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Prius 2016 starts selling in Germany on Feb. 20th

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by pakitt, Jan 13, 2016.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Based on what you said, it makes sense from a marketing perspective.
     
  2. GasperG

    GasperG Senior Member

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    I thought RAV4 is already available.

    Well look at the gas pump, Toyota has high expectations from a SUV with 197 PS with realistic 7 l/100 km.
     
  3. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    Well this is not a decision made by Toyota themselves,it's just Toyota Germany who made the decision.
    I am pretty sure Toyota doesn't care less which kind of Prius they put together as long as they sell one at all .
    So if they are so concerned about Germans beeing put off by the 15" wheels,why do they still offer the base version with them ?
    Also I could buy a gen 4. Prius in Austria exactly the same equipped as the german top trim level with a sun roof !
    The only down side to this is,is that vehicles in Austria are way more expensive !
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    That's correct. Each region determines the packages and trim levels. Why would Japan decide for every country in the world? HQ doesn't know what the regional tastes are like and what the preferences are. For example in Canada, we do not get the JBL audio system for the first time. I'm not sure why (other than to keep the MSRPs down). I like the JBL audio systems so I'm bummed it's not offered at all In addition, only the base model is available across the country. The Touring and Technology models are only available in 3 metropolitan areas.

    15" are offered to keep the entry level price down if I had to guess. It also means that they can get people into the higher trim levels.

    Same scenario in the U.S. for Gen 3. "Why can't I get the AT package with the solar roof?". Well they could if they imported it from Canada.
     
  5. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    Some people who have something to say at Toyota Canada must have got up with the wrong foot !
    Why the hell would they not offer the JBL- System ?
    I am looking forward to that,because I heard it sounds real great this time .
    JBL System in gen. 3,at least in my car,sounds like an a bit better than normal soundsystem,but by no means premium !
    Those decisions don't seem to make sense,let the customers decide what they want !
     
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well I know why but I haven't seen any official document stating it. Maybe someone can find a public document.

    The Gen 3 is better than the Gen 2 but only for the front occupants. The speakers sound tinny for the rear passengers in my 2010. I recorded a song that Wayne was playing at Las Vegas and I was sitting in the back seat of a Gen 4 Four w/ AT & PCP. It sounded great considering it was recorded through an iPhone 5S mic and played through run-of-the-mill computer speakers.

    The best one I can remember is our Gen 5 Camry's 6-speaker JBL audio. I think the Gen 4 Prius might surpass that.
     
  7. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I don't recall JBL sound system ever been offered for a gen3 Prius in Germany. Maybe as option for the higher tier trim version.
     
  8. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    it wasnt called JBL, they just listed it as having more speakers :).

    Finally pricing info for rest of the Europe.

    In UK, they can spec 15" wheels for any equipment level due to lower CO2 emissions and taxes.
     
  9. civicdriver06

    civicdriver06 Active Member

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    Yes it was !
    It's printed on the Nav and Speakers !
    JBL GreenEdge
     
  10. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I will have a Prius in test a full day upcoming Tuesday 01.03 - the dealer said he would give it to me the whole day because I am a Gen3 owner and wants me to drive it thoroughly to make my mind up to upgrade to the Gen4. (or maybe he is afraid not to sell it??)
    Last Saturday 20.02 was the German premiere at the dealers and I managed to finally see it in the flesh. Unfortunately the usual white body color. And the prices came out too, at least online (and with a couple of mistakes, for example the IPA does't have a price).
    In Germany it will be offered as usual in 3 trims with not very big differences. The rain sensor is only offered in the highest trim (not an optional anymore in the second trim level) and there is no sunroof option. The main difference between the second and third trim levels are the 10 speaker JBL stereo, and the navigation as standard equipment. Otherwise pretty much all the same as far as I could see.
    My impressions of the car are a mixed bag. A few in no particular order.
    1. the glove compartment is abysmally small compared to the double one of the Gen3 - not even the user's manual fits inside it....
    2. rear visibility is even less than before, but I suppose one relies on the back up camera (standard equipment on all trims) and the sensors and self parking...
    3. the tonneau cover is of much better quality and looks (black)
    4. the front seats are firmer than Gen3
    5. I didn't notice all this extra visibility or "airier" feeling with the new dashboard - it feels like the Gen3 to me
    6. the toilet seat/dentist's bowl/wash basin etc... it's there and to me it felt meh - it's of excellent white plastic mixed with little shiny metallic particles - they offer a 65€ leather cover for it...no wonder... there is also a white insert in the driving wheel, which looks like smiling to me, and underneath the AC controls - these other 2 inserts are pleasant and don't disturb me
    7. the rear seats offer less headroom, as a friend of mine with me, 1.88m tall noticed sitting in it - they lowered the back roof a tad too much it seems
    8. the interiors/seats come only in black (except the aforementioned white inserts
    9. phone charging is standard in the 2 top trims
    10. the engine bay looks as usual very orderly, with more space, and less cables going around - no more orange ones too
    11. the exterior design seen live is really a mix of curves and cuts - you don't really get the idea of the car, at least in white
    12. the trunk is roomier, but no space underneath to stow away little everyday things, like reusable shopping bags, umbrellas, etc. which will have to be in the trunk cluttering it unless I buy a box of sorts
    13. the trunk is not level with the opening of the rear hatch, pity - I used to slide luggage directly from it when talking it out, now I will have to lift it to get it out due to those 5cm difference...
    14. they still use the 5W light bulb to illuminate the trunk, directly from the 70s
    15. finally electrically foldable rear view mirrors and automatic headlights (not available in Gen3 in Germany)
    16. the choice of "colors" is as usual appalling - 5 shades of grey (white, pearl white, light grey, dark grey and black) and a red that is not really convincing (and for some unknown reason more expensive than the other metallic finishes) and a blue that is somewhat purplish and not like the one of the Mirai.... That is quite a let down... it seems I will need to get it again in a boring non color like dark grey or black...
    17. there is no 4WD version and only NiMH battery offered - no version offers Li-Ion battery
    BTW, I was driving for 3 days a brand new VW Activesports Golf due to work last week, and I am ever so glad to drive a car of the future like the Gen3 Prius, that feels more stable, more logical and easier/safer to use, consumes far less fuel (though the engine of the VW is a 1.2L gasoline engine), and has a far less cluttered and way more usable/intuitive interior instrumentation. How can people not crash driving that thing it is beyond me.
    One example of VW "weirdiness" the icon showing you are driving too close to the car preceding you - it is about 1x1 cm big, in the bottom left of the LCD screen in the front of the instrument panel, in the same color of all the other info displayed and without a configurable beep of sorts, or any flashing. How is one supposed to notice it and take action or learn how to keep a safe distance, it is beyond me... Just looking for it and noticing it can be a cause of an accident....

    More info about my test drive this coming Tuesday here - stay tuned - I will be driving the same roads I drive everyday with my Gen3 at the same times, it will be interesting to see the real fuel consumption of this Gen4. I hope it is astounding :)
     
    #50 pakitt, Feb 26, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2016
  11. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    So...yesterday I finally managed to test drive a Prius 4 "Confort" trim (middle one of the 3 available in Germany).
    I will spare you the details of the waste of time and incompetence of the dealer in getting me into the car...long sad story. They profusely apologized in the evening when I gave the car back (I had it for the whole day :) ).
    Impressions....well, again in no particular order (it was a snowy day with 0C-3C temperature):
    1. Gen4 is QUIET - finally! when I got back to my Gen3 in the evening, I was like "what is all this noise???!" noise from the car itself and from the road are greatly and markedly dampened compared to Gen3
    2. the engine tends to be more off than on Gen3 and seems to get warm faster
    3. fuel consumption is 10-20% better than Gen3
    4. fuel consumption has room for improvement as the electric motor seems to be able to push more the car and I could not glide, but *actually accelerate moderately* at 70km/h while the ICE was off
    5. the front visibility is improved, the rear one not worse vs Gen3
    6. the rear back up camera should be of higher resolution and quite noisy (or maybe simply outer lens not clean?)
    7. ECO mode is more aggressive than in Gen3, Power mode didn't impress me much, but the battery was at 2-3 bars only
    8. the interior is pleasant and all black, the only white insert that stands out is the middle console one (the "toilet bowl"), the driver's seat is more comfortable
    9. when the rear seats are folded down, unfortunately there is a small step (with a movable cover that smooths it out), but no flat loading area anymore
    10. there is no room to stow away practically anything below the luggage compartment
    11. the FM radio finally actually works and the loudspeaker system (6 speakers) offer quite nice playback
    12. the color HUD is fantastic, it seems like as if you are looking to a normal LCD screen - bright and crisp
    13. the speed limit sign recognition is actually not based on a map/databes, it actually reads the sign with a camera behind the rearview mirror
    14. the cabin is better insulated from the outside, not just from noise, but also from the environment - the Gen3 feels "cold" in the morning, the Gen4 not as much
    15. the seat heaters switch hidden behind the console is quite nonsensical...but then, how often does one use it?
    16. the rain sensor is not available not even as an option, unless one buys the more expensive Executive trim - why Toyota does this is beyond any possible understanding - it is a safety feature in my opinion - exactly yesterday, I was on the highway when a car moved in front of me suddenly and sprayed my windshield - I expected the wipers to start (my Gen3 has rain sensors) but nothing happened and was blinded for 1-2 secs - in the Gen3 the wipers start working immediately. The same applies if you increase speed the sensor will increase the speed of the wiper, or when you brake hard and water falls down from the roof on the windshield. Safety sense here and there, and no rain sensor... I don't understand what is wrong with them - even the sales guy was baffled
    17. the MID software is pleasant but took me a short while to get used to it - I was missing the simple yet effective MID information from the Gen3 to be honest, the LCD screens look amazing
    18. the wipers don't make anymore the "click clack" when set to intermittent mode (noise from the electro-mechanical relay)
    19. the radar cruise control is wonderful - you can set the speed now in steps of 5km/h (much more helpful and logical than a random quantity) and the car will follow traffic and come to a full stop if necessary - wonderful for traffic jams
    20. there is no "plasticky" "cheap plastic" feeling anywhere in the car
    21. dark grey, is actually much darker than the winter grey of the Gen3 - I will get that one

    Waiting for the dealer to send me an offer - I made him clear that end of the month I have to do the yearly check and once that is done, no car buying for another 6 months at least... If anything else comes to mind, I will let you know.
    The main things though are: it is more quiet and the electric motor is more efficient and more usable. These are for me already 2 reason to get the Gen4.
     
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  12. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    Your backup camera must've been dirty, my backup camera is pretty crisp.
     
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  13. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    Good to know :)
     
  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Europe has "Road Sign Assist" which is not available in the US. So US speed limit sign is based on map data.

    Thanks for the review!
     
  15. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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    They also have something called
    • Automatic Speed Limit (ASL)
    Sounds scary-- what's up with that?
     
  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    ASL is Automatic Sound Leveller. Unless you're talking about what Ford was designing (I was under the impression that it was just a concept). It doesn't allow you to stray over the speed limit if you turn the feature on (unless you mash the pedal of course, which means it's an emergency).
     
  17. gerbre

    gerbre Junior Member

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    ASL means the sound volume is adapted to the speed of the car.
     
  18. ATHiker

    ATHiker Senior Member

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    I was referring to the Automatic Speed Limit (ASL) feature that is apparently available on the German model.

    I was wondering how that worked-- i.e. if it was just a governor to keep you going above a preset limit, or if it actually would slow the car down to match the posted speed limit of the road you were on.

    If it worked in conjunction with the Road Sign Recognition feature, I could see ASL being useful.
     
  19. telmo744

    telmo744 HSD fanatic

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    Sorry. I couldn't find the seat comfort evaluation in your (good) post. Does that go with these 2 reasons to get a Gen4, in your opinion?
     
  20. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I have tested the car for a total of 1hr in 2x 30mins sessions - it feels less plush and more sustaining, but I cannot say whether that could be a determining buy reason, considering I don't have really issues with the seats of the Gen3. Yes, they do feel markedly different and not in a bad way.
     
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