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How is the handling on the 2022 Prius Prime in emergency situations?

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by JustinMIke, Mar 28, 2022.

  1. JustinMIke

    JustinMIke New Member

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    How is the handling on the 2022 Prius Prime in emergency situations?

    I'm about to sign on the dotted line and low and behold a French car show does a review of the 2022 Prius Prime and they reviewed it as "Do NOT buy." due to terrible handling in emergency situations.

    My own translation here: Braking from 100KM (car shaking, almost felt like the back of the car was lifting up, terrible tire adhesion to road, ABS kicks in and even the stabilization trying to keep the car straight...very poorly says the host). Failed the cone course "It's ridiculously bad, it can't stay on the road says the host, extremely soft suspension, the direction of the car is not listening to me"). Failed the 90KM object dodge, lost total control of the car (yes this host knows how to do this test, he's done it tons of times in other reviews). Failed automatic braking "once again says the host, safe sense fails again"...warns him but doesn't actually brake..just keeps driving. Other cars have passed this same test.

    Road testing of the above points starts at 12:19:
    I'm new and can't post a link: rpmweb.ca/vehicules/toyota/prius/2022/de-base

    The hosts were VERY impressed with the low cost of ownership in the first 5 years, great battery life, fuel economy, Toyota quality...but the test driver seriously was scared when he did the 90KM dodge and hence they had to end the review as: Do NOT buy.

    I did a test drive and obviously I could not test the above! To me it handled "ok"...but I wasn't trying to dodge an accident at 100KM an hour. Comments from 2022 owners?
     
    #1 JustinMIke, Mar 28, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2022
  2. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Welcome. The Prime handles extremely well, but it's not a sport scar. Also, the stock tires are not performance tires; they are tuned for low rolling resistance. In fact, it's marginally better than the regular Prius since it has a better front to back weight distribution.

    I've made some tight swerves with no problems as well as some hard stops. The only surprise was that it always did exactly what I asked it to do. Never had a car before that was so obedient.

    Here's a non-hack job review. I agree with everything Kyle said except his error in saying that you can't charge the hybrid battery with the engine. I don't know how he missed charge mode. They don't show the track day, but he sounded like he thought it did well.

    PS, there haven't been any changes to the Prime that would affect handling or power.
     
    #2 jerrymildred, Mar 29, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2022
  3. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    Hmm, PPs seem to have passed government safety tests, which includes accident avoidance.
     
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  4. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    I'd be interested in how this guy rated a Peugeot.:):rolleyes::ROFLMAO:

    I've had the opportunity to lock-up the brakes a few months back, and it handled as expected - stopped straight w/ABS pulsing. Jerked the wheel to avoid road debris, again handled as expected. No hard body roll, like my GMC 4x4 - though much heavier and another 10 inches higher. These Primes actually handles more like a regular car than the two previous hybrids I've owned - seems more firmly planted.
     
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  5. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    From Consumer Reports:

    Expect sound handling with timely reflexes. Like the regular Prius, the Prime shows prompt turn-in response with steering that firms up appropriately. Overall, it's a pleasant car to drive through corners. That said, it's still doesn't possess the agility of a Ford C-Max or Ford Fusion Hybrid.

    The Prime felt secure on our test track, where it posted a commendable speed of 55 mph through our accident avoidance maneuver and instilled confidence. While it's not meant for blasting around a track, the Prius proved secure and forgiving even when pushed hard, thanks in part to its decisive, quick-to-intervene electronic stability control.
     
  6. MBurch

    MBurch Junior Member

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    This guy took a 2020 Prius Prime to the track.....



    Description: Kyle takes a Prius to the race track?! It actually handles pretty well. It's all down to that carbon fiber lift gate of course.
     
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  7. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    I get dizzy even watching this. I couldn't imagine driving it like that. LOL
     
  8. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    That's a pretty horrible review.
    After a few years of ownership you should have an idea how Safety Sense 2 works, what it's good at and what it's not so good at. It depends on what the emergency situation is, as to how well the Gen 4 Prii handle the emergency.

    Obviously, to me anyways, even though it was your translation, I think I got the jist of it.
    There's no mistaking a few of the fails the driver describes as driver error in either understanding and / or experience. Even with the disclaimer of having done the tests many / tons of other times in other cars.
    Giving an automatic fail after being to scared to finish testing is another read flag of the driver in my opinion.

    There's plenty to learn while owning a Prime, unless you just want to drive it like any other car on the road, which can also be done quite easily. Of course than all the extra buttons and features of the car can be very confusing if one or another is pushed by mistake.
     
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  9. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    I owned a 2020 Prius Prime XLE and I currently own a 2021 Prius Prime Limited. The 2021 handles better than the 2020. I am not sure what they did, but it could be recalibrated steering. Also, Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0 (in 2021) is far better than Toyota Safety Sense 1.0 (in 2020), especially the lane-keeping assist (LKA).
     
    #9 Gokhan, Mar 29, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2022
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  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Where did he lose control of the car?
     
  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Thanks. That's the one I was looking for.

    I knew about the TSS 2.0. I didn't think that would affect the handling. But I didn't know about the perceived improvement in handling. So, if the 2020 handles as well as Kyle described in the video, then 22022 must be even better than that.
     
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  12. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

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    The avoidance test; looks like he took out a few cones - slight over/under steer; that may have been an operator issue or underinflated tires.
     
  13. Ovation

    Ovation Active Member

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    I’ve managed to avoid two deer jumping onto the highway right in front of me last fall (two separate incidents), as well as various bits of debris falling off of vehicles in front of one several occasions (all while traveling over 110 km/h). It’s not anything like the Miata I also own, or my wife’s VW GTI, but it’s certainly better than my Xterra. No worries (as long as you understand the type of car you are driving).
     
  14. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Emergency avoidance maneuver, maximum speed for 2022 models from Consumer Reports:

    Corolla: 53 mph
    Camry: 54 mph
    Accord: 55 mph
    Prius Prime: 55 mph
    Elantra: 56 mph
    GTI: 56 mph
    Civic: 57 mph
    Miata: 58 mph

    Despite its skinny eco tires, Prius Prime does very well, almost the same as GTI, and thanks to improved electronic stability systems, these are all much better than cars older than circa 2015 model year, most of which couldn't do better than about 52 mph.
     
    #14 Gokhan, Mar 30, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2022
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  15. MBurch

    MBurch Junior Member

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    But aren't the blue ones faster?......
     
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  16. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The car appeared to be going in the direction it was intended to go during the video clip. Having been in slides on snow, I just expected something more drastic with saying " loss of control".

    Every ork knows it's red that makes things fast.
     
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  17. road2cycle

    road2cycle Active Member

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    A couple months ago I had an opportunity to test out the braking system on a curved section of freeway. I was in the HOV lane doing somewhere around 60mph and backing off the throttle pedal while traffic in the next lane over was slowing down to a near stop. An SUV decided to pull in front of me three to four car lengths ahead. It was full ABS at that point, and I was fully expecting to rear end the SUV or eat the barrier on my left. The Prime tracked perfectly around the bend in road and I was centered in the lane when I let off the brake pedal. I was thoroughly surprised that disaster was avoided. The thing which surprised me was it took between a quarter to half second between when I fully released the brake pedal to when ABS disabled. All in all the Prime performed as well as any other sedan I’ve driven when hard braking was needed.
     
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  18. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    AEB? EBA?
     
  19. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    My guess would be Emergency Braking Assist (if that is part of the Primes system)?
    I wouldn't think AEB because the description didn't mention any of the tell tale signs normally observed / heard during the incident.
    just guessing tho. I had to lookup what they both were first. :eek:
     
  20. Ovation

    Ovation Active Member

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    True enough, but the differences become more apparent as speeds increase. The Prime is better than I expected, but if I’m running laps on a road course, I’m running them faster in the GTI and the Miata. They’re three different cars with three different goals, so it’s not a knock on any of them that each one excels in ways the others don’t.
     
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