Dashboard material is all recycled stuff, so in my mind I've forgiven the feel ;-)

It's only noisy because it is so quiet if that makes sense...So it really is much quieter than most other cars, well except for my BMW 7 with double glazing but lets not go there...

Gearbox is brilliant, I love cvt...My wife's Murano has got a cvt, albeit a mechanical one, and it is so smooth....

Tunes are rubbish though, so hopefully the upgrade to JBL was worth it ;-)

[alanmo]

Many thanks for all the interesting and useful comments and advice.

I'll now await a test drive next week.

Alan

[Jolly English Gentleman]

I agree with most of the above even though I have only got a 2nd gen which I brouht 2nd hand a few months ago. Just a comment on the IPA. It will only work on flat road surfaces and the space has got to be far longer than the car for parallel parking (which defeats the object as you don't need it to get into a space twice the length of the car). It is definately a toy. However the rear view camera is a definite necessity and does assist in getting in and out of tight spaces.

On the question of parking sensors, they don't come as standard but can be fitted by the dealer for a few hundred quid. I am planning to get some front ones installed at the first service that I will be responsible for as not being able to see the front of the car means that you tend to leave a wider gap at the front than you think you have leaving the back end sticking out of a car park space. This is down to the shorter than average bonnet.

[Dave R.]

On the question of parking sensors, they don't come as standard but can be fitted by the dealer for a few hundred quid. I am planning to get some front ones installed at the first service that I will be responsible for as not being able to see the front of the car means that you tend to leave a wider gap at the front than you think you have leaving the back end sticking out of a car park space. This is down to the shorter than average bonnet.

The trick is to always go into parking spaces backwards - you can use the rear camera to see where you are going, and you'll find you need far less space to get in and out of the parking space! :)

[Jolly English Gentleman]

The trick is to always go into parking spaces backwards - you can use the rear camera to see where you are going, and you'll find you need far less space to get in and out of the parking space! :)

But you can't easily put the shopping in the boot

[Doesn'tExist]

Don't you guys/girls 'feel' the car when parking? I mean theres very few cars you can see the bumpers, but somehow you just 'feel' where it stops etc...The Prius is for us the smallest car we have in years, but parking sensors in addition to a camera and IPA I just find amazing...Each to their own ofcourse, but it is not like the Saabs of old where the bonnet stopped a foot short of the bumpers :-)

[Jolly English Gentleman]

The Prius has a very raked windscreen, so in essence the base of the windscreen is a lot further away than on most cars when you are sitting at the driver's seat. The tendancy therefore is to leave enough room at the front for what would be a normal engine space from the base of the windscreen view of where you are sitting, but as bonnet is actually far shorter than normal I personally get it wrong unless it is dark so the lights are on or the car has in front is parked in such a way that I can see the reflection of my car.

Try imagining your Saab having an engine the length of a Mini's engine. Its just something you don't expect for a car the size of the Prius.

The rear camera does mean that you are not trying to peer through the bit of the tinted glass below the rear spoiler, or stretching your neck to look over it. The Prius is not alone in a having a rear view camera option nor kit akin to IPA.

[Doesn'tExist]

Should try a Murano, now that is a raked window ;-) With half of the V6 on its side underneath it, makes the Prius windscreen feel like upright :-)