Touring and non-touring again

[HSDP]

Recently I have been shopping for a new Prius and did a lot of internet research on the touring versus non-touring. After reading many posts here I did my own back to back test drives and wanted to report back for those who are wondering.

First off I will say that I know a lot about cars, I have been an enthusiast all my life and have owned many cars, I used to race SCCA solo and have been involved in motorsports for many years. What I am about to post here is intended not for the car enthusiast or the weekend racer, but for an average person considering the two.

I have always loved the prius for what it is, but was never happy with the way it handled, it's steering feel, nor it's ride. It took me about 15 seconds in the Touring to realize this car is very different. I was afraid that it would be a very mild upgrade as the car is after all, a Prius. To my surprise the engineers did not aim too low. The Touring version finally has a proper suspension. There is little squat and dive on hard braking, steering response is a world better, and the horrendous understeer is gone. This car now feels connected to the road and to you. It is not a sports car, but it is a car with a proper suspension that will aid you greatly in any emergency maneuver especially at highway speeds.

As for the "rough ride"... I heard it so many times... and now I find that statement to be borderline ridiculous. The Touring's suspension is completely acceptable on the roughest roads. The ride may be 10% worse, the handling is 50% better. If you drive your car in the city from point A to point B and do not break 35, the non-touring will give you a bit more of a cushy ride. But in any emergency, the difference in response of the two can be the difference between an accident and one avoided. Any hard braking in the standard model causes a severe dive, shifting all the weight of this already front-heavy car to the front... leaving the poor quality Goodyear Integrity tires to deal with all of it. I would bet from 60 MPH there is a significant difference in stopping distance between the two models. Also any sort of quick turn on the wheel to avoid something is like compressing a sponge in the standard model, and the touring will actually move the car.

Please do not listen to keyboard jockeys or the salespeople at dealerships that have never driven the car. For some reason they assume that because you are buying a Prius, you are somehow too dumb to know the difference between good and bad steering feel. Between good and bad handling. In this area at least because they stock so few Touring models, they are reluctant to sell them. With the extra visibility added by the HID's and the small price difference, I 100% recommend the Touring model to anyone, even the average easy going driver. As far as I am concerned, this is how ALL Prii should have come.

[apriusfan]

If you want to improve the Touring edition's handling even more, put on a set of TOM'S front (upper & lower) and rear suspension braces.

[hoop]

Another point to be made is when people are asking questions about prices of cars, or gas mileage questions they might need to be a little more specific about which model they are refering to. Touring or base. There are differences.

[apriusfan]

Originally Posted by hoop

...There are differences.

There are differences. But with the small production quantities of Touring editions, I can understand how a sales rep could forget to ask which version the customer is interested in. Especially if there are no Touring editions in stock. The sales rep is focused on making a sale today, not 1+ months from now.

[Husker4theSpurs]

Originally Posted by HSDP

Recently I have been shopping for a new Prius and did a lot of internet research on the touring versus non-touring. After reading many posts here I did my own back to back test drives and wanted to report back for those who are wondering.

First off I will say that I know a lot about cars, I have been an enthusiast all my life and have owned many cars, I used to race SCCA solo and have been involved in motorsports for many years. What I am about to post here is intended not for the car enthusiast or the weekend racer, but for an average person considering the two.

I have always loved the prius for what it is, but was never happy with the way it handled, it's steering feel, nor it's ride. It took me about 15 seconds in the Touring to realize this car is very different. I was afraid that it would be a very mild upgrade as the car is after all, a Prius. To my surprise the engineers did not aim too low. The Touring version finally has a proper suspension. There is little squat and dive on hard braking, steering response is a world better, and the horrendous oversteer is gone. This car now feels connected to the road and to you. It is not a sports car, but it is a car with a proper suspension that will aid you greatly in any emergency maneuver especially at highway speeds.

As for the "rough ride"... I heard it so many times... and now I find that statement to be borderline ridiculous. The Touring's suspension is completely acceptable on the roughest roads. The ride may be 10% worse, the handling is 50% better. If you drive your car in the city from point A to point B and do not break 35, the non-touring will give you a bit more of a cushy ride. But in any emergency, the difference in response of the two can be the difference between an accident and one avoided. Any hard braking in the standard model causes a severe dive, shifting all the weight of this already front-heavy car to the front... leaving the poor quality Goodyear Integrity tires to deal with all of it. I would bet from 60 MPH there is a significant difference in stopping distance between the two models. Also any sort of quick turn on the wheel to avoid something is like compressing a sponge in the standard model, and the touring will actually move the car.

Please do not listen to keyboard jockeys or the salespeople at dealerships that have never driven the car. For some reason they assume that because you are buying a Prius, you are somehow too dumb to know the difference between good and bad steering feel. Between good and bad handling. In this area at least because they stock so few Touring models, they are reluctant to sell them. With the extra visibility added by the HID's and the small price difference, I 100% recommend the Touring model to anyone, even the average easy going driver. As far as I am concerned, this is how ALL Prii should have come.

Just wanted to chime in and agree ... the Touring felt less "floaty" to me w/o feeling rough at all ... I could tell an immediate difference ... not saying the difference was HUGE, just that I could tell right away. I like the idea of slightly larger wheels and like the plastic caps on the Touring better as well.

[drees]

Originally Posted by HSDP

and the horrendous oversteer is gone. This car now feels connected to the road and to you.

I think you meant understeed and not oversteer.

I need to get me the Touring or TRD suspension, anyone know how hard it is to get the Touring for cheap (even if used)? I'm thinking $300-400 for struts/springs...

I'm used to driving my WRX with modded suspension, the standard Prius isn't too bad (used to drive a 96 Camry which was much worse in stock form), but I'd like to be able to sling it around some corners but without spending a ton of money!

[skguh]

[sl7vk]

Wow!

You touring people are even more smug then us normal Prius owners. Congrats on attaining what I thought was an unattainable level of self satisfaction!

[skguh]

We prefer, "Chuffed." More refined than smug, don'tchaknow? LOL

[HSDP]

Originally Posted by drees

I think you meant understeed and not oversteer.

Yes, I meant understeer.... I am sorry after a year in a Prius with a suspension made by Sponge Bob my brain cells died of boredom. They commited suicide by hanging themselves from their dendrites.... one by one.