Concerns after test-drive

[ggalanti]

I FINALLY found a dealer who had a Prius I could test-drive. I have a few concerns and I would love some feedback from 2005 model owners.

1) The main screen was very hard to read due to all the sunlight coming into the car at noon. Is that a problem for drivers?

2) The visibility out the rear window was very poor. I'm used to a large, unobstructed rear window with my Camry. Do people feel unsafe with the 2005 rear window?

3) The is a picky point, but my right leg was uncomfortable, given the angle at which the seat hit my leg with my foot on the gas. (FYI, I'm 5'5"). Does anyone else have this problem, or am I the princess & the pea? I'm wondering if some kind of seat cushion would help. Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks!

[bruceha_2000]

[list]

[priusham]

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I FINALLY found a dealer who had a Prius I could test-drive. I have a few concerns and I would love some feedback from 2005 model owners.

1) No, BUT... any LCD is impossible to read in direct sunlight. You don't really watch that screen anyway, even with the NAV package because the car will talk to you.

2) I thought the exact same thing on my test drive, but you get used to it within minutes and come to appreciate the spoiler at night as it tends to block the bright headlights of the guys behind you.

3) Can't address that one. I'm 6' 1" and the seats feel fine even on 10 hour long drives

[TonyPSchaefer]

Yeah, I agree with Bruce on all points.

After a while, you lose track of the display and don't even notice when there's sun glare. Or you can get the display hood.

I don't consider my view out the back obstructed. My wife is about your height and she hasn't mentioned anything. Also, the spoiler actually blocks highlights from the cars behind you. I would tend to think that it was accidental, but it's really nice when you're sitting in nighttime traffic and you don't have the rear-view mirror glaring in your eyes.

Sometimes I feel a little cramped with the pedals and the steering wheel and the seat position. Yes, it's true. Other days, though, with the exact same settings I feel as though it fits me like a glove. I can't explain that one. I can say that you get used to it, but sometimes, that's a lame response.

[Marg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ggalanti\";p=\"51135)</div>

I FINALLY found a dealer who had a Prius I could test-drive.  I have a few concerns and I would love some feedback from 2005 model owners.  

1) The main screen was very hard to read due to all the sunlight coming into the car at noon.  Is that a problem for drivers?

2) The visibility out the rear window was very poor.  I'm used to a large, unobstructed rear window with my Camry.  Do people feel unsafe with the 2005 rear window?

3) The is a picky point, but my right leg was uncomfortable, given the angle at which the seat hit my leg with my foot on the gas.  (FYI, I'm 5'5\").  Does anyone else have this problem, or am I the princess & the pea?  I'm wondering if some kind of seat cushion would help.  Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks![/b]

1) It's rarely a problem. I wouldn't say never, but very rare.
2) At first I hated that bar across the back, but now I love it. As Tony says, it blocks the headlights from other cars at night.
3) I'm 5'3" . In our old car, I used to have the seat pulled up close to the steering wheel. When I tried the same thing in the Prius, my gas-pedal foot and leg hurt. I'm not sure whether it was the angle of the foot that caused the problem, or whether my desire to control the pedal with a light touch created leg tension, but whatever the cause, it was no fun. So I tried experimenting with the seat position and things improved. I now sit with the seat rather far back. My arms are not quite as straight as Magnum PI's when he drives his Ferrari, but pretty close.

[jchu]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marg\";p=\"51153)</div>

3) I'm 5'3\" .  In our old car, I used to have the seat pulled up close to the steering wheel.  When I tried the same thing in the Prius, my gas-pedal foot and leg hurt.  I'm not sure whether it was the angle of the foot that caused the problem, or whether my desire to control the pedal with a light touch created leg tension, but whatever the cause, it was no fun.  So I tried experimenting with the seat position and things improved.  I now sit with the seat rather far back.  My arms are not quite as straight as Magnum PI's when he drives his Ferrari, but pretty close.
[/b]

Remember too that you don't want to sit too close to the steering wheel in case the airbag deploys.

[heliotropehead]

I agree with all that's been said. The rear window does take some getting used to.

I'm also 5'5" and try not to sit too close to the wheel, otherwise I do feel some discomfort. Take another test drive and try a different seating position. At the very least it's a good excuse to drive a Prius again.

[ggalanti]

A dealer near my house is going to call me for a test drive when he gets a car in. But it sounds like the seat is no longer a problem for you. Is that right?

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ggalanti\";p=\"51209)</div>

A dealer near my house is going to call me for a test drive when he gets a car in.  But it sounds like the seat is no longer a problem for you.  Is that right?
[/b]

I found the seat to be my biggest, by far, complaint. I didn't have adequate thigh support and either had my leg cocked in a funny, knee twisting, position or had to hold my leg up with part of my thigh 'suspended' above the seat which becomes fatiguing after a while.

If you search around you'll find an old thread (search "perfect seat cushion") where i found a foam lumbar support that I'm, instead, using as a substitute seat bottom with the thick end toward the front of the seat for added thigh support. So far it's worked great (about 10 months) and trips up to 3 hours I've had no discomfort.

[babesp]

I will only address the seat concern as I agree with the previous posts on your other questions! I am 5'4' and for the first 2 weeks I hated the drivers seat and always ended up with a kink in my neck / shoulders after driving. I also felt like the seat was too short to support my legs. I tried a cushion (did not work) and thenI kept adjusting the seat and am now comfortable for long drives (other than the flat butt syndrome that you always get when sitting for a long time). I have put 15000+ miles on since June and sometimes drive as much as 10 - 13 hours at a time with only a brief break(s). I would not hesitate to recommend the Prius to you - you will find the right position and become sleeping (driving?) beauty rather than princess and the pea. Enjoy :mrgreen: