2016 Toyota Prius (photos, specifications, Cd 0.24)

[MetroMPG]

I met up with my friends for an eco-driving session in their new 2016 Prius:





Notes / comparisons to the Premier's Limo (2004 Prius):

1) It's not the Eco trim. Not sure which it is & I forgot to check.

2) Quieter & smoother than my 2004 (though its tires aren't inflated as much)

3) Punchier (noticeably more powerful)

4) Noticeably more efficient

5) You don't notice how ugly it is from inside!

6) The steering feels much less detatched/numb than the 2004. Didn't get to test the reportedly better handling though.

7) I didn't like the interior: all black. Like being in a cave.

7.5) But the driver's seat is much more comfortable. (Seat comfort is super subjective.)

8) Fun fact: the ScanGauge says it maintains the 12v battery voltage much lower than the 2004 model, around ~12.6v vs. ~14v.

7) Even funner fact: the info display doles out a "score" plus eco-driving tips after each drive. After the "coaching" lap, where I was encouraging the driver to cause the ICE to fire up and use brisker acceleration when the road ahead was clear, the car told us acceleration was too brisk (or words to that effect). Yet the MPG of that lap was well over 10% better than the same driver's "granny style" baseline lap!

I'll update the eco-driving coaching thread this weekend with more details.

[MetroMPG]

This is what I see when I look at the rear 3/4 view of the new Prius.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

... Even funner fact: the info display doles out a "score" plus eco-driving tips after each drive. After the "coaching" lap, where I was encouraging the driver to cause the ICE to fire up and use brisker acceleration when the road ahead was clear, the car told us acceleration was too brisk (or words to that effect). Yet the MPG of that lap was well over 10% better than the same driver's "granny style" baseline lap! ...

That's interesting, and I guess I want to say not surprising. What was the owner's response to such vivid dissonance and apparent incommensurability?

[RedDevil]

I bet Toyota does not factor in anticipation to the road ahead. Granny style wins big in frequent stop short distance hops.
Wonder why, the data is there. But the driver advice resulting from it may not be understood by all drivers...

[bwilson4web]

This evening, I took our 2014 BMW i3-REx to the same test route of the 2016 Level 3 Prius:

• 99.1 MPG @28 mph- 2016 Prius, Level 3+TSSP, for 5 miles, standard day. The gas has to be bought privately but use for a business or medical trip can expense ~$.50/gallon.
• 7.6 mi/kWh (~151 MPGe) @30 mph - 2014 BMW i3-REx, 10 miles. Using "N" on descending grades had no effect. Includes dynamic cruise control, accident avoidance braking, pedestrian detection and braking, and automatic parallel parking. About half of the charging is coming from free, public chargers. May have a similar per mile tax benefit.

Today I was fully inflating the tires, ~1.4% improvement, and realized that had there been a 2016 Toyota Level 2 ECO with TSSP, I would not be filling the BMW i3-REx tires.

Bob Wilson

[MetroMPG]

Sales of the gen 4 Prius have been underwhelming, to say the least - Toyota's high water mark for the car in the U.S. was 2008 for the 2nd gen (158,884 sold) and 2012 for the 3rd gen (147,507).

Toyota Prius Sales Figures - GOOD CAR BAD CAR

Last year, the liftback didn't even crack 100k sales. In fact, the entire Prius "family" of models only sold 136,632 in 2016, less than the liftback alone in 2012. The Fusion hybrid has outsold it recently.

Toyota Prius Family Sales Figures - GOOD CAR BAD CAR

Blame cheap gas, scary styling and increased competition.

This has led Toyota to introduce a new "cheaper" model of the liftback:

Toyota Prius One: stripped-down hybrid added at lower price

The new Prius One base model is a mid-year addition. It'll have about a $1,200 advantage in price over the current Prius Two, with some minor sacrifices in equipment.

Toyota Prius One: stripped-down hybrid added at lower price

[rmay635703]

Nobody buys cars it's not hard to understand why they don't sell.

Toyo always has sold a base Prius just not Gen IV
(Though admittedly usually fleet only)

I was actually disappointed they didn't release a Prius base at launch but past experience was that Toyo makes it hard to locate and purchase a base car.

Now If the base was $4000 less and had roll down windows and manual locks.

[redpoint5]

Toyota can't grab the performance oriented crowd just by improving handling to be average, and featuring a commercial that shows the Prius being used as a getaway vehicle. The exterior design can only offend their current customers; not attract a whole new segment of buyers.

The fuel efficiency gains were unimpressive compared to past gains.

Finally, everyone that wants a Prius already has one. 2008 and 2012 were probably the best model years because they had mid-model refreshes that added more features and made some improvements. Why replace a super reliable car with a new one that doesn't get much better fuel economy?

My next car will be full EV.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The increased competition led the Prius to lose its monopoly, and its controversial look are also unfavorable not just because it's ugly but also due to some hybrid car buyers not willing to disclose their car choice as some sort of "statement" leading them to something more conventional-looking such as a Camry or a Fusion.

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Now If the base was $4000 less and had roll down windows and manual locks.

Considering that I never saw anybody driving a Prius with the windows down, it wouldn't be so odd if it started to be offered with roll-down windows.

[niky]

I think Toyota has found the limits of that shared Toyota-Lexus design language (sure, they call it different things, but it's the same liquid-organic theme running throughout).

The problem with the Prius is it's one of those cars that looks like it was designed first, engineered second, and then the stylists spent the better part of a year stretching, distorting and masking the sheetmetal to make a design meant for one body style fit an entirely different one. It's awkward, and everyone notices. There's no flow to any of the lines and contours, and even if you like many of the design cues in isolation, mashed together, they're a hot mess.