Non-Touring vs Touring - Mountain twisty road?

[Lcruiser]

All,

I am seriously thinking about getting Touring edition. I have read a lot of threads on this site about touring vs non-touring. I want to know how non-touring performs on twisty mountain road??? We like to go to Lake Tahoe area, and visit mountains area quite a bit. A lot of twisty roads and freeway driving of course. Does Prius "hugs" the road on the straight and the winding? I assume that touring edition will be better on twisty road, but if it is not a huge difference, then I don't want to spend over $5000 for Touring edition.

If I don’t get Touring edition, I will get Package #2 to save money. It’s too bad that we can’t buy lower package touring in CA. By the way, I got a quote for around $26,500 Package #6 Touring edition. How does it sounds?

[ksstathead]

Touring is only $752 more invoice $ than Non, mainly the HID/Fog of Package 4 Non plus the improved suspension. Maybe a little is the bigger wheels and spoiler. Those are the only differences. Don't know where your 5K figure came from, but package 2 to package 2 should be $752 or so at invoice. ($895 MSRP)

Sorry, but I do not know the answer to the handling, as I've only had 1 gentle test drive in flat, straight Kansas. For $752, I'd probably go Touring if I were you, but not for me. From what I've read, its certainly not worth 5K.

Dealer may be able to make better deal on Non as Touring are harder to find. My dealer says Touring is special order for them.

[Lcruiser]

We can only get Touring with Package #6 in CA. I wasn't planning to buy #6 in the first place. I was setting on getting #2, but if I want touring in CA, I have to get #6. That's how I came up with $4K to $5K difference.

[David Beale]

Well Pearl is a standard model. I've flogged her over mountain roads with no problem. It's the stock tires that will be the limiting factor.
With the Touring you get:
1. 16" wheels with better quality tires.
2. Slightly larger rear spoiler.
3. Slightly stiffer shocks.
4. Slightly stiffer anti-sway bars.
5. Different package contents compared to standard model.

In your case it's probably less expensive to "build your own", if you want to improve the handling, though most people wouldn't notice the difference between the two models in handling. I'd just get a standard model with that big a price difference.

[Husker4theSpurs]

Originally Posted by Lcruiser

We can only get Touring with Package #6 in CA. I wasn't planning to buy #6 in the first place. I was setting on getting #2, but if I want touring in CA, I have to get #6. That's how I came up with $4K to $5K difference.

I would imagine your dealer could work something out for you ... otherwise hop a short one-way flight and pick it up somewhere ... at least that's my philosophy. Get the car YOU want no matter what. Probably not worth the trouble to some people, but to me ... I want what I want and with a large purchase like an auto I try to make sure and do it the way I prefer.

[Lcruiser]

What part of region offer touring without package #6?

[ad78]

you can get touring #6 on prestige toyota in NJ

[rwhoyle]

Lcruiser,

I just checked out one of our Dealer sites here in Tulsa. Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisana and Mississippi are all served by Gulf States Toyota. According to the Build Your Own Toyota link on one of the local Dealer websites (Jim Norton Toyota), you can get Packages 2, 3, 5, or 6 with the Touring Model. Touring Models are fairly plentiful in this area.

Hope this helps.....

[subarutoo]

Just to let you know, I paid $26,500 for a new standard Prius, package 6 in 2006. If that is the real price, I wouldn't even think about it. Just do it. I'm pretty happy with the Prius handling for what it is. The Touring could only be better.

[rpiereck]

I have driven three separate Prius Base models before and have driven them over mountain twisty roads. They do tend to understeer and feel a little lose, which means you have to go slow on the corners, and the body leans quite a bit. In a few hours I am picking up my new Touring Prius and over the weekend I'll take it up CA route 130, a very windy mountain road, and will report here how it handles compared to the Base model. Everything indicates that the Touring should handle better, we'll see.

When I was looking for my Prius I emailed over thirty dealerships between San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Fairfield and Sacramento. Some dealerships never replied (their loss), but from those that did reply, the one that gave me the best deal was Concord Toyota. I emailed his offer to a few dealerships and none could beat him. I ended up paying $25,116 (which is $400-some below invoice) for the Touring package 6. If you want to check them out send me a PM and I'll give you the internet manager's email. I get no money from this, I'm just a satisfied customer.