Pics from the Detroit Auto Show!

Since my company worked on one of the new concept car's dashboard, we got into the Auto Show a bit early, and I checked out the new 2010 Prius. I love my '04 and I think I am going to trade it in for this awesome 3G Prius.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Ill be going back either tomorrow or sometime later this week.

From the top photo of the 2010 Prius rear hatchback divided windows,
rear visibility looks better via a thinner-looking, or perhaps more
transparent divider. Through the rear-view mirror, is the obnoxious
divider bar less so? A photo taken from the inside looking back would
be useful...

Other questions -- is the disconcerting interior beeping when going
into reverse still there, and together with navigation system gaffes
(ridiculous legal waiver, and operation by a passenger during
motion without hacks) are these items suppressable?

I am surprised they did have the fully loaded model out there. That is what I want to see with the 17" wheels and LED headlights.

Ah, I see they still have a textured dash material. I thought it looked smooth in the Press release photo's, but not so, not so.

what specs on the plug in??

The Wheels

Here's a closeup of the optional 17" wheel with low profile 215/45/17 tire. I think it's a beauty:



And for comparison, here's a closeup of the standard 15" wheel with wider than last time 195/65/15 tire. I think the wheel pattern is pretty good. But it's all fake. It's a full plastic wheel cover. And if you pull the wheel cover off, the underlying wheel has a different pattern that is butt ugly. You'll wince when you see it and shield your eyes while you fumble around rushing to put the wheel cover back on.

Boo,

For the record, does the 17" wheel have a plastic cover like the Gen II Touring
wheel?

No wheel cover at all on the 17" wheel. It's a natural beauty.

The wheel cover on the 15" wheel is a full cover like the Gen II Touring. But the underlying Gen II Touring wheel was great looking (though some people may not want the dark grey color), while the underlying new 15" wheel
is, as I said, butt ugly. I think 99% of people will prefer to leave the wheel cover on. Heaven help us if Toyota sells a base model without the wheel cover.

How ugly is the 15" wheel?

That wheel is so ugly it should be covered by two wheel covers. :drum:

The automotive equivalent of the "two bag blind date."

Yep. Thanks Tideland. Here's Tideland's photo of the new 15" wheel with the wheel cover off:



The picture doesn't do it justice ... it's even uglier in person. A lot of that ugliness is in the lip area/outermost 2 inches.

I saved your picture onto my computer, uploaded it to my PriusChat photo album, copied the bb code of the photo and pasted the bb code into my reply post.

There's probably an easier way, but I'm the wrong person to ask.

Re: The Wheels

And a cool thing is the 215/45/17's are commonly available off the shelf in tire stores ...
I know this from prior research on the 09 Matrix S with alloys.

You're the man ... the first VSHA pic I've seen in hundreds viewed. Thank you.

'scuse me, I've just gotta smart off a little ...

See that little handle on the left there ... why that little device is nine years in the makin', yesiree ... It's a goodun, works right like it's supposed ta ...



Ok, all done smartin'

That 17" wheel will only look good on one side of the car... on the other side it will look goofy IMO.