So long, for now

After the long wait for the 4th generation Prius we went to the dealer ready to make a deposit and place an order on a four with blizzard pearl, tan (whatever they call it now) interior, pcp/atp to replace our similar 2010 Prius four.. Then a funny thing happened.

Right off the bat, the Mrs. didn't like the new styling. It didn't bother me. In fact, some of the changes seem to help with visibility. Then we went on a test drive. I was impressed with the improvements to the handling, ride and noise level, but we both felt a little claustrophobic in the new interior. We also realized that we are getting old and getting in and out of the Prius was highlighting our creaky old aches and pains.

So just for the hell of it, we test drove a Rav4 Hybrid. My first impression was that the hybrid and technology stuff seemed "tacked on" v. how it seems more fully integrated with the purpose-built Prius hybrid. We liked the comfort and the extra space, but something just didn't seem "right."

After several trips to the dealer and doing more research, even considering some other makes, we ended up sad and thinking there wasn't a car for us any more.

Then we decided to rent a Rav4 for the weekend. It wasn't a hybrid, but still got great gas mileage. Once we got used to it we decided we could live with it. We returned it on a Monday morning and that afternoon took delivery of a Rav4 Hybrid Limited that our dealer had just gotten in that was pretty much exactly the configuration we were looking for (blizzard pearl, tan ("latte"), atp and upgraded stereo, moon roof, etc.).

We just got back from an 1800 mile road trip and I have to say we are very happy with it. I miss the 50+ MPG but 37+ (occasionally 40) isn't too bad, all things considered. We love the comfort, ride, spaciousness, handling and performance (the Hybrid version has a little more scoot in the boots). The "premium" JBL stereo isn't nearly as good as the JBL stereo in our 2010 Prius, but I can live with it. It also has a hump behind the rear seats for the batteries, which makes the cargo area slant towards the rear with the rear seats folded down. That's annoying, but maybe they will fix it when future versions have smaller Li-Ion batteries. Other than that we pretty much love it. We call it our "Big Prius."

And I highly recommend the atp for the Prius or the Rav4. The radar cruise control alone is worth it. The other safety and convenience features are outstanding as well.

So after two Prius we have moved on. It's a little sad, but it looks like Toyota has a winner with the Rav4 Hybrid and I've seen commentary elsewhere that a lot of people are making the switch. The Prius is still a great car, and one of the most reliable vehicles we have ever owned. Hope the Rav4 lives up to that.