Buying used 3gen or leasing used 4gen

[lovec1990]

Greetings from Slovenia(EU).

im looking into buying my first Prius witch will be mostly driven on country roads so it will rarely see speeds above 90km/h(55mph) and im looking for long term car.now i have two questions:
I can buy used facelifted 3gen 2013-2014 and have some money spared on side for emergency repairs,new tires and new Battery if needed or lease 4gen 2016-2017 Prius still in factory warranty so my question is 4 gen worth it in my case or should i play it safer and buy 3 gen?

Second question whit witch one of them is easier to determine your placement on road im used too driving small cars so im alitle worried about its size?

[barrycoll]

Having had both Ziga, I would choose the ‘17, as it is a much nicer car and more economical car to drive than the Gen3....and no worries about repair costs.

dont worry about size as you just get used to it....my other car is an very small Aygo, but it doesn’t feel any different 

[Catlover]

Hi Ziga, and welcome to the Toyota Owners Club Forum.

I too have owned 2 Prius, a 2010 Gen3 which I bought had 105k miles on when I bought it, sold it with 110,000 miles 6 months later because I loved it and wanted a longer term purchase ie Gen4.     They are about the same size in length, but not overly wide. The Gen4 is probably a bit lower to get into/out of. Both comfy, but I think the interior seating material is a better quality in Gen4 (at least in the UK.   Reliability is very good in both.  Basically they are both the same engineering re the Hybrid system, but there is a difference which makes the Gen4 more economic and smoother when the engine takes over from Battery, or the Battery takes over from engine. The Gen4 is quieter when accelerating, the Gen 3 tends to have an engine roar sounding a bit like a slipping clutch. Its not a bad noise, not too loud, but Gen4 is quieter.   Dont worry too much about the replacement of the Hybrid Battery, the price is falling all the time as technology increases BUT the Hybrid battery has a good reputation for lasting. Hhere in the UK as long as you have the Hybrid battery tested every year the warranty is extended up yo 15 years for the Hybrid battery. I not read of anyone suffering a failure, plus, individual cells can be changed at a much lower cost.  The smaller battery (in the boot on a Gen3, under the bonnet on a Gen4, is used basically to start up the computer and cost around £140. Should last up to 5 year if kept in good condition.

Over the 5,000 miles I did in the Gen3 the mpg was 66.6. In the Gen 4 it is 75.2 and increasing as the warmer weather comes here in the UK. Weather does affect the mpg in any hybrid, as winter comes the mpg drops, then gets better as spring turns to summer.  We have just been away for a week and I was very surprised at the mpg in the Gen4. Going on holiday I used the MWays and did 141.3 miles at 77.2 mpg.  Coming back home I didnt go on any MWays and did 116.6 miles at 88.0 mpg  Coming home took longer and we made a stop 50.5 miles from home. Completing that 50.5 miles the car did 96.5 mpg.  The Gen4 dash giives you these figures, the Gen3 does not.  I wish I could get the photos of the dash up on this forum.

My choice would be go for the Gen4 - preferably with 15" wheels. The ride is much more comfortable then 17" wheels.

For your info, the Auris Hybrid is the same Hybrid engineering the same as the Prius, at least it was around the time of the Gen3 Prius. 

ps. Any one know how to get photos from my iPhone to this forum. I can see them, but dont know how to get them on TOC forum.

[lovec1990]

@barrycoll and @Catlover thank you for your answers and if anyone else wishes to say anything on my question fell free to do it.

As i said it im planing on keeping car for longer time and Prius come to choice becouse i like technology it offers(HUD,Hybrid tech,...) and its looks im not that intrested in MPGs if im honest.

 

 

[Catlover]

As you probably know, both Gen3 and Gen4 have HUD, the Gen4 is better a quality HUD though.

Whichever you get I am sure you will enjoy.

In the UK a lot of Prius are used as taxis. The Gen3 I bought had been a taxi for the 2 years before `ibought and during that 2 year it had covered 50,000 miles. As always, servicing is the key to longevity. And as taxing is the drivers living any problem has to be sorted before it turns into a serious problem. Some Prius in USA have covered over 200,000 miles 

[lovec1990]

^^ true with gen 3 im worried becouse it will be already 5 to 6 year old while gen 4 i would need to lease

[Catlover]

Do you see many Prius in Slovenia?    Do you have any friends with one?    What attracts you to Prius?

[lovec1990]

1 minute ago, Catlover said:

Do you see many Prius in Slovenia?    Do you have any friends with one?    What attracts you to Prius?

No never in my life i saw a prius in real life only Yaris,Corolla and Auris Hybrids but never a Prius.Prius attracts me becouse of its technology(HUD,Hybrid tech,..) and i like apperance both interior and exterior.of both 3gen and 4gen

[Catlover]

Wow, the only one in your area with a Toyota Prius. You will have crowds flocking round whichever Prius you get. If you know the history of Prius you will know they first released in Europe about 1999 - 20 years ago. Gen1 and 2 were 1500cc engines. Gen1 was a saloon, hatchback came in Gen2. Gen3 came a big redesign and 1800cc engine. Gen4 another redesign and improved Hybrid performance. My Gen3 was in silver, the Gen4 is Hypersonic red, looks really great. I bought it end of July last year, not quiet 2 year old, with 20,500 miles. Just had its 3rd service and will be first Mot end of September. I love every journey in it. It is so smooth and so relaxing to drive, brilliant car.

[PeteB]

I would agree with all said above.

The Gen 3 Prius was great, but once I had a Gen 4 I wouldn't swap back.

My Gen 4 also routinely got about 100 miles (160 km) more out of each full tank of petrol, despite the Gen 4 having a slightly smaller (2 litre smaller) tank.

What set the Gen 4 apart though was the handling, ride quality (especially on 15" wheels) and the safety equipment (assuming they have the same specification in your country).

The only thing to watch is if you are likely to have problems because of the low floor of the car (a byproduct of the really excellent low drag factor).  I was planning to keep my Gen 4 for as long as I can keep driving, but less than a year after getting it my hips starting giving problems which got so severe I had to change to a taller car (which I got last Friday, a Hybrid RAV4).  I'm gutted though, I wish I could have kept the Prius.

[lovec1990]

^^ I am planing to do extended test drive of both it could be that gen 4 lower seating does not work for me

[PeteB]

The Gen 3 is almost as low, and the Gen 2 slightly higher still.  The Gen 1 was very high.

To some extent the height adjustment on the driver's seat can help, but it was still too low for me.  Wouldn't have been 20 years ago, but one of the joys of getting older.

Not everyone has the problem, there are plenty of people my age who get on the them just fine.  Just make sure they're ok for you.

[lovec1990]

as alttle fun im switching from my 2002 yaris into bigger and faster Prius

[PeteB]

Then you'll certainly notice the lower ride height!

[lovec1990]

 i did drive second gen Aygo and seating was not an issue plus brothers civic 1997 is low i had no issues with seating in sense of pain or discomfort its just im used to higer seating

[Catlover]

I am 72 and do not have a problem with either Gen3 or 4, but I had the Pete B hip problem with an Hyundai i30 which was low, had to get rid of that after 6 months as the car and I were not suited. Thats the only car in my long driving career that has caused seating problem.

[kithmo]

There is quite a bit of seat height adjustment in the Gen 4, you can sit down low or have it as high as the Gen 3 was.

FWIW I quite liked the velour seats in the Gen 3 and I put scotchbrite protection on them when I bought it new so spills just ran off and it kept it immaculate.

[lovec1990]

only issue now is finding a good gen 4 in my country becouse right now there is only 1 used gen 4 Prius on sale, but this one was test car so it was probably driven badly and only 4 gen 3 on sale else is either gen 2 or new cars😟

[Catlover]

Would it be practical to import from Italy or Austria..... you could even start a business 😀

[PeteB]

2 hours ago, kithmo said:

There is quite a bit of seat height adjustment in the Gen 4, you can sit down low or have it as high as the Gen 3 was.

To be fair, once inside, the Gen 4 was supremely comfortable and had almost the most comfortable ride of any version of Prius (although original 2000-2003 Gen 1 was best by a whisker).  Gen 2, though still comfortable, had the firmest ride and seats.  Gen 3 was better (especially on 15" wheels), and Gen 4 almost tied in first place with the Gen 1.

I couldn't have the Gen 4 seat at the top of its height range though, because it put my head too far into the roof ( I could sit comfortably, but couldn't fold myself enough to get in or out), but I did keep it about three quarters of the way up.

[lovec1990]

9 hours ago, Catlover said:

Would it be practical to import from Italy or Austria..... you could even start a business 😀

im not sure how would lease work plus i would need to change car language, but yes the moment i search in foregin countries i have quite more choices, but personaly id prefer that car is in my country so leasing would be easier plus i can test the car plus take it to service so mechanics specalised in fixing Toyotas and Toyota hybrids could check the car.

[kithmo]

15 hours ago, PeteB said:

To be fair, once inside, the Gen 4 was supremely comfortable and had almost the most comfortable ride of any version of Prius (although original 2000-2003 Gen 1 was best by a whisker).  Gen 2, though still comfortable, had the firmest ride and seats.  Gen 3 was better (especially on 15" wheels), and Gen 4 almost tied in first place with the Gen 1.

I couldn't have the Gen 4 seat at the top of its height range though, because it put my head too far into the roof ( I could sit comfortably, but couldn't fold myself enough to get in or out), but I did keep it about three quarters of the way up.

I can have the seat high up without touching the roof, but when I have it high I find myself bending my neck forward (e.g. at traffic lights etc.), giving me neck ache. 

[lovec1990]

luck is if i can find good used 2016 there is like 2 2016 on sale one was demonstration/test car and costs 19900€ other is sold by dealer as part of Toyota Plus program and costs 26900€.

While on Mobile.de witch is german website for used cars 2016 are in 18000-20000€ range

[Catlover]

I think the 18,000 - 20000 range seems ok, depending on mileage/condition etc.  The 26,900 Prius - how far is that off new price in Slovenia. In UK probably get a new lowest model Prius for that.

[lovec1990]

new one so 2019 with similar eqipment costs 31250€