Plastic Hubcaps On or Off?

I've been going back and forth between these two pictures for awhile now and can't decide which way I will be driving the new Prius. That is, of course, until the new wheels and tires are done, which could be a while.

I am curious which look people here prefer. What do you think? One obviously looks more finished with the plastic hubcaps and the other maybe weird and maybe sport'ish in some books. It's amazing how much smaller the tires look in the second picture.

Which way would you roll?


With Factory Hubcaps
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Letting the Alloys Breathe
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For the Touring wheels like yours, I like the hubcaps off.

For the standard wheels like mine, I like the trim rings on.

Off looks better: more serious. But then I prefer the six-spoke non-touring rims, so what do I know.

I like the alloys without the covers. It took me a long time, maybe years, when I wasn't interested in the Prius to understand how Toyota could deliver the cars with those "wheels". For me I am planning to have the alloys polished and get rid of the gray finish. I have used wheel refinished for years to keep my Porsche rims nice.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tdsoup @ Nov 13 2007, 10:25 AM) [snapback]538939[/snapback]</div>

You know I just found the dealer info booklet on the 'new' 07 Touring Prius and it only shows the Prius without the hubcaps, I remember thats why I wanted it in the first place it looks sporty.

I took off the plastic after about three days of driving, and I haven't looked back. I much prefer the look of the alloy wheels. Mine is a non-touring '07, so it is a different look. Still, when I saw the touring model on the lot before it was dealer prepped, I was very interested in getting those great-looking wheels.

The perspective change in your photographs does not give justice to the alloy wheels. Set the camera on a tripod and try again!

Without matches the car much better. Drive Naked :lol:

how do you take the hubcaps off?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JoeyJoeJoShabadoo @ Nov 15 2007, 09:26 PM) [snapback]540325[/snapback]</div>

simply jerk them off

I took off the wheel covers on my 07 Touring, and I'm missing the center cap. Is that something I should ask the dealer to fix during the next oil change?

I do prefer the cars appearance with the plastic hub caps off

I've been debating about the same issue with my blue touring prius and just can't decide. I'm leaving the plastic on for the winter and will take them off when spring's over. I'll probably end up switching back and forth for a change of pace and look for the car. I like them off on your grey color though. It's much sportier.

My rule of thumb is that anything that the car doesn't need should come off. Best would have been if the alloys were made to look like they had the covers on them. What, do you suppose, were they thinking?

This whole "touring" thing puts to rest the idea that those stupid rings on the "standard" car actually did anything. If they did... why then does the Touring edition not need them????

I just purchased a Prius (touring) two weeks ago and I asked the dealer why they even put plastic caps on the wheels if there were nice alloy wheels underneath. He told me that the plastic caps actually have improved airflow than the alloy rims and improve gas milage (slightly). I'm not sure I believe him... but that's the "official answer" Toyota gave me...

If you remove the plastic hubcaps, you can purchase 4 Toyota center caps (Part# 42603-52030) and pop'em right in.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dahgu @ Nov 18 2007, 06:40 PM) [snapback]541300[/snapback]</div>

Thanks Dahgu!! B)

While washing my non-touring Prius in the fall, I noticed some dirt and gravel came out from under the trim rings. So I pulled them off to see what was what. They trap a lot of crud. That crud will hold salt in winter, and that salty ice/water will corrode the aluminum wheels, causing the paint to come off (yes, both touring and non-touring wheels are painted aluminum). So my "trim rings" now hold down a shelf in my garage full time. My wheels don't need to be a little heavier at any expense, especially if it causes extra corrosion!

I wonder if the plastic covers are cheaper to replace if you lightly bump a gutter? May be why they are there.
I have my trim rings off but I'm thinking about painting parts of them and refitting them as they hide the brake dust on the front wheels. I'll pull them off to clean behind them when washing the car.