Gen III - Why the plastic covers for alloy wheels?

I'm curious why my 2010 Prius has plastic wheel covers over the (nice looking) alloys.

Is it for brake cooling, aerodynamics or what?

Also what is the downside to taking them off?

Thanks in advance to you Prius Guru's with fact based information.

Only downside I see with them off is when the wife scrubs the curb with the alloys. Don't scrub the curb and I don't think there is a downside. I would like to put the Toyota emblems in the center though. All this has been discussed, even has a link to where to purchase the emblems

If the plastic covers make the car more aerodynamic, why not go to the old 'moon covers' (solid dome covers that cover the wheel) of the 70's?
I also remember something about reducing 'unsprung' weight of a car(wheel covers, wheel size, disk brakes, etc.) for better handling.
Frank

Frank,

I know you mentioned the 70's (I'm a leftover surfer from those days) but I never did like those "moon covers" because they seemed to be a 50's thing (to me at least).

Somehow I get the feeling Toyota likely expended the funds to do "real air tunnel" (aerodynamic) testing to justify the cost of these cheap plastic wheel covers.

About: "I also remember something about reducing 'unsprung' weight of a car(wheel covers, wheel size, disk brakes, etc.) for better handling." True. I guessing these factory wheels are very light and this is not an issue here (is anyone tracking or autocrossing these Prius beasts?).

Para and a64pilot, thanks for the good comments. But, a64 be careful about the wife making the skuff marks (I'm smiling here), I did that once and after a week skuffed em worse than her! Sh&% happens.

Toyota put the covers on so we have a fast, easy, and cheap mod

I thought taking them off would give my son a sense of cool about the car. He just looked at me with that disgusted 13 yr. old look and said:

"Mom, the alloys on a prius are not like other alloys..."

This is a job for "Mythbusters"

You mean like this:

This discussion has been going on for many years. Here are three other
threads that tanken together pretty much exhaust the subject: :deadhorse:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...yone-else-prefer-running-without-hubcaps.html
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/45077-plastic-wheel-covers-why.html
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...7586-these-wheel-covers-wheel-protectors.html

The search tool is your friend. :frusty:

:behindsofa:

This is the quote I got when I emailed Toyota on this subject.

"After doing research, the rims/wheel covers on the Prius were designed for appearance and not for air flow and better gas mileage."

Errrmmm..."designed for appearance"?

If the goal was "cheesy appearance", then they succeeded. Otherwise, not so much...

If there is one that I don't like about my Prius IV it is the cheap looking wheel covers. Yesterday, I noticed that one of the wheel covers had fallen off/been stolen/was missing and I discovered how good the basic wheel looks. I was considering removing all the wheel covers and was thinking "wouldn't it be great if you could buy a something with a Toyota logo to fill in the hole in the center..."

Funny how this thread just happened along at just the right time...

Thanks y'all...

I do not know. This is the same kid who thinks Chargers are "ridonculously cool"

those are the alloy wheels underneath the caps on a 2010 prius? those look nice. I might have to take my caps off

I do like how the plastic cover looks, I just wish they are actual metal, not plastic.

Yes. He has a big head, made for a memorable experience.

He corrected me though... chargers are cool but it's challengers that are "ridonculous cool."
:blink: