Every time the car is started

I was wondering if someone has experienced the same problem/behavior as I am with my new 2010 prius.

no matter when you start the car, for the first minute or minute and a half, the ICE kicks in and start giving power to the electric motor. It is very annoying and the funny part is the amount of shock you feel when the ICE kicks in...

I am not sure if it is just my car or a general behavior with the 3rd gen.

expert's feedback would be greatly appreciated.

All prii have a warm up cycle. It is required for emissions purposes (warms up the catalytic converters).

The roughness is normal, from my GenII experience.

Yes, it's normal for the ICE to kick in upon starting a cold engine. However, I believe in the Gen III if the engine is already warmed up, the ICE won't kick in upon restarting. This is in contrast to Gen II.

It is normal for the Prius and the Nissan Altima Hybrid. If you start and push ev mode right away it will pull out of the garage and down the driveway on electric, but the ice will soon kick in.

Correct. Also, the roughness or "shock" of the ICE start is really rather subtle in the GenIII version, as compared to the GenII.

Overall, there is nothing to be concerned with in this normal behavior. If the ICE start-up is really jolting, please take it in to the dealer and let it sit for an hour. Then ask a Prius mechanic to get in the car with you when you start it. Before he/she can say anything to you, point out the ICE start and describe whether it is normal, easy or a "shock" -- as compared to what you've felt before. You should find out quickly whether there is anything abnormal about your new car.

Enjoy!

Additionally, assuming that you have about 1/2 a battery State of Charge (SOC) or better, if you immediately hit the EV mode button when starting the car, you can postpone the Warm Up cycle. By doing this, say to reposition the car on a driveway, for example, you can do it without ever having the ICE start up. (This was posted here somewhere last weekend, and I was able to do that several times over the last few days)

I will say that lately, the ICE startup is more noticeable (heavier vibration and noise) than when I first got the car. I am just over 1K miles now. Anyone notice the same? I guess things are just loosing up.
Peter

I don't remember that happening anywhere through the first 6,200 miles (so far).

I was used to a bigger "jolt" from the ICE start in my 2007 Prius, so the 2010 seemed to be entirely seamless to me.

And for me till a couple of weeks ago, the startup was "seamless", hardly could expect by looking at my MPG gauge go down. Of course this is mainly when it is cold/cool. Warm it is pretty seamless.

Peter

Thank you guys. I guess I will try the EV option first and see if that helps.. otherwise take it to the dealer and see if they can figure it out.

btw, does any one know how to make your car remember the previous setting ( either EV or eco mode). every time the engine is shtoff, the settings are gone.

Keep in mind that feeling a small earthquake when the ICE kicks in is normal. It's a normal part of warming up and you can't avoid it.

The EV mode gets erased every time. I don't use the Eco mode, but I believe the car should stay in that mode upon restarting.

Ah Hah!

Perhaps it is just the actual cold. Cold starts (regardless of temp) always have a tendency toward the "herky-jerk".

Is there any chance that your threshold of sensitivity is simply getting lower, as memory of a rougher nonhybrid starts to fade into the past?

This will be less likely if you still drive multiple vehicles.

My experience with our 2010 V is that it is completely seamless, I have yet to feel or hear the ICE start. On our previous 05 it was normal to feel the first couple of starts and shutdowns and that was more noticeable in the winter. Time will tell for the new one as it is far from cold here now. Just for comparison I also have a 2007 Camry hybrid that is virtually undetectable when starting or stopping the ICE. I don't think I've ever noticed it other than when accelerating rapidly, where I can notice the sound but no harshness or shudder.

Eco mode persists across power off/power on.

If you turn off the car when in Standard, EV, or Power mode, the car will start up in Standard Mode. If you turn off the car when in Eco Mode, the car will start up in Eco Mode.

I can confirm what everyone else is suggesting. My 2010 Prius IV starts the ICE within roughly 30 seconds for a warm-up cycle. If I'm just moving my Prius around the driveway, I can engage EV mode prior to the ICE starting and navigate my driveway in battery only movement.

having both an 06 and a 2010, i will say the 2010 kicks on at a much higher RPM than the 2006 does. the 2006 i can barely feel it run, not so with the 2010...must be that extra horsepower i feel

The ICE on and off is a lot less noticeable in the Prius than it was in my '08 Highlander Hybrid, which was somewhat less noticeable than the '07 Camry Hybrid.