Is the Prius too complicated?

I know you've had far more time behind the wheel of a Prius than I have. But in my short period of ownership I've already learned to pay less attention to all the info and just drive.

Nothing keeping you from just driving it. That's the beauty. The world of information is there if you want it. But it's certainly not necessary to obsess over. It's simple enough to just drive it like any other car if that's what you prefer.

Personally, I set mine in Eco mode and haven't changed it.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Nope not too complicated at all. I simply use normal driving mode (meaning no pressing the Ev, ECO or PWR buttons) and drive the way I normally do. I do, however, manually check gas mileage every time I fill up to give myself the warm fuzzy feeling of great gas mileage...

 

I just drive mine like any other automobile. I don't even want to hear about the complexities involved. As long as it gets me where I want to go, and lasts a reasonable number of years/miles, then that's all I want.

 

Not at all. I like technology, and love the tech on the PRIUS.

But, it's such that, you could just get in and drive it.

That is - once you get used to the stupid "handbrake". Though, unlike a normal car (yes, because of that stupid handbrake) you can't drift with it either.

And the technology is:
1) less than some other cars around; and
2) MUCH less than what is coming.

 

As long as you know how to operate the basic functions, brakes, gear select, lights, steering, heater, etc. then the Prius can be driven like any car. In one survey, the Gen 2 was voted the easiest car to drive (around 2007 IIRC).

 

Personally I like all the data it gives you. But as you already figured out, you can turn it off! It should actually require less maintenance than a typical car. The Prius is definitely set up to feel like a normal car - Toyota has taken great pains to ensure this, whether it be the light amount of regen when you let of the pedal that feels like engine drag on a regular car or the simulated engine creep when you are stopped and let off the brake. There is supposed to be a very short learning curve. You already know this from your other posts, so don't let us talk you out of it!

As far as modes, think of it this way: isn't it nice that we have three options for how the pedal feels? No more complaining that the pedal is too hard to push or too front loaded - if it is just change it to how you want and leave it. MPG difference is negligible anyways for most of us. You aren't a better Prius driver if you use Eco. Just put it in the one you like and feel good about the awesome gas mileage. I have heard that gen 4 normal mode feels like gen 3 power mode so I would probably be a normal mode driver in gen 4 myself (never tried it). With the Prius you can be as nerdy as you want (me) or turn all the stuff off and get great gas mileage anyways (you). The beauty of it is Toyota designed it to appeal to both of us!

 

Here are some thoughts:

1. Push the odometer button until the miles and MPG disappear
2. Revert back to the un split screen where it shows your speed
3. Adjust the MID display so it shows the compass
4. Delete most of the radio presents -- keep 1 AM and 5 FM
5. Set headlights on low, then put black tape over all those buttons at your left knee so you won't be tempted to use them.
6. Turn off the blind spot monitor so you won't be startled by the flashing -- same with the lane keep assist (beeps).
7. Don't even think about pushing the cruise control stalk
8. Un-pair your phone.
9. Set the windshield wiper to manual
10. Superglue the cover to the panic/roadside assistance button on the roof closed

I may have missed some, but hope this helps.

 

The Prius is as simple or complicated as you want it to be.
As many others have said, if you like, just get in and drive. That is how we drove ours most of the time.

Likewise, the Camry or any other car can be much more complicated if you dig deep enough and use all the tricks and techniques to get the most efficiency possible.

How complicated a car is, is completely up to you.

 

i thought you liked complicated?

anyway, maybe it's the gen4. i just touch my handle to unlock, step on the brake and push the button, put it in drive and go.
much less complicated than my 2001 ford taurus, where i had to take the fob out of my pocket, push the button to unlock the door, put the key in the ignition, step on the brake and turn the key to start the engine, put it in drive and go.
who can remember all that?

 

It would appear very complicated, with all the electronics. But the core of the power train design is old school planetary gears. It's amazingly simple and reliable. The electric motor and drive is the most efficient design in the industry. This design has been used for years and is replacing virtually every motor and control in every product. The electronics are the same as all cars have or will have.

The Prius was the hybrid invention. It is a seasoned, proven product. This is my second Prius. The first one is still going at 200K with nothing but oil changes.

For me the new Prius felling wore off 10 years ago. The new 2016 is great. I love all the high tech stuff, and use most of it. That said I just drive it like any other car.

 

Hear, hear. Forgive the snarkier responses—you are the driver the car was designed for. Toyota worked really hard to make the Prius a car that just drives like a car (right down to simulating transmission creep when you let off the brake).

All the lengths some of us go to trying to be smarter than what Toyota programmed the car to do on its own make up a completely optional game you can play if you want to, or skip if you don't.

Just one thing: depending on your existing driving habits, it's been shown you can get a significant MPG boost (in any kind of car!) just by having an instrument that gives you driving feedback, like this one on your Prius:


Lots of other cars now have those too, for just that reason.

If even glancing at that is too distracting while driving, you may still get noticeable improvement by just taking note of any suggestions on this screen at the end of a drive:


Other than that, yeah, it's a car, just drive it!

-Chap

 

Playing the "Hypermile" game with your Prius does overly complicate the simple act of driving...with cheap gas, I sometimes wonder why I put so much effort into squeezing an extra MPG out of a trip, but I have a video-gamer's mentality of going for the higher score, and like the complexity.

 

One oddity carried over from the Gen 3 and the Prius+ is the floaty braking when one front wheel loses traction on regen braking. Although the effect is less so on the gen 4, it's still there.
Talking about confusion when using a rental car, when my Prius+ was in for some work last year the garage lent me a newish manual gearbox car, I couldn't start it at first. Last time I drove a manual, it was a case of, handbrake on, check gear selector is in neutral and turn key, this one I had to have both the clutch pedal and the brake pedal pressed before it would start, what a faff.

 

Even my 3rd gen has a ton of stuff I never use, don't see the point:

This is the car's default display, the one you tend to see on cabby's dashes, lol:



Toyota calls it the Multi-Information Display (has to be three words, how else can you make a decent acronym). To paraphrase from "Peggy Sue Got Married": I happen to know I will never need this display. It's not helpful, utile, it's main function is to force you to keep your eyes OFF the road for a protracted time.

Then there's the "how have I been doing in the last 5 (or 1) minute" bar graph display. I played with it once or twice, never since:



Regarding gas in the tank, there's a gauge:



That works for me, really all I need. But they can't leave it at that: if you toggle through the trip meter options there's a "miles to empty". This one causes lots of consternation for new drivers: it's too conservative, it let them down, it contradicts the gas gauge, and so on. I just ignore it.

This one, the Hybrid Synergy Indicator (again, always has to be 3 words, for a decent acronym), I like, a lot:



Sorely lacking, and I mean this is an advanced, high tech car: coolant temperature.

 

Coolant temp and RPMs on the scan gauge. I like as much data as I can get!

 

It's not complicated at all - and you can turn it off anytime and show the very least necessary.
Have you ever driven a Mercedes, a BMW or a VW? they are overloaded with a lot of not very useful information, they are not intuitive to use.
I find the Prius (both Gen3 and Gen4 I own/owned) extremely intuitive. Just turn on, select D and drive. Everything is close at hand and not intrusive the least. You just drive.
I have driven many different cars for work, they were complicated....