Prius V has worse steering than lower trims

How long was the V on the lot. I could have had low tire pressure. Makes a big difference.

 

I drove a III and a V. The III was fine, but I thought the V felt more stable on cornering. I could definitely 'feel' the road more on the V, a direct result of the larger wheels and low-profile tires. What I really liked was the quicker ratio steering of the V, which gave the car a decidedly more sporty feel.

On top of that, I think the looks of the 17's are way better.

Love the leather. It was going to be a IV or a V for me simply beacuse of the leather and the heated seats.

To each his own. But we bought a V and are very pleased with it and the handling. Without the AT option, it is really quite gadget-free, IMO.

 

That's funny, before buying I also test drove non-V and V and also 2nd gen. I found that the non-V steering/handling was unacceptable and similar to 2nd-gen, while V was much better and more fun to drive.

 

Let's see, lack of sunroof option, personal preference for cloth seat, "useless" gadgets, high price tag. Sounds like you're knocking the V for reasons other than worse steering, which could be due to any number of factors. Be honest, are you in the market and can't afford the V?

 

Agreed.

 

I rented a 2010 V, put about 38 psi all around, drove 75 miles on Skyline Blvd on the SF peninsula ...

the leather was very good and comfortable, road feel was great, steering felt good to me.

One singular thing I did not like is the low-hanging rearview mirror (the auto dimming mirror with buttons is a taller mirror).

I positively cannot stand anything blocking my forward view, and oftentimes, when making a right turn, or right loop turn, the rearview mirror is right where one wants to look. If the rearview mirror is up and out of the line of sight, no problem. If it hangs low, or one is sitting too high in the car, their forward vision will be blocked and they will need to duck down to see ahead ( very annoying).

So, Toyota - you must insure that rearview mirrors of all types can be adjusted up and out of a tall person's line of sight, even with height adjust all the way down. The Prius is still a smaller car with low windshield height, so you must be very smart with rearview mirror placement.

 

I drove a 2010 III on Calaveras Rd which is a bumpy, windy, twisty backroad. I thought the III handling was secure and the chassis was more composed than my 2009 non-touring.

I wouldn't call the steering sporty and highly responsive, but it was decent, not numb.

The III is not necessarily a 'fun', sporty, and certainly not a powerful car, but it is a pretty nice car to drive and certainly felt like a good, solid car.

I was careful to fill and refill the car and came out with 63 MPG's (sixty three) over about 120 miles driving.

 

That is one minor niggle I have too. The rear view mirror blocks a lot of the forward vision. It could be mounted a lot higher.

 

I agree with the mirror comment. I've got it up as high as I can get it, and I still wish it went an inch higher... Seat is bottomed out as well.

 

Wrong.

the steering (and handling) in the V is markedly better. one of the major reasons i bought it over the IV.

 

My Prius III handles like a Corvette.

 

I just drive to commute to work and get groceries. I wish the steering was lighter. Road feel is overrated, I prefer as much assist as possible since I never drive all that hard around the corners. The only feel I want when driving is the hamburger and the cup of coffee.

When I want to go fast, I get into my sportier mid-life crisis mobile - my Sienna minivan - which can do 0-60 in 7.8 seconds and generally outperform the Prius in speed.

 

If you're going to be that picky, did you at least check the tire pressures?

 

I'm with you guys on this one, yes the mirror is an issue with me also, (6'4"). I would also love to retro fit the V's steering ratio into my III.

 

The 2010-V also has a slightly tighter turning ratio....

Which is another plus....

 

This is why it makes sense to wait a couple of years before buying when a new model is introduced. While Toyota has done well in improving the Prius overall in the Gen3 model, these inevitable small engineering quirks get resolved as time and experience accumulate.

 

In this month's Motor Trend, the 2010 Prius is in the Car Of The Year competition. In the write-up they mention that the programming for the electric power steering is different based on the wheels/tires. This is the first time I saw that mentioned. It explains why you found a difference in the way the two felt at the wheel.