Driven Gen4 Prius today

[AEB-UK]

Took the Business+ model for a test drive yesterday. Thought it drove very much like my Gen 3, so I was comfortable in it.

Still a fair bit of road noise intrusion though, and I didn't particularly like the white "toilet" as someone has described it.

I want to drive the Excel version though, as that is the model I will be buying, so the dealer is trying to find one.

What he finds more difficult is my request to try the car on 15" wheels - I think this will reduce road noise.

Anyone compared the 17" and 15" wheels yet?

[barrycoll]

Good to hear that it is no longer necessary to grope in the dark for the mirror controls....( bit too old for that these days anyway)

thanks in advance for the roof config Pete, and always happy to hear from you...

 

actually ly cycling around India at the moment, where wifi is a bit hit & miss, a bit like the motoring actually.

no hybrids here despite a big Toyota presence, and bad pollution, so maybe hybrids and constant high temps. don't go well together.....or maybe it is just the import duties

[Ancient Nerd]

19 minutes ago, AEB-UK said:

Took the Business+ model for a test drive yesterday. Thought it drove very much like my Gen 3, so I was comfortable in it.

Still a fair bit of road noise intrusion though, and I didn't particularly like the white "toilet" as someone has described it.

I want to drive the Excel version though, as that is the model I will be buying, so the dealer is trying to find one.

What he finds more difficult is my request to try the car on 15" wheels - I think this will reduce road noise.

Anyone compared the 17" and 15" wheels yet?

I've ordered the Excel with 15 inch wheels on the basis that the 15 inch wheels have to be an improvement. I also had a test drive in the business model, which is a distinct improvement over the earlier Gen 3

My last Prius was a Gen 3 T-Spirit with 17 inch wheels. However, I bought a spare set of non-Toyota 15 inch wheels, with winter tyres to use for the winter months. There was a slight difference in overall road-holding in the dry, great improvement in icy conditions, and a significant improvement in comfort. I expect the Gen 4 to be much the same.

In addition, the difference in fuel consumption makes it a no-brainer.

The downside is that Toyota only provide a basic 15 inch wheel, not decent looking ones like the 17 inch versions.

[Chris Dance]

I read a press article that the Gen 4 is exempt the London congestion charge. Is this correct?

[Ancient Nerd]

1 minute ago, Chris Dance said:

I read a press article that the Gen 4 is exempt the London congestion charge. Is this correct?

Yes, but only if you have 15 inch wheels. You still have to register and pay an annual £10.

[Chris Dance]

Thanks for reply. How would TFL know a car has 15 inch wheels.? I suppose you may have to sign a statement on the exemption application

[PeteB]

7 minutes ago, Chris Dance said:

Thanks for reply. How would TFL know a car has 15 inch wheels.? I suppose you may have to sign a statement on the exemption application

You send a copy of the V5C registration document with the application form (and possibly a statement of conformity from your dealer) - it shows the CO2 figure - 70g for 15" wheels, 76g for 17".   So changing to 15" wheels on one supplied with 17" wouldn't work.

The threshold at the moment is 75g!

When I had my Gen 1 Prius (114g) the threshold was 120g, then they dropped it to 100g, for which my Gen 3 Prius (79g) qualified.  I hope I get my new Gen 4 registered before they drop it to 50g!

Once you're registered, they normally allow you to keep the exemption for three years, with no further £10 annual registration fees.  It only remains for the original registrant - if you sell the car it ends, so you can't transfer the exemption to the new owner.

[Ancient Nerd]

22 minutes ago, PeteB said:

 

Once you're registered, they normally allow you to keep the exemption for three years, with no further £10 annual registration fees.  It only remains for the original registrant - if you sell the car it ends, so you can't transfer the exemption to the new owner.

That is good. You have to read very carefully to find that  it is only paid on first registration. The application form doesn't have an option for no payment, so I assume there must be a separate renewal process.

Or have I got it all wrong? 

[PeteB]

Sorry, wasn't quite clear - while your car is exempt you re-register and pay every year.

Once they move the goalposts and your car is no longer exempt, they write to you and tell you the date at which your free extension ends (usually 3 years after the date they moved to goalposts) and that you don't have to re-register or pay the £10 annual fee during that time.

[PeteB]

On 05/03/2016 at 0:47 PM, barrycoll said:

...thanks in advance for the roof config Pete, ...

I think it's good news - there is a ridge on either side of the roof about 2 inches from the edge, so it looks like there's room in between for a sunroof.

Attached photo might help - http://biwel.com/pmb01/Gen4PriusRoof.JPG

Enjoyed my drive, and confirmed my order - now I've just got to wait until end of June 

Good to see 2 each of reversing and rear fog lights have made a comeback.

[barrycoll]

Thanks very muchPete...

Yes, it looks like an after market Webasto would fit, but now it is up to that German company, as to whether they will supply one.

Plan to have a test drive after return from Mumbai next week and do some research

 

 

[johalareewi]

Just looking at a gen4 prius. I see what members mean by the toilet seat.  Am also not impressed with the boot. The gen3 is like an estate with the floor level with the rear door frame.  The gen4 floor is lower than the frame so not so easy to slide stuff in and out.  And the underfloor storage area has gone.  

[thecaretaker]

2 hours ago, johalareewi said:

........Am also not impressed with the boot. The gen3 is like an estate with the floor level with the rear door frame.  The gen4 floor is lower than the frame so not so easy to slide stuff in and out.  And the underfloor storage area has gone.  

Is there much difference in the boot space between a model with 15" wheels and a space saver spare tyre and a model with 17" wheels with a tyre repair kit?

[PeteB]

2 hours ago, johalareewi said:

...The gen4 floor is lower than the frame so not so easy to slide stuff in and out.  And the underfloor storage area has gone.  

I notice in the Configurator under Accessories/Protection (2nd one!) there are two "trunk" liners, for high or low floor - maybe the model with a spare wheel has a higher floor, or the false floor is an accessory as it was in my 2011 Yaris. 

[MichaelM]

5 minutes ago, PeteB said:

I notice in the Configurator under Accessories/Protection (2nd one!) there are two "trunk" liners, for high or low floor - maybe the model with a spare wheel has a higher floor, or the false floor is an accessory as it was in my 2011 Yaris. 

Yesterday when I was at a local dealer, I noticed that the "trunk" liner fitted to a Prius Business Edition Plus did not appear to fit very well. 

Had they supplied the wrong one?    Also I noticed that the liner was considerably thinner and lighter than the one fitted to my Gen. 3.

[AEB-UK]

5 hours ago, johalareewi said:

Just looking at a gen4 prius. I see what members mean by the toilet seat.  Am also not impressed with the boot. The gen3 is like an estate with the floor level with the rear door frame.  The gen4 floor is lower than the frame so not so easy to slide stuff in and out.  And the underfloor storage area has gone.  

The boot may be a little taller, but it is more narrow between the wheel wells - I compared it with my Gen3 parked next to the Gen4 demonstrator.

[thecaretaker]

I had my test drive and good look at the car today. I confirmed order and picked registration number etc.

Drove a black business plus with 17" wheels. I found it very smooth and quiet even when pushing it up the duel carriageway. It was a really pleasing experience. Loved it!

I've just got to be patient now. Feeling very excited about getting my own in April.

[martswain]

Very impressed with the new model, very quiet and refined.

However, I am not going to be buying a car with a white urinal between the seats, this has also been an issue for at least two other prospective buyers.

My local dealer is going to remove the offending white parts on their demo car and repaint them piano black, will see how they look in the next couple of days.

Come on Toyota UK, time for some serious feedback to HQ in Japan.

[ToyotaAurisHybrid]

The wife has now decided she would like a gen4 Prius as our next lease car through my work - it will be her daily drive as I work from home

[johalareewi]

On 16/03/2016 at 0:13 PM, martswain said:

My local dealer is going to remove the offending white parts on their demo car and repaint them piano black, will see how they look in the next couple of days.

Come on Toyota UK, time for some serious feedback to HQ in Japan.

MrT HQ in japan already has different coloured sanity ware.  It will be a local issue limiting the UK to just white.

[FROSTYBALLS]

On 16/03/2016 at 0:13 PM, martswain said:

Very impressed with the new model, very quiet and refined.

However, I am not going to be buying a car with a white urinal between the seats, this has also been an issue for at least two other prospective buyers.

My local dealer is going to remove the offending white parts on their demo car and repaint them piano black, will see how they look in the next couple of days.

Come on Toyota UK, time for some serious feedback to HQ in Japan.

 

24 minutes ago, johalareewi said:

MrT HQ in japan already has different coloured sanity ware.  It will be a local issue limiting the UK to just white.

Toyota GB will have decided the spec they want, so presumably this includes not having an option of different colours for these parts.

[Ancient Nerd]

55 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

 

Toyota GB will have decided the spec they want, so presumably this includes not having an option of different colours for these parts.

Very much confirms my opinion of Toyota GB

1 hour ago, johalareewi said:

MrT HQ in japan already has different coloured sanity ware.  It will be a local issue limiting the UK to just white.

There really shouldn't be a problem as Japan is also RHD, so the relevant bits in one of the alternative colours will presumably fit.

On 16/03/2016 at 0:13 PM, martswain said:

Very impressed with the new model, very quiet and refined.

However, I am not going to be buying a car with a white urinal between the seats, this has also been an issue for at least two other prospective buyers.

My local dealer is going to remove the offending white parts on their demo car and repaint them piano black, will see how they look in the next couple of days.

Come on Toyota UK, time for some serious feedback to HQ in Japan.

Let us know what the results are, and especially how robust they are.

[AEB-UK]

 

1 hour ago, johalareewi said:

MrT HQ in japan already has different coloured sanity ware.  It will be a local issue limiting the UK to just white.

I've tried to find out from some Japanese dealer sites if this is the case, but so far the images all show white sanitary ware.

However, it is interesting to note they also have a 4wd Prius in Japan - www.sapporotoyota.co.jp

 

[Devon Aygo]

3 hours ago, johalareewi said:

MrT HQ in japan already has different coloured sanity ware.  It will be a local issue limiting the UK to just white.

What options have you found as I can only find 4 options for all markets?

1. Base spec black textured plastic without armrest or charger not available in UK

2. Base spec black textured plastic with armrest without charger as per UK Active trim

3. Mid spec White with armrest without charger not available in UK

4. High spec white with armrest and charger As per other UK specs

I cannot find any option ( other than US accessory applique ) that offer other colour and charger.

As a market TGB can only pick from the factory options as laid out below and as we are ultimately controlled by Toyota Europe sometimes we are not allowed access to some options and there is nothing TGB can do.

 

[johalareewi]

I read that a black version was available in Japan (instead of white).  I will rummage through my browsing history and report back.

Here goes:

http://toyota.jp/prius/grade/grade5/

http://toyota.jp/prius/grade/grade6/

And interestingly

http://toyota.jp/prius/grade/grade7/

And a 4WD prius

http://toyota.jp/prius/performance/efour/?adid=ag325.jpcompare_efour-detail&padid=ag325.jpcompare_efour-detail