Either our 2006 or our 2005 Prius is going to hit 100k soon, and one of them will be sold. While the 2005 was being serviced, I wandered into the showroom to look at the Prius v (wagon). The center-mounted instrument panel doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would, even though it's just a way for Toyota to save money in a world with both left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles. As a matter of fact, it's kind of handy (he grudgingly admits) to have no instruments obscured by the steering wheel and my big ol' paws. Putting the shifter back on the dash was a good choice; it had no business masquerading as a stick shift in the center console. Unfortunately, they STILL haven't put an air conditioner/heater vent in for the back seat passengers - a lost opportunity, especially considering all that extra hot (or cold) air behind the rear seat. I don't know who started this panoramic moonroof nonsense, but why did Toyota include such an abomination? I can't buy a Prius v with all the toys unless I also accept this giant weak spot in the roof. I really don't need more places for sunlight to get in my eyes while I'm trying to pay attention to the road. Worst of all, it doesn't have a practical use. Every once in awhile, someone here in the San Francisco area actually does drive into the bay - or sometimes the ocean. It's not as easy now as it used to be, but it still happens. The one possible use for a sunroof/moonroof is as an escape hatch. But the one in the Prius v doesn't open! What is its function and who's to blame? Does anybody else detest panoramic windows in the top of a car as much as I do?
The panoramic top windows are nice in that they allow you to see out from everywhere. The actual roof of the car provides very little support. It is the pillars and the frame that runs up around the doors and back down again. The stuff inbetween is pretty useless. I don't know about the V, but some do open, and they fold backwards on top of eachother like a cabriolet. Others have electric shades that cover them when parked. Some really fancy ones are electrochromically plated so that you can tint them with a button. The idea is nice, but perhaps the implementation is too basic with the V.
"Who makes these moonroof decisions?" My wife, of course. I wasn't sold on ATP at all. My plan all along was to get the v Five w/out ATP. My wife badly wanted the moonroof so that is what we ordered. I really like it now. The interior feels so much more open and comfortable having the moonroof shade open. Of course, I'm loving the radar cruise control and the 7" HDD navigation that came along with the moonroof. That said, it would be nice if the moonroof and radar cruise control, etc were all available as stand alone options, but I understand that Toyota is pretty much forced into bundling options like this in order to keep the price somewhat in check.
I direct the middle air vent (of three vents in center console) straight back for the rear passengers and have not had any complaints.
I think the panoramic roof is a nice touch, but I could have done without it if is saved me a few bucks. However, I really wanted the ATP so I had to buy the roof too. As far as rigidity is concerned, any roof on an auto nowadays must meet Federal standards now for rollover, so the Prius' resin roof is as good as any, and maybe stronger.
