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What I don't like about the 2016 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by cproaudio, Sep 9, 2015.

  1. 'LectroFuel

    'LectroFuel Senior Member

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    You bought your car extremely new like I did. You have rattles because the car has only been out for two months and the squeaks and rattles haven't been worked out yet. This is the drawback with buying a new model car.
     
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Indeed. It takes the Gen 2's shape (the peak of the roof over the front seats) and manages to make a different design - one that is sportier, lower, and still more aerodynamic. Ok the rear can look a bit overbearing at certain angles (and even more so with the 15" wheels) but in general, it looks unique like you said. It gets people talking which is probably what Toyota wants and people will recognise it on the street.

    It is a Honda product :). I was just giving examples.

    But yes, back to Toyota. Well Toyota in Japan has long offered AWD versions of their cars that we don't get here (like the Corolla for example. They've had an AWD Corolla sedan for generations). It's just something they offer in their home country. I will try an answer next week when I talk to the chief designer. (or maybe a marketing team member for TMS USA)

    Toyota offers AWD versions of their vehicles at home for many generations such as the Corolla. We've never had an AWD Corolla here in North America. I agree that an AWD Prius will probably sell well but I think Toyota probably designed a Japan-only AWD system and didnt' intend to offer it outside of Japan.

    I've never had an AWD car. I've had my Gen 3 with proper winter tyres (Nokian R) and it was fine. It had great acceleration, braking and cornering grip with temps as low as -40.

    Significantly? I'm not aware that the ground clearance is different between 2WD and E-Four versions.
     
  3. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    From photos of the 4WD posted some months back you can see that they rerouted the exhaust pipe under the rear suspension, presumably because the route used in the 2WD was blocked by the 4WD components.

    It is very low and it looks as though the risk of high centering the car and losing the exhaust system would be significant.
     
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  4. mts22

    mts22 Junior Member

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    Not sure that I've heard allot of people say the gen 2 and gen 3's are "ugly", so much as boring and plain. In my personal opinion this gen 4 is actually quite ugly. The front end is okay, though I like it better in photos than in person, but the rear just baffles me. It's just the most odd looking design. It's not even something that I think would grow on me in a positive way. It wouldn't surprise me if a re-design of the back end is not far off. I've heard so many negatives and mostly on how bad that rear looks. But to each his/her own.
     
    #364 mts22, Mar 19, 2016
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  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Actually the E-Four's ground clearance is higher.

    http://toyota.jp/pages/contents/prius/004_p_001/pdf/spec/prius_spec_201512.pdf

    130mm is listed for 2WD except 135mm for E-Four. Interestingly, that's higher than what's listed on the Toyota Canada website (123mm) for our models.
     
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  6. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    The upsweep of the rear door lines give gen4 a more aggressive stance at the expense of a little loss in rear window height and view out. The extra crease near 'fang' taillights and black floating rear roofline don't seem to be things that will keep buyers away. The big increase in front headroom is a big plus to a tall guy like me. More upright windshield and new window layout below A pillars increase front view. Interior design and materials are big pluses and good riddance to the gen3's floating bridge console with it poorly placed front cupholders!

    Toyota won't be redesigning the rear end of the Prius ... until the next generation. Probably have a small change in taillight design for 2018, maybe small bumper / grill changes, but they won't be modding the extra crease or black plastic floating roof.

    Some people just don't like 'Prius like' rear roof lines and those same probably don't like new Civic's either. I'll bet most of them like 2 door coupes with cave-like rear seat. Make sure you're good and agile to crawl in and out.
    New Civic,is an awfully strong competitor to Prius (I think some will cross shop it) but its roof height is over 2" lower. Its Touring is feature packed, but it's hybrid 52 combined vs. conventional 35 comb.. We'll see how well Civic's ACC with low speed follow stacks up the Prius full speed DRCC.

    I think Prius sales are going to start taking off once its seen on the road more and especially when gas prices start to head North.
     
    #366 cycledrum, Mar 19, 2016
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  7. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    Oh I've heard ton of people say Gen2 and Gen3 Priuses were ugly. I mean, I always thought that but it wasn't like I'd go up to a Prius owner and say that. And I do look the look of the Gen4.
     
    #367 Zojja, Mar 19, 2016
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  8. cycledrum

    cycledrum PSOCSOASP

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    I don't think gen2 and 3 are so ugly, just a little odd and tame. Toyota has walked tightrope with gen4 to have more conventional hood and windshield and keep the Kammback rear. More upright windshield pays dividends in front view out.
    I think Toyota did an amazing job on the gen4 design inside and out. Sure, there's a little loss in glovebox and underfloor tray, but it's on par with most of rest of their lineup. gen2 and gen3 needed the extra glovebox and storage space to make up for the other things they lacked, except for MPGs.
     
  9. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    Oh and I saw a new Honda Civic the other day, I was a little baffled by the grille, it is just an odd looking design. The car itself didn't look bad but that grille is not a design choice I would've made.




    Merged



    Coming from a car that had a smallish glovebox but a full size trunk, the thing I miss is side trunk storage. My last car had small cargo nets on both sides of the trunk to store small things. I could put a few grocery bags on one side and a jacket on the other side or whatever. I may end up getting a trunk organizer at some point but so far, I am happy with the large cargo net that it came with and am able to use that for groceries.
     
    #369 Zojja, Mar 19, 2016
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  10. JohnF

    JohnF Active Member

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    But don't you agree that in general cars which are low for better fuel economy will be less capable in snow than ones with more ground clearance (I'm thinking Subaru here at 221mm)?:

    10 SUVs With The Most Ground Clearance for 2015 | Autobytel.com

    I high-centered my Gen 3 in snow in New Hampshire. From that experience, I got the impression that it didn't matter whether I had AWD or winter tires, once the snow got deep enough to high-center the car, I wasn't going anywhere. What that might do to the underbelly panels was an additional worry.

    Following on with that line of reasoning, if 5.3" of snow is enough to high-center the car, how useful will AWD be in a low-ground-clearance hybrid in deep snowfall?

    As I get it, conventional wisdom is that AWD won't help much on ice (need studded tires for that), it's mainly to deal with situations where traction is low but not that low. But on snow or mud tires with poor traction can be limiting even with AWD.

    It seems to me that the current situation is that people substitute AWD for winter tires: they drive around in winter on all season tires (some of which are OEM and have lousy traction in snow). Ideally for winter one would have high clearance, AWD, and winter tires. But is a hybrid with full winter tires reasonably equivalent in everything but ground clearance to the typical SUV with AWD on OEM all-seasons?

    Sorry, this is way OT.




    Merged



    I too am basically very happy with mine. I'm trying to learn to ignore that swooshy bar that runs across the dash that I guess is intended to add "style"? Has anybody figured out a way to use the ledge behind it for anything? I'd gladly have traded it for a larger and/or double glovebox.
     
    #370 JohnF, Mar 19, 2016
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  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It takes significantly deeper snow than a car's ground clearance before it gets stuck, how much depends on the snow's moisture content, the tires, and so on. Due to suspension travel. Typically with wet snow it'll be somewhere between 10" and a foot.
     
  12. Coast Cruiser

    Coast Cruiser Senior Member

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    Hi 'LectroFuel
    Re: My vibration and rattle in the '16 Prius

    Thankfully, I have not experienced that issue again, since it occurred several days ago. It may have been a vibration that started in the engine(?) and resonated up into the dashboard. I heard an odd vibration, and then the right side of the dash started rattling. A one time event, hopefully.

    I've been very lucky with vehicles. Drove a '95 Camry for 10 years, it never made a squeak. Then drove an '05 Camry SE for almost 11 years, and the interior was rock solid. Never had a rattle. (just the usual wind/tire noise in those cars.) Time will tell how the new Prius holds up.
     
  13. Iamjo20

    Iamjo20 Member

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    YOU have rattles already? UHHHHH
     
  14. energyandair

    energyandair Active Member

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    Interesting. I wonder if they a really different or if there is a different measurement protocol.

    The photo I saw had a cell phone leaning against the side of the exhaust pipe and I assumed this mean't the clearance under the pipe was a lot less than 5" (127mm). Maybe it was a really really big cell phone.

    Even if it's not the lowest spot under the car, a low and unprotected exhaust pipe midway between the rear wheels would be of concern to me where high centering is likely to be an issue (e.g. heavy snow country or back roads)
     
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    "Less capable in snow" will mean different things depending on which part of the continent you're in. If you're on the east coast which routine seems to get heavy snowfall, then yes I agree. You want that ground clearance to navigate the deep snow. If you're in the mid west or Canadian prairies, it's not really a concern since snow accumulates slowly and at least in the prairies, 4" or more in one storm is not particularly common. It's also snow with lower water content (fluffier) than the saturated east coast snow.

    An AWD/4WD in that scenario *could* help because it's like having someone push you from behind. The reason is that it's rare that you'll high centre it such that all 4 wheels are barely touching the ground. The idea is that at least one wheel has enough weight on it to give you some grip to get you out. But yeah in general, if you're high-centred, you need a push.

    My guess is that it won't be particularly useful. It's more likely for times when the pavement is slippery (ice or rain) and extra rear electric motor is just there for light duty assist (It's only 7hp/41lb-ft).

    You seem to have gotten the right idea ;). An AWD vehicle with decent ground clearance and winter tires is your best bet. You would want one that has a lower centre of gravity as well (I know, it's a balancing act between higher ground clearance and lower centre of gravity. Just don't opt for that full glass panoramic roof ;) ).

    I drove my Gen 3 with dedicated winter tires (Nokian R) and I only got stuck twice - one with 15cm of snow and another with 25cm+ (My condo was a bit behind in clearing the snow so that junction where everyone crosses to get to the parkade or main entrance has super soft snow and not really compacted down like you think it would). Both times, I failed to maintain momentum and had to stop. I had trouble starting up and had to slowly rock the car out (15cm scenario) or clear some snow away (25cm scenario).

    Otherwise, it has worked well compact snow, leaving other vehicles with AS tires behind. It had fantastic braking and cornering capabilities even with compact snow (The city doesn't clear the road to bare asphalt to minimise the risk of frost heaves, potholes and icy conditions if it's clear and cold. It keeps a 5cm base to maintain traction). Best money I ever spent. Previously, I've used Nokian WRs (WR, WRG2 and WRG3). The R is a step, maybe even 2 steps above the WR.

    Or maybe Japan just keeps the ride height higher and North America lowered the ride height.

    Yes I do remember that photo. It was posted on PriusChat.

    I agree. Also, one of the walk-through vehicles done by a Toyota technician (I think it's in the review thread) said that the exhaust pipe is welded to the muffler and that the break-off point is actually somewhere in the middle of the car. i.e. the last half of the exhaust pipe is one piece - from the middle of the car to the tailpipe.

    Don't forget that there are two grocery hooks on either side!
     
  16. RhettP

    RhettP Junior Member

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    is that dumb duck butt of a tail on the car. Its up way too high. I don't get it. It really ruins the entire rear of the vehicle among other things. If they dropped it down like the Gen 3 it would look 10 times better. I could photoshop it but I just dont have the time. I hate it.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  17. 48mpg

    48mpg Member

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    some people just don't like ducks
     
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  18. Zojja

    Zojja Active Member

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    Shake a tail feather
     
  19. Vike

    Vike Active Member

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    To speak from my own experience, I didn't really encounter any problems with an AWD Matrix, which had significantly less ground clearance than the Outback I traded for it (despite the car chassis, or maybe because of it, the jacked-up Outback has better ground clearance than some "real" SUVs). I'd have to know the difference between a 2004 AWD Matrix XR (the XR added spoilers that reduced clearance a bit) and a 2016 Prius w/E-Four to say whether that's a relevant observation. I should also clarify that while the roads I traveled were often less than perfectly cleared in winter, they were also mostly city streets, not remote rural county roads, so it wasn't like I was plowing through snowdrifts.
    It definitely doesn't - that's the job of anti-lock brakes, which can't change the physics of stopping distance, but do prevent locked up wheels from throwing you into a skid.

    AWD comes into the picture after you stop. When you're at rest with your primary drive wheels on a slick surface, they can easily spin to no purpose if your other wheels are in a bit of snow or otherwise encountering resistance. AWD solves that problem nicely, distributing power to all four wheels depending on available traction. This is useless if you're truly stuck (e.g., too deep in mud or snow), which is why so many 4WD drive vehicles wind up needing a tow after their inexperienced drivers mistake them for hovercraft (the real morons can blow up their drivetrain by thinking they can just muscle their way out with enough revs....).
     
    #379 Vike, Mar 21, 2016
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  20. Vike

    Vike Active Member

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    I think you're forgetting the c.1990 All-Trac wagon. They were admittedly odd-looking with different body panels from other Corolla models, but they were definitely sold here as Corollas.