2022 Prime or Wait for 2023 yikes!

Stock wheels are 15".
17" would be a dealer add-on.

https://www.toyota.com/prius/features/mechanical_performance/1263/1265/1227

Also, note, it's October, and still no Prius listed for Upcoming Vehicles.
If I could legally bet on the future Prius models, I might be richer than Musk.
But, without knowing Toyota's actual shortages, it would still be a big risk.
Otherwise, imho, it's very simple, and very obvious, 2023 is a 2022, and the last year for the Prius.
Fwiw, I put basically zero weight on the self-serving media jerks.

 

Wow you are more analytical than I am! One of the dangers for me is to end up with analysis paralysis. It seems like that may be happening to you. Also, please note the AWD get worse gas mileage in general than FWD models.

 

Personally, I think research is a good thing as it might get us to *hold off* on a purchase. Far too many want the 'shiny object' and do no research whatsoever. It's one of the foundations of advertising.

 

Yep it's true you need to be an informed consumer. BUT, as someone who tends to drift into analysis paralysis....too much analysis is not a good thing.. it becomes difficult to make a decision

 

The AWD on the Prius was designed for Japan, which gets snow, but doesn't have road salt. Its to help start FWD cars moving on slippery inclines. It can give some help while moving, but only up to 43mph.

So with less stop and go, and more 'highway' speeds, the AWD comes on less, leaving the only negative to fuel economy at those times being its weight and drag from spinning some extra parts.

Of course, if the system is infrequently used, why not just skip it to save money. If you do have to drive in really snowy or icy conditions, Autosocks will be cheaper long term.

 

I made that decision about 5 weeks ago when I grabbed the 2022 Prius Plug in Prime Limited.

Love it. I owned a 2012 Prius and the feedback from the car is a whole different scale.

My logic? I’ve spent the last few decades in IT, and and old saying was that there are only 2 types of Hardware, Experimental or Outdated.

This is the last year of GENeration 4. Next years look beyond amazing. That said, there is also The owner Financed Field Testing and Development program that I part of in my Sports Car days. You don’t necessarily want the first wave.

For me the Safety Sense System won me over. The HUD is a big ego/safety argument. The big display is still going to take some time.

I have not had my first plugin charge. Hybrid mode I’m consistently over 60 MPG. Look up Prius Pulse and Glide to improve your consumption skills.

Having a new car under my family now is a very good feeling.

— RS —

 

BTW - I have lived in Minnesota my entire life...and have *never* felt the need for AWD. Snow tires do the trick just fine here. I might have a different opinion in a mountainous area though...and in that case I'd want snow tires first *and* AWD. Too many around here have AWD but leave the crappy OEM tires on...and end up in the ditch in winter.

 

Having more tread than the federal minimum on all seasons is probably good enough for many areas of the country.

 

So?
No honestly. So, "Wth does that have to do with the price of tea in China"?

I always find it interesting when people say "Since *I* never XYZ, then everyone in the universe XYZ".
And, they say that when they have the InterWeb.
Wow, just wow.


There are literally thousands of youtube vidoes showing SNOW PLOWS, BUSES, TRUCKS, ETC, all skidding in the snow.
There's even a youtube channel of someone in Mass, that lives on a Typical Hilly Narrow City street. And, they post videos of the vehicles (all types) skidding and sliding on the street during/after winter storms.
Wait, I know - Fake News! Just like the moon landings!


New England is New England.
You know, a coast line.
You know, part of a land mass that has been crunched and torn apart, a few times.
We have Mountains, and Mountains, and Mountains, and more Mountains.
!!YES!!

Any place where the temps get below ~32F, can have icy roads.
Your POS tires are a joke for the PURE HILLY terrain, and the morning and late night roads in many Typical New England areas.

You want to see something flat and level in New England, then go to the NH Dragway.
Otherwise, "we ain't got no level/flat land in New England". I'm pretty sure that the French, English, and people here before them, outlawed any flat/level land. Imho, if they saw any, they likely dropped a 1,000 ton nuclear bomb on that area, just to be sure that it didn't stay level.

Fwiw, back in my school days, I (moonlighted) drove a tow truck. I drove a tow truck, clearing cars from roads/driveways/etc, when Conn and Mass where both shut down because of blizzards.
It's not "too uncommon" to have the day start with ice (before sunrise), change to freezing rain (early morning), then change to rain or snow (depending on the weather pattern).
Or, snow (before sunrise), change to icy then freezing rain after the sunrise.

 

Found the youtube channel.
udizzy1969 - YouTube

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/user/udizzy1969/videos
udizzy1969
15.5K subscribers

He's in Worcester. About ~~50 miles from Boston.
I've also see videos posted by someone in/next-to Boston.

One of the more "entertaining" snow videos:

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUSRuTjod1g
You Can Do It, The Hills Of Worcester 2022
Jan 9, 2022
udizzy1969
15.5K subscribers

Btw, around 15mins into the video, the City sand truck skids and slides into a Stop sign.
The City Sand Truck then has to be towed out.

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kwy-SZ6wkY
The Big One You Have Been Waiting For With Udizzy1969
1,504,362 views
Mar 9, 2018
udizzy1969

.

 

To use the famous quote..."No S&*T, sherlock". Why so angry? Trust me..it gets plenty icy here...

Of course you "slide all over the place" when it's slippery...gee, that takes a scientist to figure out...eh? The fact of the matter is, snow tires give you *far* more grip in snow and ice and are much more important than AWD in icy conditions. AWD does help get you going from a stop in icy conditions...but not always. However, AWD does nothing for tire slippage and stopping power once you are on your way. In fact, this is exactly how Toyota designed their e-AWD system...it only operates at low speeds ( BTW - this is the system in the AWD Prius ).

And yes...AWD does often give folks a false sense of security and can cause accidents in icy conditions. It's not just me that sees that...it's everyone that drives my those folks in the ditch every winter.

If you had any reading comprehension you will see that I said that if you live in a mountainous area, snow tires *and* AWD is probably the correct way to go. However, snow tires are much more important. You are cutting yourself off at the knees if you have AWD without snow tires...

With that said, a great compromise for those that can't/won't do snow tires is Michelin CrossClimate 2's. Amazing all season tires that also come close to a low end snow tire. We have them on one of our vehicles and they really did great over the winter here when compared to our other vehicle that has snow tires.

 

There is about a 500ft elevation difference between my home and work, with a dip of 100ft in between. I've only had FWD in the past, when caught in a major snow storm. Only times I have had difficulty was with all seasons that should have been replaced before the snow. Which is why I got Autosocks for the Camry.

Years ago, Popular Mechanics/Science did a comparison between FWD and AWD with different tires. AWD with all seasons performs as well as FWD with snow tires. IIRC, the AWD car was a Subaru. The AWD systems on Toyota hybrids aren't Subaru's. The rear motor on the Prius is just 7hp. It will help in bad weather, but you'll be paying for the few days it is needed all year.

Probably not a concern, since you are looking at a Prime, but the AWD Prius doesn't have a spare tire. The inverter/controller for the rear motor sits in the spare well.

The Prime loses more than 6 cubic feet of carbo space when compared to the Eco model. The Eco cargo floor is sunken in around the same distance as the Prime's stick up. The models with a spare tire, and maybe the AWD, have a cargo space in between, with the floor being level with the bumper.

Your current Prius has a little bit more interior volume than the Prime. Mostly in the passenger space, leaving the Prime with better cargo space. The Prime's cargo area would likely be an issue for you if you haul a lot of tall things.