General Build Quality

[Stepppy]

So far my only experience of a Prius test drive is at the London Motor show where we were taken round a short route within the grounds.

Have to say I was really impressed with the car overall, the ride and the way the transition from electric to petrol is virtually unnoticeable. Unfortunately I wasn't able to drive it myself as I had forgotten to take my license with me :(

The one thing I was a bit surprised at were the rattles coming from the dashboard. When I pointed them out to the Toyota guy he said "in a car this quiet you are going to notice rattles". I was a little taken aback by that comment. The surface it was running on wasn't exactly super smooth, but I have driven on worse roads than that in my car doesn't rattle and it too is very quiet.

So, my question is, is it usual for a Prius to have dashboard rattles or was it just a very well used and maybe abused demo car? I know the trim is quite lightweight in a bid to make the car as light as possible, but you can still have good build with lower quality materials.

There are 3 things I look for in a car and they are ride comfort, good auto gearbox and good build quality. The car I was in got 2 out of 3, but I am hoping its usual to get 3 out of 3.

Look forward to your comments.

Thanks :)

[niglom]

I've had mine 3 months. 9k miles.

Rattles on the cobbles but nowhere else!!

Last cars were - Volvo S60, Honda Accord, VW Passat, Range Rover, BMW 3

For me, this is better than all of them.

[Chris Dance]

Have not noticed any dashboard rattles at all. Ignore that comment from the Toyota Rep. If there are rattles from the dash get them sorted under warranty. My car is 3 out of 3 definitely and her indoors says the same.

[Phoenix999]

My wife's Prius is only a year old but I have to say that her car does not suffer from the type of rattles that you have mentioned. The Prius, as far as I am concerned, has typical good Toyota build quality :)

[Stepppy]

Thanks very much for your replies and I am pleased with your comments :)

I thought the build quality should be up to usual Toyota standards, but the Toyota guys comment worried me a little. After all its the real people who own and drive the cars that really know what is what

[Chris Dance]

I have just returned from a short holiday in the French Alps. We went in my son's T Spirit. It was about 1600 miles round trip. The car was comfortable even after a drive of 14-15 hours that is including the ferry crossing. Average fuel consumption 51.9 MPG. Performance and handling in the mountains was excellent. SAT/Nav was good but remember to set it to take toll roads, ferries etc.

My son has a property in the Alps and the road to the garage is still not built properly as the area is under construction. Trying to get the Prius from his garage up a short quite steep slope was very difficult as the anti skid kept cutting in and so reduced engine torque. At one point I did not think we would get the car out as it kept churning up the rubble. You cannot turn off the anti skid devices so the car loses traction on any steep slope that is just rubble.

Another member found this with his Prius whilst in the Lake District. The Prius is an excellent car but beware of this failing on "rubble" roads.

There were no rattles from the dash on rough roads and we travelled on a few in the mountains.